Glycemic load and inflammatory metabolites

The Study

The glycemic load is a measure of how your diet impacts your blood sugar. A high glycemic load diet causes a lot of dramatic spikes in blood sugar, while a low glycemic load diet has a much easier effect on blood sugar. In this study, 80 subjects consumed a high glycemic load diet for 28 days followed by a low glycemic load diet for 28 days. A variety of metabolic functions were tested after both dietary periods. After the low glycemic load diet, subjects had a significant improvement in metabolites involved with inflammation. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2019; 110:984-92.

Take Home Message

This study provides further evidence that dramatic swings in blood sugar can be harmful to our health. Focus on low glycemic load sources of carbohydrate such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains and be sure to strictly limit refined carbohydrate foods such as bread, pasta, white rice and sugar.