As a type one diabetic, Curtis Harling knows all about carb counting and the glycemic index.

"Basically, you want to choose foods that are whole grain, ones that are instant potatoes and rice. Lots of fruits and vegetables as well."

Knowing what kind of carbs he'll be eating helps him calculate how much insulin he needs from his pump.

Harling says, "if there's a high GI or low or medium, I can calculate, so I know how many units of insulin I'm getting."

Barbara Allen says, "the low glycemic index foods are digested more slowly by the body, causing more full, whereas high GI food...that leaves that person to feel hungry again."

Low gi foods include lentils, brown rice and slow-cooking large oats. Most vegetables are low in GI, but there are exceptions
potatoes are higher, while yams and sweet potatoes are lower.

You won't find glycemic index ranking on foods here in Canada, but on Australian products, there is labelling pointing out what kind of impact foods will have on your blood glucose levels. It's something many would like to see here.

Dr. Michael Lyon, Canadian Centre for Functional Medicine, says, "it helps to promote a much more balanced approach to carbohydrates, which is that we shouldn't eliminate, but rather to be aware of the quality of carbohydrates."

But Health Canada is worried GI labelling may confuse consumers and it says there are still too many questions about how that number is calculated. Still, many are hopeful we will follow Australia's lead.

Interestingly, how you prepare a food can affect its glycemic index. Overcooked pasta, for instance, has a higher GI rating. For other helpful information about the glycemic index, you can go to the website: diabetes.ca. There's a listing of low and high gi foods. Even though you should choose high gi foods less often, you can still eat them, by mixing them up with lower gi foods.

Thursday May 4, 2006