You may have heard of glycemic index or glycemic load recently, which isn’t surprising, since 2013 has brought us some big findings about these two nutritional indicators. But what is glycemic index and how does it differ from glycemic load? And, more importantly, why should you care?
Glycemic index and your skin:
The glycemic index and glycemic load of the foods in your diet can have serious implications for your skin, as well as your overall health. NPR.org released an article in February 2013 affirming that “a growing body of evidence suggests that eating a diet rich in high glycemic index foods may be tied to flare-ups.” 27 studies were reviewed by nutrition researcher Jennifer Burris and her team – you can see the full process and conclusions of the review in this paper.
Although we’re now seeing a connection between acne and glycemic load/index, the science behind this isn’t 100% yet. However, Burris and her colleagues have a theory, which I find promising. Foods that are high on the glycemic index chart are foods that are sugary and high in white, processed carbs, so think bread, rice, soda, flour, pastries, etc. Even certain fruits can rate on the higher level of the glycemic index (this is seen primarily in exotic fruits). These sorts of foods are known to spike blood sugar levels very quickly, which causes the body to release hormones. As we know, hormones can play a huge role in acne for many people, especially women.
Glycemic index and glycemic load:
The difference between these two is simply a difference in measuring just how crappy certain foods are for your blood sugar. The University of Sydney does a great job of explaining the relationship between the two:
“Your blood glucose rises and falls when you eat a meal containing carbs. How high it rises and how long it remains high depends on the quality of the carbs (the GI) and the quantity. Glycemic load or GL combines both the quality and quantity of carbohydrate in one ‘number’. It’s the best way to predict blood glucose values of different types and amounts of food.”
This means that, although glycemic index is important and you should keep an eye on it, it’s essential that you pay attention to the glycemic LOAD of the foods that you’re eating.
How can I eat a low glycemic load (LGL) diet?:
The best resource I’ve found for finding the glycemic load of the foods that I eat is right here: http://www.glycemicindex.com
This website is run by the University of Sydney (Australia has already started labeling food with its glycemic index!) and has a search function where you can type in the food you’re looking for and find both it’s glycemic index and glycemic load. Certain foods won’t be found in the system, and this is because they either haven’t been studied or because they rate a 0 on the scale (these foods include most meat, eggs, tofu, nuts, seeds, avocado, some fruits and veggies, wine, beer, and spirits).
However, my suggestion is that you don’t get too caught up in tracking the exact glycemic load of your diet. Once you get a feel for which foods are low (below a “10”) and which foods are high (above a “20”), you can just make sure to stay in the low range and then check the University of Sydney when you’re unsure about a food. You don’t need to sit down and count up the exact glycemic load of each of your meals, because a low glycemic load diet is really intuitive: grains, sugars, sweeteners, processed foods, etc. are generally high, while whole foods, fruits (usually), berries, vegetables, and meat are low.
Does all of my food need to have a low glycemic load?:
The University of Sydney says “no…the effect of a low GI food carries over to the next meal, reducing its glycemic impact. This applies to breakfast eaten after a low GI dinner the previous evening or to a lunch eaten after a low GI breakfast. This unexpected beneficial effect is called the ‘second meal effect’. But don’t take this too far, however. We recommend that you aim for at least one low GI food per meal.”
However, I think that for us who suffer from acne and other issues related to glycemic load, this sort of regime won’t be sufficient. To see the full benefit of a LGL diet, we should be eating entirely of the lower end of the glycemic spectrum (below a “10”), and only going over to the middle on special occasions (around a “15”). We should completely avoid foods that have a high glycemic load, since all sorts of hormonal fluctuations can cause us to have a breakout. That being said, you should always eat the diet that feels best for you and keeps you healthy.
Glycemic load surprises:
Here is a list of a few foods that I thought had surprising spots on the glycemic scale:
- Agave: 2
- Apples: 4
- Apple juice: 10-13
- Peanut M&M’s: not sure, but they’re low!
- Pineapple: 6
- Raspberry: 0
- White potato, baked with skin: 19
- Sweet potato, boiled: 11
- White rice: 16-40
- Brown rice: 16-30
- Quinoa: 13
- Black beans: 7
- Chickpeas boiled: 9
Note that sweet potatoes are better than normal potatoes, while brown rice and white rice rank about the same (this also applies to whole wheat bread and white bread).
What can I expect on a LGL diet?:
Of course, everyone is different. However, I found that when I ditched my topical antibiotics & tretinion (Ziana) and started my LGL diet, my skin improved over the course of 2-3 weeks to the point where it was significantly better than when I was using the antibiotics! I don’t ever see myself going back to the antibiotics now that the LGL diet is part of my life. Plus, I’ve lost several pounds and have managed to keep the weight off! (But yes, I do miss pizza. So. Much.)
More resources:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130220084809.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20234032
http://seattletimes.com/html/health/2004009923_webdietacne13.html
http://www.aad.org/stories-and-news/news-releases/growing-evidence-suggests-possible-link-between-diet-and-acne (American Academy of Dermatology)
clearly minimalist 