Dr. Alan Barclay, a Board member and consultant to the Glycemic Index Foundation, discussed a number of issues related to carbohydrates. The topics presented by Barclay include the glycemic index, glycemic load, diets and an overview of how carbohydrates influence on one’s health.
Barley showed that the average life expectancy of Australians is increasing as well as their high. However, the number of Australians getting overweight is growing.
The headlines indicate that carbohydrates are probably the problem and that it is necessary to cut the sugar intake. On the other hand, carbohydrates are essential nutrients as it is a primary source of energy for the brain, muscles, and nervous system. In addition, it is present in the body as the genetic material (RNA, DNA). Carbohydrates can be classified as sugar, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides. Barley gave examples of each category: glucose, galactose, and fructose are classified as sugars; maltodextrins are oligosaccharides and starch is a polysaccharide. Moreover, dietary fiber is a kind of carbohydrate that ends up as glucose in the body. When it comes to foods that contain carbohydrates Barley cited examples such as vegetables, fruits, grains, milk and table to sweeteners.
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Glycemic Index (GI) is a measure of the outcome of carbohydrates on blood glucose levels in a number of people over a period. Some common low GI foods include beans, muesli, and pastas. Nevertheless, potatoes, corn flakes and white bread and wholemeal are examples of high GI foods. Glycemic Load, on the other hand, is associated with the existing carbohydrate content of a food and how much it increases the levels of blood glucose. According to Barley, it is possible to reduce the glycemic load by consuming a reduced amount of carbohydrate and/or lowering the GI of the