Diabetics often wonder about the glycemic index effect of honey and whether they can use honey as a natural sweetener while taking advantage of its medicinal properties. For example, does honey increase blood glucose levels? Can diabetics use honey instead of sugar? Are honey and diabetes generally compatible?
The concept of glycemic index (GI) was invented about 30 years ago. Researchers use it to classify carbohydrate foods based on how quickly they raise blood glucose levels.
The researchers put the values of all the ingredients to be able to compare them and use glucose as a reference. That is, the glycemic index of glucose is 100. The rest of the ingredients are classified between 0 and 100.
The low glycemic index group (less than 55) includes a significant number of dairy products, fruits, vegetables, legumes and some pasta.
The group with a medium-high glycemic index (55-69) includes rice, bread and some breakfast cereals.
The high glycemic index group (over 70) includes white flour and potatoes. This is the glycemic index of most cakes.
Glycemic index of honey
Honey is mainly composed of carbohydrates (80%) and water. These ingredients contain large amounts of glucose and fructose. The relationship between the types of sugar depends on what type of honey we use as a comparison.
Flower honeys generally tend to contain more fructose and therefore have a lower GI. The glycemic index of honey is about 61, although it can vary by about three, either lower or higher.
As you can see, the variety of honey and its percentage of glucose and fructose modify the value of the glycemic index. This index thus places honey in the group of ingredients that contain a medium-high glycemic index.
health and diet
Many experts and nutritionists have long advocated a diet based on the glycemic index of ingredients. Low glycemic index foods should be plentiful and high glycemic index foods should be excluded or restricted in the diet.
Nutritionists favor such a diet because human digestion can consume and absorb nutrients only from foods that have a low glycemic index. Thus, over time, they lead to lower or longer glucose spikes.
Why is this a remarkable thing when we are judging whether honey and diabetes are compatible? Because it is difficult for diabetics to process sugars efficiently. In such cases, good control of the glycemic index helps delay the onset of disease-related complications, such as kidney damage, nerve damage, or even an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
There is also scientific evidence that a low glycemic index diet is combined with the following health benefits:
Calculation of bad cholesterol (LDL)
Weightloss
Lower risk of cancer (colon cancer, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, etc.)
Lower risk of heart disease
Monitoring a single nutrient (in this case, the glycemic index) is generally not a good method in nutrition science. This is because only focusing on certain qualities makes us forget their true value. Here are some things to consider about your glycemic index:
The values of all ingredients are different according to various studies.
Not all individuals respond to food the same way, as insulin responsiveness fluctuates from one individual to another.
We seldom eat the fixings independently. By and large, the fixings are blended in a similar food and consequently the glycemic record of the tried fixing alone changes. For instance, the expansion of fat or protein manages the assimilation and resulting ascent of glucose in the blood.
In the event that we take a gander at this mark of consideration or rejection of food varieties in the eating regimen, we won't consider other significant contemplations, for example, the thickness of the fixing, the conceivable probiotic impacts and the satiety limit.
What are the health benefits of honey?
The nutritional value and healing properties of honey have been known for thousands of years. Its nutritional composition contains antioxidants, phenols, organic acids as well as small amounts of vitamins and minerals.
Honey is currently used as a sweetener in combination therapies with herbal medicines. There is scientific evidence that a small amount of honey is good for human health. However, without going into too much detail, we can summarize the properties of honey here:
Honey has an antioxidant capacity.
Honey reduces the number of analytical indicators of inflammation.
Honey promotes cardiovascular health by improving blood cholesterol levels, lowering triglycerides and slightly reducing body fat.
Some antibacterial effects may be positive against gastroenteritis or Helicobacte pylori.
However, honey should not be consumed as much on a daily basis simply for its health properties or because it belongs to the medium to high glycemic index group of ingredients.
Honey is definitely a better option than white sugar and artificial sweeteners, but keep in mind that excessive amounts of sugar can also lead to long-term health problems. Therefore, do not exceed the recommended amount, that is, 30-60 g per day.
Other benefits
In short, the glycemic index is a measurement method that classifies the response of blood glucose levels after eating carbohydrate-rich foods. Honey is one of those ingredients and it is practically made up of two types of sugar: glucose and fructose.
Honey also has a medium-high glycemic index, which may actually be a better choice for sweetening your favorite foods and beverages. Thus, honey and diabetes can be seen as a good alliance. At the same time, however, be aware of the problems associated with a high-sugar diet and use the glycemic index as a guide
Source:
www.quora.com
