Carbohydrates are present in many of the staple foods in the standard American diet. For example, bread, rice, pasta and other grain products, potatoes and other starchy vegetables, fruits, all dairy but cheese, and all sugar-containing foods contain carbohydrates. However, not all carbohydrates are metabolized at the same pace. High glycemic index carbohydrate foods quickly result in large blood sugar swings, while low glycemic index carbohydrate foods help you maintain both your blood sugar and overall energy levels more stable throughout the day.
The Glycemic Index of Milk
The main carbohydrates in milk are in the form of lactose. A low glycemic index is defined as having a value of 55 or below and milk definitely falls in that category, with a glycemic index value ranging between 11 and 24, depending on its fat content. Sugar-free chocolate milk has a glycemic index of 24, while chocolate milk sweetened with regular sugar has a glycemic index of 34, which also falls in the low glycemic index food category.
Low Glycemic Index Benefits
A diet based on low glycemic index carbohydrates is beneficial for your health. By helping you maintain your blood sugar levels more stable throughout the day, you will feel more satiated between your meals and won't have sugar or carbohydrate cravings between your meals, which are usually associated with a drop in your blood sugar levels. A low glycemic index diet is associated with a lower body weight and improved diabetes control. Moreover, consuming low glycemic index foods can help you improve your physical performance while avoiding cardiovascular diseases.
Insulinemic Index
For most foods, the glycemic index and the insulinemic index go hand in hand, which means that the more a food raises your blood sugar levels, the more this same food stimulates the release of insulin by your pancreas. Usually, low glycemic index foods result in a smaller elevation of your blood sugar and insulin levels. However, milk has the particularity of having a low glycemic index while having a high insulinemic index, which means that although it does not raise your blood sugar levels considerably, it elicits a large release of insulin, according to a study published in the "British Journal of Nutrition" in 2005.
Implications
Milk can definitely be part of a healthy low glycemic diet. However, because it triggers a disproportionate release of insulin considering its relatively low carbohydrate content, people at risk of disease of insulin resistance should probably limit their milk consumption until more studies are conducted in the subject, according to the authors of the 2005 study in "British Journal of Nutrition." Conditions involving insulin resistance include the metabolic syndrome, or syndrome X, as well as type 2 diabetes.
References
- University of Sydney: The Glycemic Index
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; International Table of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values; Kaye Foster-Powell, et al.; 2002
- "British Journal of Nutrition"; Dissociation of the Glycaemic and Insulinaemic Responses to Whole and Skimmed Milk; Garrett Hoyt, et al.; 2005
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Inconsistency Between Glycemic and Insulinemic Responses to Regular and Fermented Milk Products; Elin M --stman, et al.; 2001
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