Q: I’m trying to lose weight by eating a diet based on the glycemic index. Is that a good idea and how do Georgia pecans fit into the diet picture?
A: Glycemic index (GI) is a number rating of individual foods based on how much a standard amount of that food (100 grams or 3 ½ ounces) raises blood sugar. Foods with higher glycemic indexes are thought to cause more dramatic fluctuations in blood sugar and insulin levels and contribute to weight gain. Choosing only foods with low glycemic indexes, including pecans and other nuts, whole grains and beans and lentils, may make weight loss easier. However, a better measurement is something called the glycemic load (GL), which instead of using a standard amount for all foods, gives a blood sugar rating based on a typical serving size of each food. The GL provides a more realistic view of the effect different foods have on your blood sugar. Pecans rank low on either scale and are a good addition to your weight-loss diet. Pecans can even help lower the GI or GL of higher ranked foods. For example, rice ranks high on either scale, but add some pecans to the mix and the blood sugar score drops. The same is true for potatoes or pasta. Simply sprinkling on some chopped pecans can reduce a food’s blood-sugar-raising effect.
