Glycemic Index versus Glycemic Load: Carrots

Most diabetes patients tend to avoid eating carrots because of the sweetness. The main concern with the vegetable is its impact on blood sugar levels. Farm fresh carrots are sweet when eaten raw and even sweeter when roasted. This concern with carrots’ sweet taste stem from a misunderstanding on how carbohydrates actually work in the bloodstream.

Understanding Carbohydrates

When consumed, carbohydrates are broken down and absorbed by our body as glucose. Glucose is that sugar which your body uses in order to create energy. There are two kinds of carbohydrates, complex and simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are vegetables and starches, such as pasta and rice. On the other hand, simple carbohydrates are milk, fruits, yogurt and sugar.

Regardless of the food that you eat, it is the amount of carbohydrates that dictates how the food affects your blood sugar. To fully comprehend how a particular food affects your blood sugar, you need to know the meaning of glycemic index and glycemic load and the difference between both terms.

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