Overweightness and obesity have been issues of concern for many years.  Physicians and nutritionists have insisted on the relationship that exists between bad diet habits and sedentarism with health problems that are currently abundant:  diabetes, cholesterol and high triglycerides, high blood pressure, heart problems, among others.  For this reason, one of the research topics that has been widely developed is the “Glycemic Index (GI)” of foods.

What is the Glycemic index?

In simple words, it is the speed with which each food we eat releases a substance called glucose.  Glucose is used by our body as a source of energy.  Therefore, a food with a high glycemic index increases glucose or “sugar” in blood faster than a food with a low glycemic index.

The food that releases glucose slower gives us energy for more time and are beneficial to control the weight and health of our body.

Several years ago, food with low glycemic index was only recommended for people with diabetes, since they tend to have higher levels of sugar in their blood.  However, there have been many investigations that have led to conclude that currently the glycemic index should be taken into account for all individuals.

A study compared the risk of obesity in children that had a similar calorie intake, but with different foods. Kids that drank soft drinks, which have a high glycemic index (GI) tended to have more overweight issues than those that had drinks with a low GI, this is due to the fact that those with high GI promote hunger and the need to eat more.

What is the glycemic index of milk and its by-products?

Milk is one of the drinks with a lower glycemic index, especially when compared with other drinks like fruit juices and soft drinks.

In a study called CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) it analyzed, among other things, servings between the glycemic index and weight increase, within a 10 years period, and in thousands of young adults, it found that people who drink milk show 30% less risk of obesity.  One of the most important conclusions of this study is that sweetened soft drinks tend to have a high GI and promote obesity, fruit juices are intermediate and do not promote obesity, and milk with a low GI helps fight obesity.

On the other hand, it has been demonstrated that by consuming yogurt and fermented milk it can decrease the GI of the food as a whole; that is, if there is consumption of food with a high GI combined with these dairy products, these could contribute to a lower increase of glucose blood levels.  Therefore, there will be a greater sensation of fullness and a lower sensation of hunger after such meal.  This is something especially important for diabetic individuals.

Finally, knowing more about the glycemic index of each food we are going to consume can improve our quality of life and health.  This is a good reason to include Coronado yogurt and milk—in any shape or form—in our diet.

By: Erika Campos, Licentiate.
Coronado’s Nutritional Advisor.