MORE: How You Can Actually Train Your Brain To Crave Kale Over Cookies Now, a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health may make the GI seem even more dated. The research, published in JAMA, found that following a low GI diet did not result in improvements in insulin sensitivity (a marker for diabetes), cholesterol, or systolic blood pressure for 163 overweight adults. The factor that did make a difference? The amount of carbohydrates the study participants ate. When participants consumed a low-carb diet for 5 weeks, regardless of whether it was high or low on the GI, they lowered their total triglycerides (a type of unhealthy blood fat) by about 20% compared to those who ate high-carb diets for the same amount of time. The amount of carbs did not affect insulin sensitivity and only slightly affected blood pressure. Low-carb diets were associated with a one-point drop in diastolic BP. The bottom line: if you’re not diabetic, the GI should not be your go-to criteria at the grocery store. Instead, consider a food’s total nutritional profile, including total sugar and ingredients list—important factors that lead to healthy choices every time. MORE: 7 Classic Carb-Heavy Dinners—Made Lighter
