Low glycemic index foods, heart disease, diabetes not correlated: Study

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Eating foods less likely to spike your blood sugar, which rank low on the glycemic index, is a part of most healthy diets. For example, we've heard it's better to eat brown rice versus white rice, or stick to fruits and vegetables that are less starchy.

But now, a new report says eating that way doesn't necessarily have an impact on heart disease and diabetes.

Sandra Weekes is trying to keep an eye on her blood pressure. She took part in a study to see if avoiding certain foods that increased blood sugar can reduce her risk for heart disease and diabetes.

"Some carbohydrate-containing foods like bananas increase the blood sugar more than other carb foods like an apple," explained Dr. Frank Sacks, Harvard School of Public Health.

Another example of a less starchy choice - al dente pasta versus instant white rice. Harvard School of Public Health researchers put 163 patients with elevated blood pressure on four healthy diets approved by the American Heart Association. But some of the meals were higher on the glycemic index than others.

"We thought that the low glycemic index foods are really the ones that would be most beneficial," Sacks said.

After five weeks, Sacks and his colleagues found that eating less starchy did not make a difference.

"Choosing foods specifically on how much they raise blood sugar doesn't have an impact, one way or the other, on blood pressure, cholesterol, insulin resistance, risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes," Sacks said.

Sacks said the message isn't that Americans can go ahead and eat cupcakes and donuts. It just means people can choose to eat more fruits, cereals and grains.

This gives patients like Weekes more freedom, but she still has to avoid junk food with added sugars which does take strategy.

"Planning, planning and planning ahead - that's always the key," she said.

Dr. Sacks also noted that the way individuals process starchy foods may vary considerably among different people. He said patients diagnosed with diabetes should definitely watch their intake of high glycemic foods.