Glycemic Index Moves into New Dietary Fields
The goal was to better define carbohydrates – to move beyond seeing them as “simple” or “complex.” If carbohydrates could be better ranked, valued and organized, diabetics would be better able to manage their blood sugar levels and avoid medical problems tied to their illness. The result was the glycemic index – a numeric system that rates food on a scale of zero to 100. A food that consists of carbohydrates that breakdown slowly during the digestive process – thus entering the blood stream slower – is assigned a low GI number. Those that breakdown rapidly and enter the blood stream quickly are given a high GI number. What this index provided diabetics was a methodology to focus on low GI foods (those with a rating below 60), allowing them to maintain a steady blood sugar level.
Initially the glycemic index chart was both breakthrough and controversial. As experts in Australia, Canada and the U.S. continued refining, expanding and improving this index, it has gained growing acceptance. Today many dieticians, doctors and nutritionists turn towards this index as a valuable tool in aiding patients. Not just diabetics, but also those dealing with obesity, cardiovascular troubles and others.
The main use of the GI is creating a low GI diet – again, this is foods with a GI rating of below 60. Low glycemic foods include practically all green vegetables; most fruit (those high in citrus have low numbers); legumes (beans, peas, nuts, etc.), cold water fish (herring, trout, salmon); lean meats; and low fat dairy.
One of the unique aspects of low glycemic foods is that how food is prepared and what it is coupled with can lower the GI rating. Vinegar added to nearly any food will drop its GI rating – so any vinaigrette helps with a low glycemic foods diet! Comparably something like a citrus marinade or glaze on a chicken breast will bring down its GI number. It has been found that even a glass of red wine before or with dinner alters the GI levels downward.
At the other end of this index are foods that raise your glycemic, like baked potatoes (potatoes do poorly across the GI regardless of how they are prepared); parsnips; watermelon; nearly all pork products; and most breakfast cereals.
The reason a GI diet works so well is how it directs the body to process food. Low GI foods take much more time to digest – they actually cause the body to burn stored fat to process the carbohydrates into sugar. Because the food is processed slower it moves into the blood stream slower. Thus blood sugar levels remain near constant (which is healthy for the body overall), energy levels remain at an optimum, and even the heart benefits. It’s believed that a low GI food diet is also beneficial for the stomach, lower intestine, gallbladder and pancreas.
To help you better understand this index we’ve included some tools in this section of the website. You’ll find a free glycemic index, as well as low glycemic recipes. If you are also trying to count calories, you’ll appreciate the 1200 calorie glycemic index diet, as well as the 1500 calorie glycemic index diet.
Overall, it’s now well accepted that a low Glycemic index diet lends itself to a healthy lifestyle. Another part of a healthy lifestyle is to follow a plan that leads to weight loss success like the steps found below.
So, go ahead. Begin your journey to weight loss success starting right now. It's the healthy thing to do! Return Begin Your Journey of Overcoming Obesity from Glycemic Index Moves into New Dietary Fields |