Why understanding The Glycemix Index – For Weight Loss and Better Health

Glycemic Index (GI) is a method of measuring carbohydrate foods based on how fast carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, thus how quickly that glucose enters the bloodstream. The reason for this is that carbohydrates entering the bloodstream rapidly raise blood sugar levels, resulting in an increase in energy, followed by a decrease after the onset of insulin effects. Insulin is one of the hormones that helps control blood sugar levels, and it strives to maintain stability. When too much glucose enters the bloodstream on time, the body reacts by releasing insulin to release some of that glucose from the bloodstream into our cells. It's just a way to keep balance. The result, however, is that when all the fresh glucose we eat, which is in the form of carbohydrates, is high in the blood, we feel tired and hungry, often craving for extra carbohydrates. Thus a cycle is created, in which we eat more than we really need. Carbohydrates containing food are measured on a scale of 1 to 100. 100 points is very high, and this is like eating glucose in its purest form. A score of 55 or lower means that food is considered to have a low glycemic index. Therefore, mentally it slowly releases the body. I write theoretically, because the picture is more complex than that. For example, fat lowers the GI of food. Potato crisps have a lower GI than fried potato jackets. However, that does not mean that potato crisps are a better choice, in terms of nutrition and fat content. Therefore, it is important to look at the whole equation when considering food choices and glycemic index. Other suggestions for using the glycemic index regarding human diets are to balance foods with a high glycemic index to a low-fat diet. Also try to make the choice of GI lower or middle than higher. Other factors that can affect the glycemic index of a food, in addition to its GI ratio, are the amount of food consumed. Chocolate has a low GI, but is 30% fat. And any excess carbohydrates, whether they are fat, protein or carbohydrates, will be stored in the body as fat. So eating a lot of low-calorie GI foods will not help you lose weight. Another issue when considering using a diet GI, is that the time of day when we eat a meal may have an effect on its blood sugar levels. This is because the GI ratio given to food is based on fasting. So, for example, we fast at night - which means we sleep and thus do not eat for hours. Breakfast in this way may reflect GI more accurately than at other times of the day, when we are not aware of it. However GI has its advantages. One study of young obese adults found that low-glycemic index foods were associated with a reduction in the risk factors associated with heart disease, compared with similar low-fat children. Both groups are losing weight, and not keeping it, which is good news for dieters! And researchers suggest that low-fat diets may be lower in weight than those in low-fat diets. This is important for dieters as it means they will feel a little cold, tired and hungry, and as a result, they may find it easier to stick to the changes made during the meal. GI should not be used alone. Both common sense and other dietary guidelines, such as avoiding excess fat and salt, as well as making sure that foods are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, should still be used with a glycemic index. References: 1. Australian Healthy Food, November 2005 2. nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=66151 3. nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=60035Glycemic Index (GI) is a method of measuring carbohydrate foods based on how fast carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, thus how quickly that glucose enters the bloodstream. The reason for this is that carbohydrates entering the bloodstream rapidly raise blood sugar levels, resulting in an increase in energy, followed by a decrease after the onset of insulin effects. Insulin is one of the hormones that helps control blood sugar levels, and it strives to maintain stability. When too much glucose enters the bloodstream on time, the body reacts by releasing insulin to release some of that glucose from the bloodstream into our cells. It's just a way to keep balance. The result, however, is that when all the fresh glucose we eat, which is in the form of carbohydrates, is high in the blood, we feel tired and hungry, often craving for extra carbohydrates. Thus a cycle is created, in which we eat more than we really need. Carbohydrates containing food are measured on a scale of 1 to 100. 100 points is very high, and this is like eating glucose in its purest form. A score of 55 or lower means that food is considered to have a low glycemic index. Therefore, mentally it slowly releases the body. I write theoretically, because the picture is more complex than that. For example, fat lowers the GI of food. Potato crisps have a lower GI than fried potato jackets. However, that does not mean that potato crisps are a better choice, in terms of nutrition and fat content. Therefore, it is important to look at the whole equation when considering food choices and glycemic index. Other suggestions for using the glycemic index regarding human diets are to balance foods with a high glycemic index to a low-fat diet. Also try to make the choice of GI lower or middle than higher. Other factors that can affect the glycemic index of a food, in addition to its GI ratio, are the amount of food consumed. Chocolate has a low GI, but is 30% fat. And any excess carbohydrates, whether they are fat, protein or carbohydrates, will be stored in the body as fat. So eating a lot of low-calorie GI foods will not help you lose weight. Another issue when considering using a diet GI, is that the time of day when we eat a meal may have an effect on its blood sugar levels. This is because the GI ratio given to food is based on fasting. So, for example, we fast at night - which means we sleep and thus do not eat for hours. Breakfast in this way may reflect GI more accurately than at other times of the day, when we are not aware of it. However GI has its advantages. One study of young obese adults found that low-glycemic index foods were associated with a reduction in the risk factors associated with heart disease, compared with similar low-fat children. Both groups are losing weight, and not keeping it, which is good news for dieters! And researchers suggest that low-fat diets may be lower in weight than those in low-fat diets. This is important for dieters as it means they will feel a little cold, tired and hungry, and as a result, they may find it easier to stick to the changes made during the meal. GI should not be used alone. Both common sense and other dietary guidelines, such as avoiding excess fat and salt, as well as making sure that foods are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, should still be used with a glycemic index. References: 1. Australian Healthy Food, November 2005 2. nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=66151 3. nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=60035