A Primer on Glycemic Index and Weight Loss
Our bodies feel really drained and weak whenever we experience a dip in our blood sugar levels. This is what is known as a sugar crash.
The glycemic index is a way to rank foods according to the effect that they have on a person’s blood glucose levels; especially in regards to carbohydrates. Foods that are high in fat or protein don’t cause your blood glucose level to rise much. It measures how much a 50-gram portion of carbohydrates raises the blood-sugar levels compares with a control; either white bread or pure glucose.
The reactionary increase in a person’s blood sugar is known as the glycemic response. There are many factors that affect this, including the type of food that is eaten as well as its preparation technique.
The particular viand is given a rating of high, moderate and low. A High GI rank is given to those with a seventy and above score. Moderate GI for those that have a sixty-nine to fifty-six score while Low GI are for those less that fifty-six.
The slower someone’s body processes the food, the slower the insulin is released allowing a healthier effect on the body. So, the trick is to eat little of the foods with a high glycemic index and more of the foods with a low index. Weight gain is controlled because, by eating foods that raises blood sugar slowly, you keep that full feeling for a longer period of time.
Low glycemic foods have the beneficial effect of digesting the food in a gradual manner, thus insulin in the body is also released gradually. Because of the slow rise in blood sugar levels, the sensation of fullness is protracted as well. This is how eating low GI foods make you lose weight, because you ultimately eat less.
One important thing to remember about GI though is that it does not refer to how much you eat. It is measured in terms of its effect and not the amount of the food. In the eighties, we were told to eliminate sugary foods because they cause our blood sugar levels to increase immediately. However, it was recently discovered that certain complex carbs have the same effect too. This doesn’t mean though that we can freely eat all the sugary stuff we want, as they barely contain any nutrients. It is still wise to have a balanced diet and an active lifestyle in order to lose and maintain the right weight.
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- Introduction to the Glycemic Index and Weight Loss Most people have felt the effects of a "sugar crash" without actually knowing what is going on inside their bodies. When someone's blood sugar drops too low, the body responds by causing a general feeling of tiredness. The human body performs at its best when it is provided with a constant supply of blood sugar. By using the glycemic index, people can choose foods that provide a slow and constant release in glucose into the bloodstream resulting in a steady supply of energy throughout the day....
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Written by Jenny Taglia on November 9th, 2009 with
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