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Glycemic Index Diet
The glycemic index diet or G.I. diet is gaining a reputation
as a healthy way to lose weight. Although more of a way of
eating rather
than a diet, more and more people following the G. I way achieve their
weight loss goals. Many health experts agree that the Glycemic Index diet,
if followed correctly, can be a great way to weight loss success, especially
for those who struggle with conventional
low calorie diets or dieters who
have trouble controlling their appetite.
The G.I diet is similar to the
low carb diet but it is not as strict and
targets the types of carbs rather than the quantity of carbs for each meal.
There is also a focus on the correct timing of the two basic types of meals
– a carb or protein meal. The science behind the timing and types of meal
makes G.I dieting a potent way to help lose
fat stores, safely and
relatively quickly.
The G.I diet is all about Insulin and controlling blood sugar levels.
Insulin is a hormone which helps regulate our blood sugar; actually it lowers
blood sugar levels by stimulating cells to absorb any
excess sugar from the
blood. The problem with Insulin is it also causes fat cells to take up
excess fatty acids from the blood. Often we ingest a meal which includes
both sugar and fats so if any meal includes foods which have a high Glycemic
Index then the fat from that meal can be easily stored on the hips.
There is an established theory that if one can control insulin levels then
one can control how much fat the body will store from each and EVERY meal.
Fat can only be stored when Insulin is present, and Insulin is only released
when blood sugar levels become elevated.
What raises blood sugar?
Carbohydrate in foods will raise blood sugar if it is absorbed too rapidly.
The types of foods which cause rapid absorption of sugar are all those with
a high G.I index rating.
The basics of the G.I index
The Glycemic Index ranks carbohydrate foods by assigning them a number
ranging from 0 to 100. The number indicates the rate at which the food
raises blood glucose levels during its absorption. The higher the value the
quicker the sugar is absorbed.
A high Glycemic index food has a value of 70 and above. A G.I value of 56-69
is considered medium and any foods lower than 55 are considered a low
Glycemic index food. Foods with a low G.I are best as they
digest more
naturally and help provide a steady supply of energy over the course of
several hours, it also makes us feel fuller for longer.
Is the G.I Diet simple?
The diet sounds simple because foods are generally chosen from the low G.I
food list, but it gets complicated when you create a meal made up of many
different food items, each with a unique G.I value. The idea is to make sure
most items which make up every meal have a low Glycemic index, thus the
overall G.I of the meal stays within the low to medium range.
Gaining complete nutrition
There are some foods which have a high G.I rating but are considered a
healthy nutritious food. In these cases healthy high G.I foods can be
combined with low G.I foods to maintain low-medium G.I value, plus help
create a complete nutritional intake. An example is baked potato (high G.I)
topped with baked beans (low G.I). There are also low G.I foods which should
be limited. Fresh meat and poultry contains no sugar so the G.I. will be
very low, however, they do contain lots of fat and
protein so the energy
content will be high. Remember calories do still count!
One positive point about the G.I meal plan is it’s possible for dieters to
enjoy the odd “treat” item once or twice each week, maybe an occasional
dessert after a light dinner. As long as these “bad” items are NOT eaten
alone it should not ruin the diet plan.
Benefits of G.I. way of eating:
1. Enjoy tasty foods but limit storage of fat
2. Enjoy some favourite foods AND still lose fat
3. Increased energy level and wellbeing
4. Control of blood sugar
5. Less hunger feelings
6. Less craving for sugary foods
7. Less bloating feeling after meals
8. Ability to eat more food if desired
9. Less risk from diabetes and other diseases
10. No strict calorie reductions
If you are interested in trying out the new G.I. Diet then check
out
eDiets.com. they offer a fantastic GI Diet menu planning scheme
which really helps save you time. The whole process is completely automated and
helps save you devising your own menu.
Glycemic diet or Calorie Counting?
The Glycemic Load may be more
practical for losing weight
Related Glycemic Index articles:
Glycemic Index list
Fruits & Vegetables
Glycemic Index list
Milk Yogurt
G.I list Grains &
Pasta
G.I list Legumes Beans
G.I list Breads &
Cereals
Different sugars added to foods
Reducing
sugar intakes in diets
Sweeteners & Additives
Tackling a
sweet tooth problem with weight gains
Weight Loss
Foods & Fat Burning Food Benefits
If you wish to change any part of your
present diet you must seek approval from your doctor.
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