Basics of the Glycemic Index

How Does the Glycemic Index Work?

The Glycemic Index is based on the principle that the overconsumption of overprocessed carbohydrates is bad for the body. Refined carbohydrates, which have a high glycemic index, will produce large quantities of insulin when consumed. Since insulin is responsible for storing fat in our bodies, we must control the amount of insulin produced through diet. In order to lower the amount of insulin that our bodies produce, we must eat foods that are less processed, and these foods will generally be found at the lower end of the index spectrum. When the blood sugar in our bodies gets to be too high, insulin comes into play. It encourages fat cells to store the extra sugars as fat, and unfortunately, this fat is often stored around the midsection, around vital organs, which is the worst place for fat to be. Not only is this unattractive, but it compromises heart health.

Eating foods that have a low glycemic value will eliminate the problem of blood sugar being too elevated and excess fat being stored. Of course, a dieter will want to use common sense, and not consume too much of any one item, especially low-glycemic items such as cheese.

What is the Goal?

The goal of this diet is to consume foods that measure low on the glycemic index, thus creating a stable state for the body, with no wild fluctuations in blood sugar that might cause insulin to call out to the fat cells to produce more fat in the body.

As a result, stable blood sugar levels will help the body not to crave more and more carbohydrates, which is a vicious cycle for any dieter. When we eat foods that are high on the glycemic index, such as white bread, French fries, brownies and jam, our hunger is not satisfied. Rather, we crave more and more carbohydrates, creating a paradox of the more we eat, the hungrier we get. This is a merry go round that is difficult to get off of.

By following a low glycemic diet, you should find yourself losing weight while increasing your overall health. As with any diet, in order to gain the maximum benefit, you should incorporate exercise into your lifestyle.

How Do I Know Which Foods To Choose?

At the bottom of this article, you will find a link to a database that assigns values to a variety of common foods. 100 is very high. In general, you want to consume foods that are have a value of about 30 or less on the glycemic index. These foods will provide greater satiety by stabilizing blood sugar levels.

You can assume that any food that is high in sugar is also high on the glycemic index. Cakes, pies, candy, juices, and even sweet potatoes can send blood sugar levels into overdrive. High starch vegetables and fruits can contribute to this effect. On the other hand, high protein foods such as beans, meats and cheeses are generally low on the index, as are the low-starch vegetables, such as broccoli, mushrooms, eggplant and green beans. The Low Glycemic Diet is very similar to the South Beach Diet in that it seeks to stabilize blood sugar levels, decrease cravings, and ultimately decrease the level of body fat while increasing heart health. Also, in order to work effectively, dieters must watch their overall fat intake. While it is better to eat more healthy fats than overprocessed carbohydrates, simple number crunching tells us that weight loss will not occur if we are munching on low glycemic almonds all day long. This eating plan is research-based, and entirely workable if a dieter uses common sense and controls portion size along with increasing their level of exercise. Done correctly, cravings should decrease, and an overall better sense of well being should be the result.

Glycemic Index Resources

Glycemic Index Database