The Low Down on Low GI
The glycemic index, more commonly known as GI, ranks carbohydrate foods according to their effect on glucose levels in the blood. High GI foods are absorbed rapidly and lead to a quick rise in blood glucose levels. In contrast, low GI foods break down gradually over time, leading to more stable blood glucose levels. This is important because it can help to avoid the seesaw effect, which can lead to constant hunger, as well as mood and energy fluctuations. As low GI foods take longer to digest they release energy into the bloodstream more slowly. This steady supply helps prolong the feeling of being “full”. As you feel satisfied for longer, you’re less likely to snack.
High GI foods, on the other hand, can lead to wildly fluctuating blood sugar levels, which in turn, can cause the pancreas to overproduce insulin. This can lead to illnesses such as Syndrome X, hypoglycemia, and type II diabetes. There is also research which suggests that lower GI diets help improve levels of ‘good’ cholesterol, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Most low GI diets don’t restrict you to only eating low GI foods, but usually prompt you to add more foods with a low glycemic index in your diet. Simply adding a low GI food to a meal, has the effect of lowering the glycemic index for the whole meal. In particular, active people should use of balance of high and low GI foods to make sure they have optimal energy stores for exercise.
High glycemic index foods include many carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, rice, serial and baked goods. Low glycemic index foods tend to include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. However, within these broad categories there are differences. For example, bananas and potatoes would be classified as having a mid-range glycemic index. There are also other factors, which can influence the GI level such as how you cook a food and the degree of processing. Instant oatmeal, for example, has a higher GI than traditional rolled oats because the processing allows the starch to be more easily exposed to digestive enzymes.
While increasing the amount of low GI foods in your diet can lead to weight loss and improvements in health and well-being it is not the only factor that should be taken into account. For example, chocolate is a low GI food, but it is energy-dense with few nutrients and is not going to help in weight loss. Nevertheless, GI can be a useful tool for selecting between foods that have low levels of saturated fat and are nutrient-rich.
Complements for Health, owned by Andrea Paduchak PT,LMT is a provider of massage therapy,
prenatal massage, and integrative therapy in Nashua, NH. Visit us at www.complementsforhealth.com.
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