Foods considered with a low GI help you lose weight and maintain the weight loss. They require a lesser amount of insulin which is good for blood sugar levels.
Foods with a low Glycemic Index fill you up a lot faster which means that you end up eating less at a sitting.
Individuals who suffer from diabetes are usually the first people to be encouraged to choose low GI foods for their daily diet. However many people are confused as to what a low glycemic index diet really is.
It is generally assumed that such a diet is one that involves as few processed foods as possible. While processed foods are not good for you processing is actually only one factor that plays into the glycemic index. What processing does is it pre-cuts glucose chains and makes then into smaller units that the body can digest faster. However this process does not always work as it is supposed to.
Here we look at some other factors that help to determine whether a food is GI low or not. Once you know what these factors are then you will be aware of them when you do your grocery shopping and plan your family’s meals.
One of these is acid. Vinegar is a perfect example of this. Acid reduces the rate at which food exits the stomach. Eating a dill pickle with a sandwich or putting vinegar on slices of cucumbers can help accomplish this. Sour dough bread would leave the stomach more slowly than would white bread. The former is also larger and a great deal thicker than the latter so would be an excellent choice!
The types of carbohydrates you eat also make a difference. Both fructose and lactose must convert into glucose and this slows down the process. This would include milk, yogurt and the majority of fruits.
The structure of a carb matters as well. For example, starches are composed of tightly packed glucose chains (known as amylose). These carbs are more difficult to digest and are therefore considered slower. This makes them low GI foods. An example of these is lentils. Then there are carbs that have looser packed glucose chains (known as amylopectin). These carbs are easier for the enzymes in the digestive system to digest and they are faster. An example of this is sticky rice.
Soluble fiber is a low GI food. However it must be the gummy and viscous kind of fiber. This type of fiber slows the absorption process from the intestines.
The cooking method you choose has something to do with the GI level but it does not apply to everything you make. For example, when it comes to potatoes boiled potatoes are slow and in moderation can be considered a low GI food. On the other hand, a baked potato would be a high GI food. The brand of the potato also makes a difference as well.
You can find a table of common foods and their Glycemic Index here.
People trying to lose weight cna benefit from a low GI diet and you can discover more about implementing a High-Speed Fat Loss Program here.
Becca
Alternative Health for Today 