The glycemic index and weight loss go together hand and hand. Of course relying on the glycemic index or GI is not the only thing to consider in dieting, but it is very important to pay attention to the glycemic index of the foods we eat.
What Is The Glycemic Index
Basically, the glycemic index is a way to measure the effects on your blood sugar that certain foods have. This is important when it comes to dieting because having an even blood sugar level throughout the day will save you from cravings and excessive hunger.
When you eat foods with a high glycemic index value your blood sugar levels are raised rapidly. Versus when you eat foods with a low glycemic index value your blood sugar levels are raised at a slower pace.
A rapid rise is usually followed by a crash which means that you feel hungry again. If you have ever eaten a large meal filled with high glycemic index foods and then been hungry an hour or two afterwards even though you stuffed yourself, you have experienced this first hand.
There is a rating of 0-100 placed on foods and that is how the GI is figured and Glucose of course is the highest. There is a glycemic index food list that will give you the foods and there ratings. Let’s go over them and list some food examples. Those that have a rating of fifty five and below are conidered Low GI, fifty five through seventy are considered Medium GI, and those that are seventy and more are considered High GI.
Some examples of foods with a Low GI are: Custard, milk & yogurt, apples & apple juice, oranges, foods with whole grains, cherries, peaches, most beans, peas, and more.
Some examples of foods with a Medium GI are: Bread, banana’s, orange juice, popcorn, pizza, new potatoes, potato chips, raisins, ice cream and others.
Last but not least some examples of foods with High GI are: waffles, pumpkin, popcorn, sports drinks, rice, pretzels, french fries, watermelon and more.
Following the Glycemic Index helps with weight loss. If you eat foods with a Low GI they help you to feel full longer so you eat less. Some dietitians do however feel as though the glycemic index is hard to base a diet off of because it is so different for individuals and hard to keep track of. There are many different things to consider when basing a diet on it such as how different foods react to your body.
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