THE GLYCEMIC INDEX AND YOU

So, what exactly is everyone talking about when they mention this GI or glycemic index thing?

Well, basically a glycemic index is a measure of the way in which carbohydrates or carbs, affect a person’s blood glucose levels. But how does low or high glycemic index food work and why is a lower one preferred?
High glycemic index foods break down very quickly and release a larger quantity of sugar or glucose into the bloodstream at once. That is why you get a huge sugar rush from your favorite chocolate bar but in an hour’s time feel hungry again (not to mention a little tired).

On the opposite end of the spectrum there is low glycemic index foods. These carbohydrates break down much slower and release glucose into the bloodstream at a much steadier rate. That is why when you eat a healthy breakfast with a lot of fruit and whole grain you feel less hungry throughout the day. Instead of a huge rush you have a long lasting and sustained trickle of energy to keep you going.

The glycemic index concept was first brought about in the early 1980’s by a researcher studying diabetes and the effect of certain foods on their bodies. Before this research was conducted it was assumed diabetics should just avoid sugar all together and they would be fine. What was discovered was the fact that carbohydrates affect a person’s glycemic index just as much as sugar. In fact they are broken down in the body and made into glucose in the same manner sugar is. With this in mind a no-sugar diet was reformed for diabetics and others wanting a safer blood glucose level and it was made into a low glycemic index diet instead.

Foods lowest in their glycemic index count include nuts, fruits, vegetables, whole gains, soy/tofu and vegetable protein or “fake” meat products. With all of these food items your meal plan can be endless. There is no certain low GI or glycemic index diet to follow in amounts of food or how and when to eat them. You simply have to make watching the GI counts in your food part of your lifestyle. And try to limit or cut down in moderation of how much high glycemic index foods you intake per day.

Some high glycemic index foods carry a number of 70+ on their glycemic index. These foods include white bread, watermelon (one of the only fruits on the list), cornflakes, baked potatoes, and any sort of candy or sweet baked good. For the most part, they are foods you should be limiting anyway. Low to low-medium glycemic index foods are rated 55-65 respectively and include most of the rest of your basic food groups.