| The Glycemic Index (GI) is a way of rating | | | | glycemic index, beyond its GI rating, are the |
| carbohydrate foods according to how quickly | | | | amount of food eaten. Chocolate has a low GI, |
| the carbohydrates are broken down into | | | | but it is 30% fat. And any excess nutrients, |
| glucose, and thus how quickly that glucose | | | | whether they are fat, protein or |
| enters the bloodstream. The reasoning behind | | | | carbohydrates, will be stored in the body as |
| this is that carbohydrates that enter the | | | | fat. So eating too much of low GI foods that |
| bloodstream quickly raise blood sugar levels | | | | are high in calories is not going to help |
| rapidly, causing a spike in energy, that is | | | | with weight loss. |
| followed by a drop after the effects of | | | | |
| insulin are triggered. | | | | Another issue when considering using the GI |
| | | | of food, is that the time of day we eat a |
| Insulin is one of the hormones that help | | | | food may also impact its effect on blood |
| regulate blood sugar levels, and tries to | | | | sugar levels. This is because the GI rating |
| keep them stable. When too much glucose | | | | given to a food is based on fasting. So, for |
| enters the bloodstream at a time, the body | | | | example, we fast at night - meaning we are |
| reacts by releasing insulin to remove some of | | | | asleep and thus not eating for a period of |
| that glucose back out of the blood and into | | | | hours. A food thus eaten in the morning may |
| our cells. Its simply a way of keeping the | | | | more accurately reflect the GI given to it |
| balance. However the effect is that when all | | | | than at other times of the day, when we |
| the glucose we just ate, in the form of | | | | haven't been fasting. |
| carbohydrates, is removed from the | | | | |
| bloodstream, we feel tired and hungry, often | | | | Yet the GI does have benefits. One study on |
| craving more carbohydrates. Thus a cycle is | | | | obese young adults found that a low glycemic |
| created, where we eat more than really | | | | index diet was associated with a reduction in |
| necessary. | | | | the risk factors associated with heart |
| | | | disease, when compared to similar children |
| Carbohydrate containing foods are rated from | | | | with a low fat diet. Both groups lost weight, |
| a scale of 1 to 100. A score of 100 is the | | | | and kept it off, which is good news for |
| highest, and this is akin to eating glucose | | | | dieters! And the researchers suggested that a |
| in its pure form. A score of 55 or lower | | | | low glycemic index diet may not lower |
| means a food is classified as having a low | | | | metabolism as much compared to low fat diets. |
| glycemic index. Thus, it theoretically breaks | | | | This is important for dieters as it means |
| down in the body more slowly. | | | | they would feel less cold, tired and hungry, |
| | | | and as a result, would find it easier to |
| I write theoretically, because the picture is | | | | stick with the changes made during the diet |
| a little more complicated than that. For | | | | period. |
| example, fat lowers the GI of foods. Potato | | | | |
| crisps have a lower GI than do oven roasted | | | | The GI should not be used in isolation. Both |
| jacket potatoes. However, that does not mean | | | | common sense and other food guidelines, like |
| that potato crisps are a better choice, in | | | | avoiding excess fat and salt,and making sure |
| terms of nutritional and fat content. So, | | | | foods are full of vitamins, minerals and |
| it's important to look at the whole equation | | | | antioxidants, should still be used with the |
| when considering meal choices and the | | | | glycemic index. |
| glycemic index. | | | | |
| | | | References: |
| Some suggestions for using the glycemic index | | | | |
| in terms of one's diet is to balance a high | | | | 1. Australian Healthy Food, November 2005 |
| glycemic index food in a meal with a low one. | | | | |
| And try to make more low or mid range GI | | | | 2. nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=66151 |
| choices than high. | | | | |
| | | | 3. nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp? |
| Other factors that can affect a food's | | | | |