Not all carbohydrates are the same..

You may think you know all about carbohydrates and - if you are trying to lose weight - you may see them as something to be avoided or at least reduced.  In fact, we now know that not all carbohydrates are created equal and different types of carbohydrates have very different effects on our blood sugar levels.  This is where the glycemic index comes in.

The glycemic index or GI ranks carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. Research has shown that for long term health and sustainable weight loss you need to include as many low GI carbs as possible in your diet.  Low GI foods are those that produce only small fluctuations in your blood glucose and insulin levels so reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes and aiding in weight loss.

So what exactly is the glycemic index?

The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Foods with a high GI are said to have a high glycemic load and are rapidly digested and absorbed resulting in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels. 

Foods with a low-GI are said to have a low glycemic load and are slowly digested and absorbed, producing a gradual rise in blood sugar and insulin levels.  It is the gradual rise in blood sugar that gives low GI foods their proven health benefits.

Recent studies from Harvard School of Public Health indicate that the risks of diseases such as type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease are strongly related to the GI of the overall diet. In 1999, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
recommended that people in industrialised should base their diets on low-GI foods in order to prevent heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

Low GI food linked to weight loss

A research study published in July 2006 by the University of Sydney reported that a diet rich in low-GI carbohydrates may be linked to increased weight loss of five percent or more compared to a diet based on foods with a high GI load.  Low GI diets also resulted in a reduction in LDL  cholesterol (the bad sort of cholesterol).

The study was conducted by randomly assigning different diets to nearly 130 obese people. At the end of the study period, researchers found that those following a high GI diet experienced the slowest rate of weight loss, while those on a high protein/low GI diets had the greatest weight reduction. 

Low GI foods satisfy your appetite for longer..

Since foods that have a low GI value release sugar into the blood over a longer period than those that have a high GI value, they provide us with a steady source of energy. Low GI foods will keep us feeling more satisfied after meals for longer thus lowering the likelihood of snacking.

On the other hand foods that have a high GI value may give you a sudden energy bursts but leave you feeling hungry again after a relatively short period of time, a pattern that generally leads to weight increase.

  

 

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