Low Glycemic Index
Foods Boost Weight Loss
The Glycemic Index Explained
The Glycemic Index ranks
foods by how they affect
your blood sugar levels.
Low Glycemic Index foods,
rated less that 55, produce
only a gradual rise in blood
sugar, while those high on the
Glycemic Index produce spikes
in insulin levels. These spikes
in blood sugar have been
linked to type 2 diabetes,
obesity, heart disease. Your
energy levels may rise rapidly
after eating a high glycemic index food, but drop dramatically soon after producing lethargy.
Foods are rated low (55 or lower), medium (55-70) and high (over 70). Most fruits, vegetables, lean meat and fish, low fat cheeses, brown rice and whole grains are rated low on the glycemic index. White rice and bread, white potatoes and processed foods rate high on the glycemic index.
Benefits of the low glycemic index food program
Studies suggest that keeping blood sugar levels stable can help prevent heart disease and type 2 diabetes. If you have diabetes, this diet may help evade serious side effects. The low glycemic index foods can also help curb your appetite to help you lose weight and help you feel more energetic.
Hints for using the glycemic index as a guide
Begin by replacing at least one meal and one snack with foods low on the glycemic index. As you progress, replace more and more of the high glycemic foods you eat, with low glycemic index foods. Eventually, only allow yourself occasional rewards. If you love white potatoes, have one baked potato a week and stick to sweet potatoes and brown rice the rest of the week.
If you are going out to eat, it’s fairly easy to stick to meat and steamed veggies with salad. Just order your choice of meat or fish baked or broiled, with sauces and dressings on the side and skip the white bread or rolls. If you’re overly tempted by the unlimited homemade rolls, have one, while making sure the rest of the meal fits your guidelines.
Many restaurants have low-carb or weight watchers’ menu offerings.
For weight loss purposes, also be aware of the calories you are taking in each day. Eating an unlimited amount of foods which are low on the glycemic index won’t result in weight loss if you are ingesting a thousand calories more than you need.
The goal of a low-glycemic diet is not to totally eliminate all high-glycemic foods. The goal is to replace, high glycemic foods as much as possible in your diet. When you begin to feel more healthy and lose weight, the benefits will convince you it’s worth the effort.
The South Beach Diet is based on eating low-glycemic foods. The book, The South Beach Diet contains menus and recipes for all phases of this diet and there is an additional recipe book available.
Glycemic Index and Weight loss
In one study participants ate carbohydrates with protein and healthful fat at every meal and snack and ate enough so as not to be hungry. In six months, their weight had dropped by 8.4% and blood triglycerides had dropped 37%. A control group ate a low fat diet and it six months their weight had dropped 7.8% with tryglycerides dropping 19%.
More healthy weight loss tips:
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