The Glycemic Index Can Be The Boss When It Comes To Weight Loss

GI can refer to Joe, or it could refer to "glycemic index" which is a key metric used to rank foods.  A food's glycemic index rating describes what impact its consumption will have on your blood glucose levels.   GI is often ignored by dieters to their detriment.  There is a high correlation between effective weight loss and choosing the foods with the lowest glycemic indices.  Glycemic index and weight loss often go hand in hand.

The best diets take GI into consideration as opposed to focusing narrowly upon generically measured carbohydrate intake.  Our bodies exhibit what is called the glycemic response as a consequence of consuming carbohydrates.  This glycemic response entails an increase in blood sugar levels after eating carbohydrate laden food.

Some carbohydrates cause an immediate spike in blood sugar levels.  Others cause a more gradual and level increase of the body's blood sugar level.  Foods with a lower GI cause a more gradual blood sugar build up.  Foods with a very high glycemic index cause a rapid crescendo.

As the old saying goes, what goes up must come down.  A sharp rise in blood sugar level is often followed by an equally sharp decline back to equilibrium.  All of us have experienced this phenomenon, and we call it a "sugar crash".   A more gradual rise in blood sugar avoids this unpleasant crash.  Roller coaster blood sugar levels inevitably lead to lethargy and failed diets.

GI is a qualitative, as opposed to quantitative, measure of carbohydrates.  The GI scale runs from 1 to 100.   Foods with a low glycemic index score tend to raise blood sugar levels gradually.  Conversely, foods with a high GI cause a more sudden spike followed by the dreaded crash.  Foods with a GI of over seventy are considered high in the scale.  Foods with a GI in the mid 50's up to 69 are deemed moderate.  Those with a GI of under 55 are considered low.

When dieting, it is important to use the glycemic index to differentiate between the carbs which you consume.  Sticking to low GI foods not only avoids a tiring crash, but it also makes the body feel satiated for a longer period of time.  Foods with a high GI tend to leave the eater feeling hungry again after the blood sugar level quickly subsides.

Some common examples of foods with low glycemic indices are green vegetables, peanuts, tomatoes, soy milk, apples, pears, spaghetti, oranges, and even a small (1.5 oz) chocolate bar.  Foods with a high GI to be avoided include bagels, mashed potatoes, doughnuts, french fries, pretzels, and rice.  GI can be counterintuitive in that many foods thought to be diet friendly have very high glycemic indices in reality.  A salient example is tofu frozen dessert which has an off the chart GI.

Being cognizant of your food's GI is an important weapon in your dieting arsenal.  Combined with common sense components such as exercise and moderation in all food intake a low GI diet greatly enhances your chances of meaningful and lasting weight loss.