GI Diet Guide

Glycemic Index Diets For Optimum Blood Glucose Control, and Healthy Weight

GI Diet Method

Invented in 1981 as a treatment tool for diabetes to help diabetic patients maintain stable blood sugar, the Glycemic Index (GI) has now replaced the older method of classifying carbohydrates according to their “simple” or “complex” chemical structure. Although calories, saturated fat and general nutritional considerations (as well as exercise) are important factors in any healthy weight loss plan, the glycemic index (along with Glycemic Load) has become the new standard for healthy carbohydrates.

Why Is A GI Diet Best For Your Health and Weight?

In a nutshell, the GI Diet has all the advantages of lower-carb diets and lower-fat diets, but none of the health risks.

Low-carb weight loss plans tell us that carbohydrate screws up our metabolic system by raising our blood glucose levels thus forcing us to produce extra insulin, which over time can lead to pre-diabetes or full-blown type 2 diabetes, obesity and other symptoms of insulin resistance syndrome. As a result, these carb-restricted eating plans tell us to eat more protein and fat. Unfortunately, not only is this type of eating very boring, it’s not healthy either. It’s difficult to eat more protein without consuming more animal fat, and as any dietitian or nutritionist will tell you, animal fat is high in saturated fat – which is a prime cause of atherosclerosis heart disease. Also, carbohydrates contain a range of important vitamins and minerals, so reducing your carb intake means reducing the nutritional content of your diet. This is why low-carb dieters were forced to take vitamin supplements. It’s true that low carb weight loss plans, like Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution and Dr Agatston’s South Beach Diet did cause rapid initial weight loss, but the extra weight loss was water – not body fat. And the moment dieters started eating carbs again, the weight returned. Thus the low-carbohydrate method of losing weight is neither healthy nor effective in treating overweight.

Low-fat weight loss plans are no better for health or weight reduction, unless prescribed for patients with raised cholesterol. Food without a reasonable amount of fat is boring, so diet-compliance rates for low-fat diets are typically quite low. In addition, new research shows that – while saturated fat remains very unhealthy – certain types of polyunsaturated fat (essential fatty acids especially omega-3) actually boost health and weight loss. Monounsaturated fat (eg. olive oil) is also believed to be beneficial for our health. But the most important discovery is that trans-fats (found in many baked products like cookies) are just as unhealthy as saturated fat. So many of the refined carbs which low-fat dieters ate were even more unhealthy that fatty meat and cheese.

The GI Diet is a major step forward in dietary health and weight reduction. First, unlike low-carb diets, it doesn’t focus on the quantity of carbs you can eat – instead, it focuses on carb-quality. GI diets recommend we avoid refined carb foods like: white-flour bread-snacks, processed cereals and sugary soft drinks, instant rice/pasta, and cookies. Instead, we should eat unrefined carbs, such as whole grains like oats, basmati or brown rice, whole grain bread and bread-snacks. These wholegrain carbohydrates are rich in minerals, vitamins and fiber and take longer to digest than refined carbs – which means they keep us satisfied for longer. Also, by avoiding refined carbs we will reduce our intake of trans-fats which (like saturates) are believed to have a serious adverse health effects on our arteries.

For more information about GI Diets, see the following list of resources for answers to questions like: how is carbohydrate digested, what effect do carbs have on our blood glucose levels and insulin levels, what is the connection between carbohydrate and insulin insensitivity, what exactly is the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load, why do some foods have high GI values, how can we reduce the GI value of a meal, how is the GI rating of a food measured, which type of diet is best: low-GI or low carb, how much carbohydrate should we consume… and many more.

Nutritional Facts About Carbohydrates

See the following list of resources for information about how modern carbs compare with those in traditional diets, what are “good” carbs, how much sugar should you eat, the carbohydrate content of popular foods, plus advice about healthy protein eating habits.

How the Body Uses Food Energy

Body Burns Alcohol, Protein, Carbs and Fat as Fuel For Energy and Work

How the Body Uses Its Food Energy

The Body Needs Fuel

The human body is incredibly complex. Every second, millions of physiological and chemical reactions take place in order to maintain good health. The body both creates things (eg. heat, muscle, proteins, RNA, hair, nails, enzymes, fat tissue, bones) and breaks things down (food, stored fat, etc.). These anabolic and catabolic processes, along with all organs and systems, need fuel to enable them to function. The fuel or energy that the body uses, comes from the food and drink that we consume in our diet. In a nutshell, food is human gasoline.

Food Energy And The Digestive System

Our food digestion system (mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine) helps us to absorb energy and nutrients from food. Carbohydrate, fats and protein are each digested differently within the digestive tract, but surplus calories from these three micronutrients are ALL converted to body fat and stored as adipose tissue. Malabsorption in the gut, bad eating habits, viral or bacteriological infections can cause a range of digestive conditions including: Indigestion, Constipation, Diarrhea, Gastroenteritis, and other digestion problems, including food poisoning.

The Body Follows an Order of Priority in Fuel-Burning

Our food fuel comprises the protein, carbohydrate, fat and alcohol we eat. But the exact mixture our body uses typically varies according to circumstances (eg. our physical activity, our last meal etc.). There is an “order of priority” that dictates which fuels are burned first. Alcohol calories are burned first. This is because we cannot store alcohol energy. Next, we burn protein, then carbohydrates, then fat. In practice, however, we typically burn a “mixture” of carbs and fat, with the ratio being dependent on meals. Just after meals we burn mainly carbohydrate, while between meals we burn more fat.

Fat-Burning Efficiency Effects Weight

According to experts, if we cannot burn all the fat we consume, the remainder is stored as fat tissue. This fat-burning ability is determined by the amount of insulin in our bloodstream. [Note: a major factor in insulin release is the glycemic index (GI) value of the carb-foods or meal consumed.] When insulin levels are low, we burn mainly fat. When they are high, we burn mainly carbs. But a problem arises when insulin levels remain constantly high, as in the case of individuals suffering from insulin insensitivity. In such cases, the constant need to burn carbs reduces our fat-burning ability. Result? More fat is stored as fatty (adipose) tissue.

High Insulin Levels May Increase Risk of Obesity

This is why experts are linking high insulin levels, together with a reduced ability to burn fat, with obesity. And as you can see, high insulin levels are typically determined by the type of carbs we eat. High GI foods or meals trigger higher levels of insulin than intermediate or low GI foods. This is why the Glycemic Index is considered to be so important in assessing carb eating habits.

Guide to Carbohydrates

Types of Carbs and Conversion of Carbohydrate to Glucose

Guide to Carbs

Introduction

Carbohydrate is one of the three macronutrients, the other two being protein and fat. Carbohydrates provide essential energy for the brain, red blood cells and a growing fetus. Carbohydrate is also the principal fuel source for strenuous muscular activity. The carb food group includes many foods that are packed with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals (disease-protective plant chemicals). A healthy diet must include carbohydrates.

Types of Carbohydrate

In terms of chemical structure, the two main types are Simple Carbohydrate (or “simple sugars”), like Monosaccharides and Disaccharides; and Complex Carbohydrates (or “complex sugars”), like Oligosaccharides and Polysaccharides. Carbohydrate comes mainly from plant-food, such as vegetables, fruits, beans, and cereal grains, although the simple sugar lactose is found in milk and milk products.

Simple carbs include: glucose, fructose and lactose. Common sources include table sugar (sucrose), boiled sweets, syrups and honey.

Complex carbs comprise starches or fiber. Good sources of starches include, bread, pasta, rice, beans and some vegetables. Good sources of dietary fiber include: vegetables, fruits, beans, along with the indigestible part of the grain, like wheat bran and oatbran.

Carbs and Glycemic Index

In order to utilize the energy benefits of carbohydrate, the body must first convert it into glucose. The way carbohydrates perform during this glucose-conversion process, is measured by a new system called the Glycemic Index (GI). This system divides foods into high, intermediate or low GI foods, according to how fast their carbohydrate is converted into glucose and thus how quickly the particular food raises our blood-glucose levels. Glycemic value is an important factor in insulin release.

Most Foods Contain Some Carbohydrate

Although some foods contain large quantities of carbohydrate, nearly all foods (except fats) contain a mixture of carbs, protein and fat. So most foods contain some amount of carbohydrate, however small.

Digestion of Carbs

Guide To How Carbohydrate is Digested by the Body

How We Digest Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a class of natural organic substances that includes sugars, starch and cellulose (indigestible plant fiber). The digestion of a particular carbohydrate in the gastrointestinal tract depends upon the complexity of the carb’s molecular structure – the more complex it is, the harder the digestive system must work to break it down in order to absorb it into the bloodstream. In simple terms, carbs divide into 3 types: (1) monosaccharides, like glucose (dextrose or corn sugar), fructose (fruit sugar) and galactose, which are digested rapidly; (2) disaccharides, like sucrose (table sugar), lactose (milk sugar) and maltose, which are digested quite quickly; (3) polysaccharides, like starch, which take longer to digest; and (4) very complex carbs, like cellulose (indigestible plant fiber) which cannot be digested at all.

How We Digest Carbohydrate

In simple terms, our digestion system – from the mouth to the small intestine – is designed to break down disaccharides and polysaccharides into monosaccharides. This metabolism of carbohydrates is achieved through the secretion of a number of digestive enzymes into the gastrointestinal tract (especially in the duodenum) where they attack carbohydrates and gradually convert them into simple sugars like glucose so they can be absorbed into the blood. Digestive enzymes are like biological scissors – they chop long starch molecules into simpler ones.

In the Mouth
The process of digesting carbohydrates begins in the mouth. Our saliva contains an enzyme called amylase that starts breaking down the more complex carbs into simpler types.

In the Stomach
Enzyme activity continues in the stomach, but slows down significantly as digestive acids are released into the stomach by the glands.

In the Small Intestine
Another version of amylase is secreted by the pancreas into the duodenum (first section of small intestine). This cuts down carbohydrates into simple sugars – maltose, lactose and sucrose. As the carbohydrate passes further into the intestine, the enzymes maltase, lactase and sucrase chop maltose, lactose and sucrose into smaller bits, more easily absorbed, which are eventually converted to glucose and absorbed through the intestinal walls into the bloodstream.

Glucose Metabolism By The Liver

After carbohydrates are duly broken down into glucose, in the duodenum and jejunum of the small intestine, the glucose is absorbed into the bloodstream and taken to the liver, where it is stored or distributed to cells throughout the body for energy. In this way, the liver regulates blood glucose levels to provide sufficient energy for the body. For example, excess glucose (a cause of hyperglycemia) is converted in the liver to glycogen (glycogenolysis) in response to the hormone insulin, and stored. Likewise, if blood sugar levels fall, (eg. between meals), the glycogen is re-converted to glucose (glycogenolysis) in response to messages conveyed by the hormone glucagon, to prevent hypoglycemia. If glycogen levels are exhausted, glucagon can trigger the formation of glucose from some amino acids (protein) or glycerol (fats) – a process called gluconeogenesis.

What Determines Speed of Carb Digestion

Generally speaking, the speed of digestion is determined by the chemical nature of the carbohydrate itself, and thus how “resistant” it is to the activity of the enzymes. A simple sugar is much less resistant than a starch, and is digested or metabolized much faster. Things that slow down digestion include: the presence of acid (from gastric juices or the food itself), and the presence of soluble fiber.

How Carbs Affect Blood Glucose

How Carbohydrate is Converted to Blood Sugar

Carbohydrate and Blood Glucose

As we have seen, the human body is fuelled by glucose. Therefore all foods must be converted into glucose before they can be used as fuel. Carbohydrates are more easily converted into glucose than protein or fat, and are considered to be the body’s “preferred” source of energy, and the brain’s essential source of energy.

Simple Carbohydrate

Simple carbs (excepting fruit sugar) are more easily converted into glucose because their molecular structure breaks down faster in the stomach and small intestine. Therefore these carbs raise glucose levels in the bloodstream quite rapidly (less than 30 minutes). This explains why diabetics, who occasionally suffer from an excessively low blood-glucose level, can quickly restore their balance by eating simple carb-foods, like sweets.

Complex Carbohydrate

Complex carbs, like starches, take longer to be converted into glucose because their molecular structure is much more complicated and usually (not always) requires quite a bit more time to metabolize into glucose (up to 2 hours).

Fiber is Undigested and Affects Digestion of Other Carbohydrate

Very complex carbs (dietary fiber) also have a very complicated molecular structure, and also are resistant to most digestive enzymes produced by the human body. As a result, they cannot be broken down into glucose or other nutrients at all. This is why fiber transits the intestinal tract largely undigested. This has a knock-on effect on the speed of digestion of other carbs around them. For example, where certain starches are “protected” by indigestible fibrous wrapping, the enzymes cannot get to grips with the starch as fast as normal. Also, the presence of soluble fiber in the stomach and intestine typically creates a viscous mass of digesting-food in which carbs and enzymes take longer to mix. Result? Carb digestion slows down.

Use the Glycemic Index

For a quick and convenient way to find out how fast your blood-glucose levels rise after you eat different carbohydrate-containing foods, use the Glycemic Index (GI). This index classifies foods into high, intermediate or low GI foods, according to how fast their carbohydrate is converted into glucose and thus how quickly the particular food raises our blood-glucose levels. As we shall see, glycemic value is an important factor in determining insulin levels and sensitivity.

Effect of Carbs on Insulin Levels

Conversion of Carbohydrate to Glucose Triggers Insulin Production

How Carbs Affect Insulin

Carbs are Converted to Glucose

As we have seen, because the human body runs on glucose all carbs are converted into glucose in the digestive tract. The glucose then enters the bloodstream and thus contributes to a rise in “blood-glucose”.

Blood Glucose Must be Kept Within Limits

A very high level of glucose in the blood is toxic, while a very low level is detrimental to bodily functions. Therefore the body has a system to regulate the amount of glucose in the bloodstream to ensure that it remains balanced within safe parameters. This glucose balancing system depends upon two mechanisms: hunger and insulin.

Low Blood Glucose Triggers Hunger

If blood-sugar levels drop, the brain causes us to feel hungry. Result? We eat food that is then converted into glucose and our blood glucose levels rise. If we don’t eat and blood-glucose levels fall too low, we trigger the condition known as hypoglycemia.

High Blood Glucose Triggers Insulin

If blood-sugar levels rise, the brain tells our pancreas to release insulin. Result? The insulin disperses the glucose and our blood sugar levels fall. Without insulin to regulate a rise in blood-glucose, the amount of sugar in our bloodstream can become toxic, triggering the condition known as hyperglycemia.

Eating Too Many High GI Carbs Causes Sugar Spike

The hunger-or-insulin see-saw mechanism works well, provided that we don’t eat too many high glycemic index (GI) carbs that are rapidly converted into glucose. When this happens, when a LARGE amount of glucose enters the bloodstream (called a “sugar spike”), the system responds by releasing a LARGE quantity of insulin. (It thinks we’ve eaten a huge amount of food.) The amount of insulin is so large that not only does it disperse the food-glucose we have just eaten, it disperses a lot more. Result? Our blood glucose falls too low. So, within a short time (about 2-3 hours) the brain tells us to feel hungry and we recommence eating. This rapid rise and fall in blood glucose, caused by excess production of insulin, is not good for our health or our eating habits.

Health Effects of High Insulin Levels

Why Excessive Insulin in Bloodstream From High-GI Carbs Causes Health Problems

Insulin Levels and Health

As we have seen, when blood glucose levels get too high, insulin is released into the bloodstream by the pancreas to help disperse the glucose. The insulin transports the glucose to cells needing extra energy. The cells have “insulin receptors” positioned so that insulin can bind to them, facilitating glucose entry and utilization in the cells. Once inside the cells, the glucose is burned to produce heat and adenosine triphosyphate, (ATP) a molecule that stores and releases energy as required by the cell.

Overconsumption of High GI Carbs Maintains Excessively High Insulin

If we eat a diet that contains too many high GI carbs (carbs that are rapidly converted into blood glucose) we force our body to respond by releasing equally large amounts of insulin into our bloodstream to cope with the glucose. Over time this excessively high level of insulin can cause the “insulin-receptors” in our cells to become less sensitive to insulin.

Insulin Insensitivity

When cells become less sensitive to the effects of insulin, they accept less glucose, so more glucose than usual remains in the bloodstream. Result? The pancreas over-compensates by working harder and releasing even more insulin.

Health Consequences of Insulin Insensitivity

The combination of insulin-insensitivity and insulin over-production typically leads to one of two results:

Either, the pancreas gets worn out and insulin production slows down to abnormally low levels. Result? We develop type 2 diabetes. (About 30 percent of cases)

Or, the insulin-resistant patient doesn’t develop diabetes (because the pancreas continues to produce sufficient insulin) but, instead, contracts hyperinsulinism (abnormally high levels of insulin in the blood), which can cause chronic obesity as well as high blood pressure, high levels of triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol, heart disease, and possibly some cancers.

Low GI Foods Cause Lower Insulin Levels

This is why experts are beginning to recognize the health advantages of following a low GI diet. Because lower GI foods are converted into glucose much more slowly, causing less insulin to be produced.

This is not the last word on this subject, by any means. Research into insulin insensitivity and the relationship between insulin levels and obesity is ongoing. However, the overconsumption of high-GI foods (and high-fat fast-food) is a major cause of concern.

Low Carb Diets

Low Carbohydrate Eating Plans to Reduce Weight

Low-Carb Eating Plans

A Balanced Diet May Come in Various Forms

As we have seen (Guide to Healthy Balanced Diet), healthy diets comes in various forms. Current evidence does not support the idea that there is only one type of balanced eating-plan, with a fixed amount of fat, carbohydrate and protein, that suits everyone. The same applies to weight reduction diets. A healthy weight loss diet may include differing proportions of fat, protein and carbohydrate, according to needs and tastes.

Reason Why Low Carb Weight Loss Plans are So Popular

Low carb weight loss plans are very popular because initial weight loss is more rapid than with regular diets. It’s great to see a weight loss of 5-6 pounds in your first week, even if most of the weight lost isn’t body fat but simply muscle glycogen and water. Even so, there’s no free lunch here! Carbohydrate provides essential energy for the brain, red blood cells and a growing fetus. It is also the principal fuel source for strenuous muscular activity. So we definitely need some carbs.

How Low Carb Dieting Works

In the absence of sufficient dietary carbohydrate, our system turns first to its reserve store of carbs (glycogen), located in the liver and muscles, in order to provide fuel for muscular activity. Burning this store of glycogen typically leads to an immediate loss of weight, as one gram of glycogen binds 4 grams of water. For example, if you burn 400 grams of glycogen then at the same time you lose 1600 grams of water: a total of 2 kilos (2.2 pounds) of body weight.

You Lose Water Weight Not Body Fat

Notice, that – whatever the scales say – you have lost no body fat. And when you recommence eating carbs, the first thing your body does is to replenish its glycogen + water reserve.

Fatigue Not Uncommon

Not surprisingly, since carbohydrate is essential fuel for physical activity such as cardio-aerobics, long-term low carb dieters often experience growing fatigue and loss of motivation to maintain the type of fitness routines needed for weight management.

Mental Concentration

The brain’s favorite fuel is carbohydrate. If absolutely necessary, the brain will utilize fat (in the form of ketones), but it performs less efficiently on this type of energy. Current evidence demonstrates a clear association between intellectual performance and the presence of carbs. For example, better performance was observed in all types of age and social groups after a carbohydrate meal. Although research is ongoing, it seems that for optimum intellectual activity, we need a regular intake of carbs.

Conclusion

For some people, low carb weight loss diets are successful. And, like I say, they do lead to faster weight reduction at least initially. However, they can cause problems and there is a better alternative – a better type of weight-reducing diet that offers all the advantages of low-carb eating, without the problems. This improved alternative is a low GI diet.

Low GI Diets For Weight Reduction

A low-GI diet focuses on quality rather than quantity of carbohydrates. The diet recommends the consumption of low and intermediate (moderate) GI carbs. These carbs have been proven, in hundreds of clinical trials all over the world, to form the basis of healthy eating.

In a nutshell, a low-GI plan provides all the health and weight benefits of carbohydrate WITHOUT the drawbacks.

Guide to the Glycemic Index (GI) Diet

Classification Of Carbs According to Blood Glucose Response For Healthier Blood Sugar

Glycemic Index (GI)

The new carbohydrate-classification system known as the Glycemic Index rates the carbohydrate quality in foods according to its immediate effect on blood glucose level. Thus carbs that break down quickly into glucose during digestion, causing a rapid rise in glucose levels, have a High GI value. Those carbs that break down more slowly, are given an Intermediate or Low GI value.

Designed For Diabetes Treatment

Invented in 1981 by David Jenkins and Thomas Wolever of the University of Toronto, as a tool for the treatment of diabetics who need to maintain stable blood sugar,the Glycemic Index (GI) has now replaced the older method of classifying carbohydrates according to their “simple” or “complex” chemical structure.

GI Shows Us Which Foods Are Best/Worst For Blood Sugar Levels

• In order to “use” food, our body first converts it into glucose. This glucose then enters our bloodstream and can be used as needed.
• We have a safety mechanism to ensure our glucose level remains relatively balanced. It works like this. If levels fall too low, the brain makes us feel hungry, so we eat food that is turned into glucose. If levels rise too high, the brain tells the pancreas to release insulin into the blood to “mop up” excess glucose.
• So far so good. However, the human body was designed in the Stone Age – long before the existence of modern super-refined carb-foods. Some of these super-refined carb-foods are converted into glucose very fast – too fast for comfort. As a result, our blood-glucose shoots up (called a “sugar-spike”). This fools the body into releasing too much insulin.
• This mops up too much glucose and our level falls so low that the brain makes us feel hungry again!
• Thus, not only do we overeat, but also we can experience excessively high levels of insulin which can over time cause health problems.
• The glycemic index helps us to understand which foods are best and worst for controlling our blood glucose levels.

GI Diet Is Useful For Weight Loss

Calorie-controlled weight loss plans based on the glycemic index are healthier than both low-carb and low-fat diets. Unlike carb-restricted plans like South Beach Diet or Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution, GI diets allow you to eat plenty of unrefined carbs, many of which are rich in fiber as well as micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Unlike low-fat diets, GI eating plans recommend moderate amounts of good quality fats, such as polyunsaturated essential fatty acids like omega-3, as well as monounsaturated fats from vegetables, nuts and seeds. Research now shows that these fats and oils actually improve our health and assist weight loss.

The GI Index Should Not Be Followed Rigidly

Use the GI Index as a guide, rather than a rigid rule-book. Point is, low-GI foods also include several items (like candy and cookies) which are neither healthy nor good for calorie control. These foods have low GI values because of their high fat content, and fat slows down digestion. Proper GI Diets make allowances for this and only recommend healthy low-GI foods.

GI Diets Improve Food Quality

A century ago, most of our food came straight from the farm to the dinner table. Lack of refrigeration and knowledge of food chemistry meant that most food remained in its original state. Not very convenient, perhaps, by comparison with today’s ‘ready-to-eat’ foods, but much healthier. Carbohydrates in particular contained much more of the original fiber and wheat germ than today’s carbs. As a result, the human body had to do most of the processing and digesting itself. Which meant it stayed full for longer. Nowadays, food is much more heavily processed before it arrives on our plate. Most of the fiber and natural grain is removed, so we digest it much quicker. And the faster we digest food, the sooner we get hungry and the more we eat. The GI Diet method aims to promote higher consumption of unrefined carbs that require longer digestion times due to their unprocessed state. This can only improve food quality, and control overeating. In this way, GI diets might help tackle the recent huge increase in obesity, as well as the rise in metabolic disorders like pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetesand insulin insensitivity. Other conditions related to over-consumption of refined carbs include IBS and diverticulosis, both of which should be helped by a return to more natural foods.

Please Note
The expressions “blood-glucose” and “blood-sugar” refer to the same thing.

GI Food Guide

Details About GI Food Values on the Glycemic Index

Details of Glycemic Index (GI)

The GI Scale

The glycemic index uses a scale from 1 to 100, which indicates the rate at which 50 grams of carbohydrate in a particular food is absorbed into the bloodstream as blood-sugar. The main reference food (rated 100) is glucose.

GI Rating Categories

The glycemic index divides carbohydrate foods into three categories:

(1) High GI Foods (GI value 70+).
These foods cause a rapid rise in blood-sugar levels.

(2) Intermediate GI Foods (GI value 55-69).
These lead to a medium rise in blood-sugar.

(3) Low GI Foods (GI value 54 or less).
These lead to a slow rise in blood-glucose.

GI Food Testing is Ongoing

Not all foods have been given a GI value, although most food-types are covered. However, due to the way GI is measured using volunteer subjects, results can vary, so GI values for some specific foods are not yet uniformly established.

GI – Diabetes and Weight Control

Although the glycemic index was first designed to assist diabetes patients manage their blood-sugar levels, dietitians and weight experts now use it as a tool to help treat obesity, food cravings and appetite swings, and improve eating habits.

Glycemic Load

Both the type AND quantity of carbohydrate in our food influence the rise in blood glucose. But the glycemic index only rates a standard 50 gram serving size of digestible carbohydrate in a particular food, which may not be appropriate for all foods. For example, foods whose serving size contains only a small amount of carbohydrate may in practice be better for blood sugar control than foods whose normal serving size contains a large amount of carbs. Therefore, to provide a more meaningful GI-rating system, researchers at Harvard University invented the term Glycemic Load, which applies the glycemic index to normal food serving sizes.

How Glycemic Index is Measured

GI Measures 50g Portions of Carbohydrate in Foods

GI Measurement

Measuring the glycemic index or GI rating of a food is conducted under strict conditions, although sampling methods can vary slightly.

Portions of GI Food Being Tested

Typically, 10 or more volunteers are given a serving of the test-food containing 50 grams of digestible (available) carbohydrate. The actual portion or serving size of each tested food varies according to how much carbohydrate it contains, based on official food composition tables.

The smaller the percentage of carbs in the food, the larger the portion needs to be in order to provide the standard 50 gram amount of digestible carbs. Thus in practice, if a food contains a very small proportion of carbohydrate, necessitating a very large test serving size, the test serving is typically scaled down.

Blood Tested For Glucose

A sample of blood is then taken from each subject every 15 minutes during the first hour and thereafter every 30 minutes. These blood samples are laboratory-tested for glucose content and the results recorded.

Interpretation of Results

The glucose level is plotted on a graph and the results are interpreted using a computer program.

Test Food Results Compared Against Glucose Results

The volunteer’s blood-glucose reaction to the food being tested is compared with his/her response to 50g of pure glucose. These comparative tests using pure glucose are typically conducted several times, on several occasions, to provide a mean response.

Results Averaged

The average blood sugar response from 8-10 volunteers determines the GI value of that food.

GI Rating Categories

Low GI Food
These are foods with a GI rating below 55.

Intermediate GI Food
These are foods with a GI rating between 55 and 70

High GI Food
These are foods with a GI rating above 70

What Determines GI Value of Food

Why Food-Carbohydrate Has a Low, Intermediate or High GI Value

GI Values: Determining Factors

As we have seen (How Carbs are Digested) the speed at which carbohydrate is broken down in the intestinal tract into simple sugars and ultimately glucose, is usually dependent on the specific structure of the carb in question (meaning: how easy is it for the digestive enzymes to gain access to the carbohydrate) but can also be affected by other factors which interfere with the action of enzymes.

Physical Structure

The physical characteristics of the carbohydrate is a major factor in determining its likely GI value.

• The small particle size of finely ground flour gives digestive enzymes great surface area to attack and metabolize the bread. By comparison, stone-ground flour has a larger particle size and consequently a lower GI value.
• A “puffed up” or “swollen” carbohydrate is more rapidly metabolized to glucose and has a higher GI value than less enlarged carbs. For example, fluffy white bread typically has a much higher GI value than denser rye breads.
• A carbohydrate surrounded by fiber, like that in vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds, is better protected from rapid attack by digestive enzymes and has a lower GI value than other carbohydrates.
• Very refined carbs (eg. many breakfast cereals) typically have most of their ‘natural’ fiber and other indigestible constituents removed. Result? These carbs tend to be rapidly metabolized into glucose.

Molecular Structure

Carbs with a simple molecular structure, like monosaccharides, are metabolized to glucose much more rapidly than more complex polysaccharides.

Starches

An interesting example of how a carb’s chemical structure can affect GI rating is seen in various starches. Starch comes in two forms, amylose and amylopectin. Starchy carbs typically contain a mixture of the two types, but the molecular structure of amylose is tighter and more compact, thus less easy to breakdown than amylopectin, whose structure is more extended and more vulnerable to attack from digestive enzymes. Thus, carbohydrates like beans, lentils, basmati rice with a high ratio of amylose-to-amylopectin tend to have lower GI values.

Other Factors That Influence GI Rating

Cooking

Pasta has a medium-glycemic-index value of 40-50. This may be lowered by cooking it for less time (al dente). Al dente pasta resists the effect of digestive enzymes more than regular cooked pasta and so has a lower GI.

Presence of Soluble Fiber in the Gut

Soluble fiber in the stomach or small intestine inhibits interaction between carbohydrate and the digestive enzymes, whose job is to break down the carb into glucose. One reason why it’s a good idea to include a high fiber food with every meal. It helps reduce the GI value of the meal.

Presence of Acid

Acid in the stomach during digestion (eg. in the form of lemon juice) tends to slow down stomach emptying and thus the conversion of carbs to glucose.

Presence of Fat

The same applies to fat. Like acid, fat retards stomach emptying and thus glucose metabolism. This explains why certain candy bars have relatively low GI values, despite their refined nature and simple physical structures.

Presence of Sugar

A concentration of sugar in the stomach and intestine typically inhibits the effects of digestive enzymes, as it attracts water which would otherwise help in glucose metabolism.

Guide to Glycemic Load

Applying Glycemic Index (GI) Values to Normal Food Serving Sizes

Glycemic Load Explained

Glycemic Index Rates 50 Gram Portions of Carbs

As we have seen (How GI is measured) the glycemic index rates how rapidly a particular food raises blood-glucose. The test is performed using a food-serving that contains 50 grams of digestible carbohydrate. While providing valuable comparitive data on the glycemic effects of different foods, this test is not ideal. Why not? Because it doesn’t take into account the fact that some foods contain a lot more carbohydrate than others.

Different Percentages of Carbohydrate

Take two foods: assume both have GI values of 80, making them high GI foods. On this basis, we should eat both relatively sparingly. But suppose one of them contains 75 percent carbohydrate, whereas the other is only 5 percent carbohydrate. These foods are now quite different. The 75 percent carb food should be eaten more sparingly. The glycemic index does not allow for different carb percentages.

Glycemic Load Applies GI to Food Serving Sizes

In response to this problem of carbohydrate percentage, researchers at Harvard University invented the idea of Glycemic Load, which applies the glycemic index to normal food serving sizes. The glycemic load of a particular food rates the effect of a normal serving-size of that food on blood glucose levels.

How Glycemic Load is Calculated

The formula for calculating glycemic load is simple. Multiply the GI value of a food by the amount of carbohydrate per serving and divide the result by 100.

Example No 1

Spaghetti has a GI value of 40
A serving (1 cup) contains 52 grams of carbohydrate.
The glycemic load of spaghetti is: (40 X 52) divided by 100 = 20.8

Example No 2

An apple has a GI value of 40
A serving (medium size apple) contains 15 grams of carbohydrate.
The glycemic load of an apple is: (40 X 15) divided by 100 = 6

GI Values of Meal

How to Calculate the Glycemic Index Value of Meals

Calculating GI Values For Meals

Most of the time we don’t eat servings of individual carbohydrate-type foods: we eat meals with a variety of foods containing varying amounts of carbs, as well as protein, fat and fiber. Thus in practice, for optimum blood-glucose management, we need to know the glycemic value of a meal, rather than simply the GI of individual foods.

How to Measure the Glycemic Index Value of Meals

To calculate the GI value of a meal, you need to know two things:

– The total grams of carbohydrates in the meal.
– The percentage of the carb-total contributed by each food.

Once you know this data, which is typically obtainable from most food composition or nutrition tables, the GI calculation for a meal is simple:

Multiply the GI value of each food by their percentage of total carbohydrate. Add up the totals, to get the GI value for the meal.

Calculating GI For a Simple Meal

• Suppose you eat 2 slices (2oz) of toast and a glass (4oz) of milk.
• The toast contains about 26g of carbohydrate; milk about 6g of carbs.
• The total carb content is 32g. (81% from bread; 19% from milk)
• The GI of bread is about 70; the GI of milk is about 28.

Calculation = GI X Percentage of carb contribution

Toast: 70 X 81% = 57
Milk: 28 X 19% = 5
Total: 57 + 5 = 62

The GI value of the meal is 62.

Calculating GI Value of Meals Not Always Possible

If we eat meals with non-standard foods that either do not have a GI rating, or are cooked in ways that have not been tested for GI effect, it is not possible to calculate a precise GI value for them. Even so, by using food composition tables and GI rating lists, it is possible to arrive at ballpark GI values for most meals.

How to Reduce the GI Value of a Meal

Lower Glycemic Index Rating For Meals

Reduce GI of Your Meal

First of all, remember that GI values only apply to foods containing carbohydrate. Therefore, if the only carbohydrate in a meal has a high GI, then the GI of the whole meal is high. For example, if the only carb in your meal is bread, the GI of that meal will be 70. Therefore, to reduce the GI value of a meal, you must include lower-GI carbs. Here are some healthy suggestions for lowering GI value.

Low-GI Breakfast Suggestions

– Add All-Bran or oats to your breakfast
– Eat bread with a lower-GI, like rye or any whole grain variety
– Add low-fat fruit yogurt

Low-GI Lunch Suggestions

– Add chopped vegetables (eg. celery, carrot sticks, tomatoes)
– Add nuts (eg. peanuts, cashews) or dried fruit (eg. apricots)
– Add fruit (eg. apple, berries)
– Add low-fat fruit yogurt

Low-GI Dinner Suggestions

– Add plenty of vegetables (treat meat as an extra, not the main item)
– Add beans, lentils
– Add (or finish with) fruit (fresh, stewed or baked)

How to Lower Glycemic Effect of a Meal Even Further

As we have seen (What Determines Glycemic Effect), the presence of certain substances in the stomach and intestinal tract, during digestion (eg. fiber, acid or fat), can reduce the speed at which carbs are converted to glucose and thus reduce glycemic effect. By adding these items to our meal, we can lower it’s glycemic impact on our system.

Add Soluble Fiber to Your Meal

Soluble fiber (eg. from oats, apples, citrus fruits) in the stomach or small intestine inhibits interaction between carbohydrate and the digestive enzymes, whose job is to break down the carb into glucose.

Add Food Acids to Your Meal

Acid (eg. from lemon juice or vinaigrette) in the stomach during digestion slows down stomach emptying and thus the conversion of carbs to glucose.

Add a Little Healthy Oil

Like acid, fat/oil retards stomach emptying and thus glucose metabolism. However, all oil is high in calories, while not all oil is healthy. So choose carefully, and add any oil sparingly. The best fats/oils are uncooked and unrefined. Choose ones like extra virgin olive oil, wheatgerm oil, canola, flaxseed (linseeds).

Creating Lower GI Meals: Summary

The GI effect of high-GI foods can be reduced by eating them together with low GI foods in a balanced meal. Adding soluble fiber and/or food acids also helps lower GI. When using fats or oils, choose carefully.

Guide to Low GI Foods

Information About Food With a Low/Intermediate Value on the Glycemic Index

Low GI Foods

Creating lower glycemic meals and snacks means learning which foods have more moderate and low GI values. To help you plan your daily eating, or create a mini low-GI diet, here are some food suggestions for optimum health, weight and blood glucose levels

Healthy Low-GI Foods At-a-Glance

Maintain a stock of the following healthy lower-GI foods. (For the sake of completeness, one or two non-GI foods, like oils, are included).

Bread
Any wholegrain or stone-ground breads, any 100% wholewheat bread, pumpernickel or rye bread

Oats and Oatbran
Add to cereal or recipes


Rice
Basmati, long grain brown rice, Uncle Ben’s Converted long grain

Pasta
Most types are fine

Couscous
Served like rice

Noodles
Dried thin egg noodles

Beans (Canned or Dry)
Garbanzo beans, haricot, kidney, lima, pinto, soybeans

Lentils
Any type

Dried Fruits
Apricots, berries, figs, prunes

Frozen Fruits
Any type, but berries are particularly good

Nuts
Peanuts, walnuts, Brazils

Canned Fish (in Water)
Tuna, sardines, mackerel, salmon

Canned Vegetables (for Quick Use)
Asparagus, beans, carrots, mushrooms, peas

Frozen Vegetables
Beans, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, peas, spinach

Oils
Olive oil, canola, flaxseed, wheatgerm

Condiments
Lemon juice, soy, chili sauce

Dairy
Fat-free milk, Reduced-fat fruit yogurt, Reduced-fat cheese, Reduced-fat ice cream

Eggs
Organic are best

Fresh Fruits
Any type, choose a variety

Fresh Vegetables
Any type, choose a variety

Beverages
Bottled water, fruit juices

How Much Carbohydrate to Eat

No Fixed Healthy Carb Intake in Daily Diet

Carb Intake

Carb Consumption May Vary

A healthy weight loss diet may be lower or higher in carbohydrate content, according to need and taste. There is no such thing as a standard healthy eating plan with a fixed number of carb, fat and protein calories.

Recommended Range of Carb Intake

The Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board advises that a healthy carb intake can be anywhere between 45 and 65 percent of total calories. It is not advisable to eat less, except for short periods. Consult your doctor, dietitian or nutritionist for specific advice. Part of the problem with eating fewer carbs is that extra calories are likely to come from protein – typically meat products, that may add excessive saturated fat-calories to your diet. In short, if you wish to follow a low-carb diet, then do not restrict your carbohydrate intake for too long.

Carbohydrate is Essential For Nutrition and Healthy Weight

One reason to be careful when choosing a low-carb eating plan is because carbohydrate is a rich source of vitamins, which the body needs for a host of circulatory, immune, endocrine and other bodily functions as well as healthy cell growth and repair. They are a particularly good source of B-complex vitamins which are very valuable for women. Carbohydrates are also rich in protective phytochemicals, the newly discovered semi-essential micronutrients that protect against serious disease. Good health is essential for efficient weight loss. A sluggish body, lacking adequate nutrition, does not lose weight (and keep it off) as fast as a healthy body.

Type of Carbs is More Relevant

If quantity of carbs may vary in a healthy or weight reduction diet, quality or type of carbohydrate should not. Refined, high-GI carbohydrate is now proven to cause a range of eating, weight and metabolic problems, and is best consumed in small amounts. Instead, most obesity experts now recommend higher intakes of low-GI carbs, along with nutritious lower-fat protein and regular exercise.

Carbohydrates & Diet Information

Types of Carbs, Sources, Weight Loss and Health Nutrition Benefits of Carbohydrate Foods

Information About Diet and Carbs

Q. Does Eating Carbs Cause Weight Gain?

The answer is: No. Carbs do NOT make us overweight.

Carbohydrates are an important part of any healthy diet. Eaten regularly, carbs do NOT lead to weight gain, unless (like any food group) they are eaten to excess. After all, eating too much of anything and not burning it off through physical activity will lead to weight gain. That said, weight for weight, carbs provide fewer calories than fat or alcohol. It’s also what you add to the carbohydrates that bump up the calories. For example, the margarine or butter we put on the bread and the cream or cheese sauces we add to pasta. So if you need to lose weight, cut down on these added fats, NOT the carbs.

For a concise explanation of how ALL surplus calories (from fats, protein AND carbs) are converted to body fat and stored as adipose tissue, see How We Gain Body Fat?

Why Have Carbohydrates Become Such A Controversial Food?

To understand why carbs have attracted so much dietary criticism – much of it inaccurate and misleading – you need to understand a bit about the diet and food industry. The following explanation is a simplified account of the carb controversy.

Heart Disease And Low Fat Diets
In the 60s and 70s, cardiologists established a clear link between animal fats (in fatty meat, butter, cheese etc.) and coronary heart disease (hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis). So low-fat diets became very popular. Unfortunately, in its attempt to cater for this preferred reduced-fat type of eating, the food industry started producing a huge range of low-fiber white flour food products (eg. muffins, donuts, bagels, cookies), tons of carb snackfoods (eg. multi-flavored popcorn, nachos etc.) and various high-carb add-ons and toppings. Note that ALL these foods are largely “refined” carbs – that is, carbs with most of the natural fiber removed. Thus, the low-fat approach led to a significant increase in the consumption of refined carbohydrate.

The Obesity Epidemic
During the 80s and 90s, obesity in North America grew almost out of control and many dietitians began to question whether the high-carb low-fat diet was contributing to this upsurge in overweight. Then clinical studies linked high consumption of refined carbs with metabolic problems (eg. blood-sugar problems, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes), digestive disorders (diverticulitis and IBS) and heart disease. Dr Atkins then produced his extreme low-carb diet and claimed that carbohydrate was a major cause of obesity and overweight. This oversimplification – he refused to accept that unrefined whole grain carbs were a significant health food which had no negative effect on weight – caused a crazy fashion for carb-free foods. Not surprisingly, given the fact that most of the world outside North America has been eating carbohydrate for centuries without gaining weight, Dr Atkins dietary approach did not lead to a fall in obesity. Another carb-restricted diet, the South Beach Diet, followed Atkins, all carb-restricted diets are now viewed as outdated as a means of reducing weight among the population at large.

The GI Diet – How To Eat Good Carbs
Nowadays, most dietitians, nutritionists and obesity experts agree that good carbohydrate (eg. generally those types with a moderate or low GI value on the glycemic index) is essential for long term weight control and healthy nutrition. But it is still true that over-consumption of refined carbs (eg. generally white flour carbs with a high GI value) poses a serious risk of metabolic disorders including insulin insensitivity, type 2 diabetes as well as metabolic syndrome – all of which are closely associated with obesity. The point to remember is that NOT ALL CARBOHYDRATE IS BAD – only those foods which contain heavily refined/processed carbs. The GI diet does not discriminate on the basis of carb quantity. Instead it recommends we focus on carb-quality and eat lower-GI carbs.

Official Dietary Guidelines for Carbs

According to US Government Diet Guidelines, the World Health Organization and the World Cancer Research Fund, we should consume about 50-55 percent of our calories from carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are essential to give us energy. They come in two forms:

• Starches (also called complex carbohydrates) – such as cereals, pulses and potatoes.
• Sugars found in fruit and vegetables (good carbs), and foods such as sweets, soft drinks and cakes.Note: Carbohydrate sugars in manufactured foods are refined sugars and should be limited. They contain far less fiber, nutrition and water than natural carb sugars in fruits and vegetables.

Sources of Good Dietary Carbohydrates

The following foods are all good sources of starches, but choose wholegrain, whole wheat, wholemeal, brown or high fiber varieties whenever possible.These ‘whole’ type of carbs still contain the whole grain, including the bran and the germ, so they’re higher in fiber and will keep you feeling fuller for longer – great if you’re trying to lose weight and hate feeling hungry. Examples include wholegrain rice, wholemeal bread, porridge oats, and wholewheat pasta. See also How We Digest Food.

• Bread
• Breakfast cereals
• Oats
• Pasta
• Noodles
• Rice
• Potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Beans
• Lentils

Carbohydrates and Fiber

Carbohydrate-rich foods like whole wheat bread, pasta and rice, pulses and some fruits are particularly rich in fiber, which helps to prevent constipation. The fiber in fruit, vegetables and pulses, can also help reduce blood cholesterol levels.

Carbohydrates in Fruit and Vegetables

Many (not all) carbs in fruit and vegetables are classed as sugars, but these are unrefined sugars and are quite different from the non-nutritious carb sugars found in manufactured, processed food. Fresh fruit and vegetables contain vital phyto-chemicals and other micro-nutrients that help protect us against serious diseases like heart disease and cancer. Aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

Carbohydrates to Avoid in Your Diet – The Bad Guys!

Unhealthy carbohydrates are the refined sugar carbs, found in foods like: cookies, sweets, cakes, carbonated soft drinks, ice-cream and syrups. The most refined of all sugars is table or icing sugar. Healthwise, we don’t need to eat any of these refined carbohydrate foods.

How to Choose Better Carbohydrates in Your Diet

To beat hunger pangs, lose weight and stay healthy, try these healthy carb tips:

• Substitute bran flakes for frosted flakes
• Substitute whole wheat bread for regular white bread
• Substitute rice cakes for cereal/granola bar
• Substitute wholegrain/whole wheat baguette for French bread
• Substitute wholewheat pasta for regular pasta
• Substitute brown rice for regular white rice
• Add wheatgerm and oats to your cereal
• Add chopped fruit to your cereal, salads and stews
• Serve beans, lentils and extra vegetables with your main meal

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Want to Lose Weight on a Low Carb Diet?

If so, our healthy Low Carb Diet is just ONE of the great diet plans in the AC Weight Loss Program

Carbohydrates and Glycemic Index (GI)

Everything you need to know about healthy carbohydrate, how much to eat and how the Glycemic Index helps to maintain good health and weight.

Which Diet is Best: Low Carb or Low GI?

Low Carb Versus Low Glycemic Index Eating Plans

Low Carb vs. Low GI

Low Carb Diet Plans Vary

There is considerable variation in the level of carbs permitted by popular low-carb diet plans. Some, like Atkins Diet, are deliberately ketogenic – they starve the body of carbohydrate in order to force it to burn fat for fuel. For severely overweight or obese patients who prefer high protein eating, this approach might be fine. Even for moderately overweight people, the Atkins ketogenic method can be highly effective in reducing weight in the short term and good for motivation. Other low-carb plans, like the Zone Diet or South Beach, are not ketogenic like Atkins. They permit a wider intake of carbs and may be regarded as healthier. See Recommended Low Carb Diet

All Carbs Are Not Bad For Weight Loss Health

The low carb diet craze is fuelled by the idea that “all carbs are bad for weight control”. Therefore the less carbs we eat, the better. But this notion is misleading, even dangerous. The truth is, the leanest and longest living people in the industrialized world are the Japanese whose diet is dominated by carbohydrates and is low in fat. High carb foods like grains, rice, and vegetables are daily staples of the Japanese diet, and intake of high protein, high fat animal products is minimal. Yet Japan has one of the lowest rates of obesity, heart disease, cancer and diabetes in the world. Promoters of the “all carbs are bad for weight loss” viewpoint know this perfectly well – they know the problem lies in high-GI carbohydrates and junk food – but this does not get attention-grabbing headlines.

Low-GI Diet Plans Tackle the Real Issue

A low-GI eating plan does not seek to improve your health and weight by restricting how much carbohydrate you should eat. Instead, it advises what type of carbohydrate to eat. It recommends lower-GI carbs that boost health and therefore weight reduction. Unlike the low-carb method, the low-GI dietary method is backed by a wide range of clinical studies, conducted all over the world, that demonstrate it is good for long term health.

Summary

1. A healthy type of low-carb diet is fine for fast initial weight loss. Rapid weight reduction (even if largely water) can boost motivation and diet compliance. However, significant carb-restriction should be short-term.

2. Most experts consider a low-GI diet to be healthier than regular low-carb diets, as it delivers all the benefits of healthy carbohydrate without the blood-glucose problems and other health risks of high-GI carbs.

Health Benefits of Low GI Diets

How Low Glycemic Index Eating Plans Improve Health and Weight

Low GI Diets Improve Health and Weight

Modern Diseases Associated With Unhealthy Diet and Lifestyle

Three health conditions which are being increasingly associated with bad diet (and lack of exercise) are Obesity, Diabetes and Insulin Resistance. All three conditions are inter-linked and may be aggravated by overconsumption of high-GI foods.

Common Symptoms

The link between diabetes and obesity is well-established. Nearly 80 percent of adults with type 2 diabetes are obese. Abnormally high glucose levels (the key diagnostic indicator for diabetes) and obesity (especially excessive waist circumference) are key indicators of possible insulin resistance. High levels of cholesterol and blood pressure are frequently common to obese patients and insulin resistant patients.

Aggravated by High-Glycemic Index Foods

Although both obesity and insulin resistance syndrome are complex conditions with multiple causes, experts now believe that both are aggravated by the overconsumption of refined high-GI carbohydrates. These foods cause a rapid rise in blood-glucose, thus triggering excessive amounts of insulin to be released by the pancreas to cope with the glucose. Over time, body cells may gradually become insensitive to insulin, and become unable to use insulin efficiently. Result? Either the pancreas becomes exhausted trying to produce extra insulin, (leading to diabetes) or else the body suffers from excessively high levels of insulin (facilitating obesity, and increased risk of heart disease).

[Note: Although a consensus exists that these conditions are aggravated by overconsumption of high-GI foods, there is no evidence that such dietary habits operate independently of genetic or other lifestyle factors. In addition, the basic rule of human biochemistry is that calories are only stored as fat if too many (from any source) are consumed.]

Low GI Diet Improves Health

Eating more low-GI foods and less high-GI food is proving to be a very successful dietary approach to the above conditions. In general, this means reducing our intake of refined carbs and sugary foods, while increasing our intake of healthy carbs from fruits, vegetables and beans. Good quality fats, lean protein and lower-fat dairy foods are also valuable elements in the diet. (Regular exercise is also mandatory.) Research data from the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study shows that cutting back on refined grains and eating more whole grains in their place improves insulin sensitivity.

Low Glycemic Index Diet: Summary

Health Benefits of Low GI Diets

How Low Glycemic Index Eating Plans Improve Health and Weight

Modern Diseases Associated With Unhealthy Diet and Lifestyle

Three health conditions which are being increasingly associated with bad diet (and lack of exercise) are Obesity, Diabetes and Insulin Resistance. All three conditions are inter-linked and may be aggravated by overconsumption of high-GI foods.

Common Symptoms

The link between diabetes and obesity is well-established. Nearly 80 percent of adults with type 2 diabetes are obese. Abnormally high glucose levels (the key diagnostic indicator for diabetes) and obesity (especially excessive waist circumference) are key indicators of possible insulin resistance. High levels of cholesterol and blood pressure are frequently common to obese patients and insulin resistant patients.

Aggravated by High-Glycemic Index Foods

Although both obesity and insulin resistance syndrome are complex conditions with multiple causes, experts now believe that both are aggravated by the overconsumption of refined high-GI carbohydrates. These foods cause a rapid rise in blood-glucose, thus triggering excessive amounts of insulin to be released by the pancreas to cope with the glucose. Over time, body cells may gradually become insensitive to insulin, and become unable to use insulin efficiently. Result? Either the pancreas becomes exhausted trying to produce extra insulin, (leading to diabetes) or else the body suffers from excessively high levels of insulin (facilitating obesity, and increased risk of heart disease).

[Note: Although a consensus exists that these conditions are aggravated by overconsumption of high-GI foods, there is no evidence that such dietary habits operate independently of genetic or other lifestyle factors. In addition, the basic rule of human biochemistry is that calories are only stored as fat if too many (from any source) are consumed.]

Low GI Diet Improves Health

Eating more low-GI foods and less high-GI food is proving to be a very successful dietary approach to the above conditions. In general, this means reducing our intake of refined carbs and sugary foods, while increasing our intake of healthy carbs from fruits, vegetables and beans. Good quality fats, lean protein and lower-fat dairy foods are also valuable elements in the diet. (Regular exercise is also mandatory.) Research data from the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study shows that cutting back on refined grains and eating more whole grains in their place improves insulin sensitivity.

Low Glycemic Index Diet: Summary

The low GI diet approach is not only good for health and weight control, it is also consistent with the fact that food quality is a key factor in human biochemistry.