The food you eat may cause your blood sugar to rapidly increase, leading to complications and conditions like diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. The glycemic index rates foods, assigning them a number essentially based on how rapidly your body turns them into sugar. The theory is that by eating foods lower on the scale, your blood sugar can stay steady and balanced, which may help with weight loss. Discuss this and all diets with your doctor before beginning.
Diet Background
According to the Mayo Clinic, the glycemic index diet was developed to help people with diabetes control their blood sugar levels. Neither a low-carbohydrate nor a low-fat diet, the glycemic index classifies carbohydrates according to their ability to raise your blood sugar. The idea is to choose foods with low glycemic index values. The Mayo Clinic notes that this diet may help maintain blood sugar balance and lead to weight reduction and better health but advises checking with your physician before beginning.
Blood Sugar Information
You actually need sugar in your blood to feed your cells. The cells cannot operate without it; however, too much can be harmful. When you eat a carbohydrate, it is automatically transformed into sugar for your blood. The body also stores sugar in the liver in the form of glycogen, states the Mayo Clinic, which can be released by glucagon when the body needs it. Insulin, which is released by the pancreas, is responsible for removing the sugar from the blood and giving it to cells to be processed as energy. According to the Mayo Clinic, chronic elevations in blood sugar can cause "insulin resistance," where the insulin has been overused and its receptor sites may shut down.
Glycemic Index Scale
Foods high on the glycemic index include those that the body rapidly breaks down and absorbs, resulting in quick increases in blood sugar, states the website Glycemic Index from the University of Sydney's School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences. To determine a food's rating, research scientists and dietitians feed measured portions of food containing 10 to 50 g of carbohydrate to 10 healthy people after an overnight fast. They take blood samples over the next few hours, and use those samples to construct the index. Foods are divided into three groups, high, medium and low rankings. Foods in the high category, according to the website, are ranked at 70 and up. Medium level foods are 56 to 69, while low level foods are considered 55 and under.
Foods on the Scale
Some foods that are found in the higher level are instant rices, white breads and pastas; watermelon; and white, skinless baked potatoes, says the Mayo Clinic. Sweet corn, pineapple, bananas, raisins and certain types of ice cream are ranked in the medium range, while lentils, raw carrots and apples, peas and grapefruits have a low glycemic index.
Research
An article published in "Obesity Reviews" in July 2010 discussed the benefits of a low glycemic diet in regards to childhood obesity. The article states that low glycemic diets lower blood sugar and insulin secretion, promote greater fat break down and increase satiety. Low glycemic diets can also be beneficial in polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS. Researchers at the University of Sydney in Australia wanted to determine the effects of the low glycemic diets on women with diagnosed PCOS. Published in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in July of 2010, the researchers concluded that "more women who consumed the low-GI diet showed improved menstrual cyclicity." Although studies are promising, only follow this and all diets with the advice of your doctor.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Glycemic Index Diet
- Glycemic Index: About Glycemic Index
- "Obesity Reviews"; Role of Low-Glycemic Index Diet in Management of Childhood Obesity; AP Kong et al; July 2010
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Effect of a Low Glycemic Index Compared with a Conventional Healthy Diet on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; KA Marsha et al; July 2010
