Carbohydrates are macronutrients, along with protein and fat. They provide your body with the fuel it needs for physical activity and proper organ functioning and are an important part of a healthy diet, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. The glycemic index, or GI, is a chart that ranks food according to how quickly the carbohydrates they contain cause your blood sugar levels to rise. A glycemic diet involves eating predominately low GI carbs.
Benefits
A glycemic diet is commonly followed by people with diabetes. They use it to keep their blood sugar levels under control. People looking to lose weight sometimes resort to a low glycemic diet as well, because low GI carbs take longer to digest. This in turn keeps hunger under control and fewer calories are consumed.
Function
Certain diet plans are based on the low glycemic principle, but for the most part, there is no solid structure. The basic technique for eating the low GI way is simply a "this for that" approach -- i.e., swapping high-GI carbs for low-GI carbs, according to the Glycemic Index website.
Glycemic Index Foods
Foods that are low in fiber and high in sugar tend to be high on the glycemic index and are the main foods avoided on the glycemic diet. Cakes, cookies, crackers, white bread, bagels, candy bars, waffles and doughnuts are examples. The opposite is true for low glycemic carbs. Green beans, chickpeas, zucchini, eggplant, cucumbers, yams, carrots, cherries and apples are all low on the GI chart and welcomed on the diet. Bran cereal, whole grain bread and whole wheat spaghetti are also acceptable.
Glycemic Index Ranking
The glycemic index runs from 0 to 100. Foods rated from 0 to 54 are considered low, 55 to 70 are intermediate and anything over 70 is considered a high glycemic food. Many vegetables are quite low on the GI chart. Artichokes, broccoli, asparagus and cauliflower, for example, are all 15. On the other end of the spectrum, a baguette ranks at 95. In some cases, foods that you think would be low are actually high, and vice/versa. Dates for example, rank at 103, and a 30 g chocolate bar ranks at 49.
Potential Problems
As it stands, there is no known risk to following a low glycemic diet. However, if you choose lots of low GI foods that are high in calories, sugar and saturated fats, you could develop some of the same health problems the diet claims to prevent, according to mayoclinic.com.
Considerations
Even if you're eating all low glycemic carbs, be aware that calories are still calories. If you are trying to lose weight, reduce your daily caloric intake and eat low GI snacks between meals to keep your appetite under control. By reducing your daily intake by 500 calories, you can lose about 1 lb. a week according to the National Institutes of Health.
Warning
Before you choose to start making changes to your diet, be sure to talk to your doctor first.
