Some diets focus on calories, while others focus on fat. The one thing in common between low glycemic and low-carb diets is that they both put the emphasis on carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are found in grains, starchy vegetables, fruits, milk, yogurt, sugary drinks, sweets and desserts and they contribute to more than half of the calories in the standard American diet.
Glycemic Index
The glycemic index, or GI, is a concept proposed back in the 1980s, originally to help people with diabetes better manage their blood sugar levels by categorizing carbohydrate-containing foods according to the speed at which they make blood sugar levels rise after eating them. High GI foods with a GI value above 70 such as potatoes, instant white rice and most breakfast cereals, make your blood sugar levels rise quickly, which can be deleterious for your health. On the other hand, low GI foods, with a GI value below 55, help you keep your blood sugar levels more stable after eating. Foods with a GI value between 56 and 69 are categorized as medium GI foods and have a moderate influence over blood sugar levels.
Low Glycemic Diets
A low glycemic diet is based on low GI foods with the objective of evening blood sugar levels out throughout the day. Low glycemic diets are associated with a lower body weight, better athletic performance and a reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease or Type 2 diabetes. A low GI diet will be based on whole grain pasta, Basmati rice, sourdough bread, stone-ground whole grain bread, oat-based breakfast cereals, legumes, barley, quinoa, non-starchy vegetables and temperate climate fruit. The use of vinaigrette is also encouraged, because of the ability of the acidity of vinegar to further reduce your dietary GI. Potatoes, white rice, refined grains such as granola bars and breakfast cereals, soft drinks, juices, candies and desserts are avoided.
Low Carb Diet
A low carb diet focuses on reducing the total amount of carbohydrate consumed, most often between 50 and 150 g a day, while some diet plans restrict the daily carbohydrate intake to less than 20 g. A low carb diet limits the amount of all carbohydrate-containing foods, especially grains, starchy vegetables, fruits, milk, yogurt and sweets. The premises behind low carb diets is that limiting the amount of carbohydrate consumed will reduce the amount of circulating insulin, which is thought to be a fat-storing hormone. Therefore, the hypothesis is that eating less carbohydrates will help dieters stop storing fat and start burning their own body fat stores.
Low Glycemic Vs. Low Carb Diet
While both low glycemic diets and low carb diets may be useful for losing weight, low glycemic diets focus more on carbohydrate quality and low carb diets focus more on carbohydrate quantity. It may be a good idea to combine both concepts to combine the benefits of both diets. For example, you reduce your carbohydrate intake by eliminating high GI carbohydrates and keeping only a small amount of low GI carbohydrate-rich foods.
