The glycemic index isn't exactly a weight-loss tool, although it can be a guide to help you make healthier food choices. You can use the glycemic index to choose high-fiber, nutrient-dense carbohydrates that will help you feel satisfied with less food. Consuming fewer overall calories can lead to weight loss. No matter what type of foods you eat, you need to burn more calories than you consume to lose weight.
Blood Sugar, Insulin and Weight Gain
When you eat foods that cause a sudden rise in glucose, your pancreas releases too much insulin into your bloodstream. Insulin is a hormone that helps transport glucose into your cells for use as energy. After glucose has been moved into your cells, excess insulin signals your body for more glucose -- triggering hunger, often accompanied by a craving for sweets that your body can quickly convert into more glucose. This pattern of high and low blood sugar can lead to overeating, and glucose not used the right away for energy is stored as fat. Weight gain, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are often caused by this roller coaster of glucose and insulin production.
The Gycemic Index, Glucose and Insulin
The glycemic index ranks carbohydrates by their potential effect on glucose. Foods score between 1 and 100 -- the higher the score, the greater the effect on your glucose levels. Foods that score below 55 are "low-GI" foods and can help stabilize glucose and insulin production, stopping the negative cycle of hypoglycemia and overeating. When you choose low-GI foods, your body can't convert them to glucose as quickly; your blood sugar rises slowly, and your pancreas doesn't flood your bloodstream with insulin. Low-GI foods tend to be high in fiber and provide essential vitamins and minerals, while high-GI foods tend to offer little nutrition for their calories.
The Glycemic Index and Weight Loss
The glycemic index can regulate blood sugar and help you feel full faster and stay satisfied longer, which will help with weight loss. But the GI is only a guideline for choosing healthier foods. If you want to lose weight, you must consume fewer calories than you need, forcing your body to convert stored fat into energy. The number of calories you need depends on your goal weight and activity level. A rule of thumb is to eat 12 and 15 calories for every pound of your ideal weight. If you want to weigh 140, allow yourself 1,600 to 2,100 calories. The more active you are, the more calories you'll need.
Dieting and the Glycemic Index
Popular diets such as the South Beach, Zone and Nutrisystem plans are all based on the glycemic index. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that 45 to 65 percent of your calories should come from carbs, 20 to 35 percent should come from fat, and 10 to 35 percent should come from protein. Increasing your intake of vegetables, legumes, fruits and whole grains while reducing added sugars, starchy vegetables, processed foods and sodium will help you achieve your weight-loss goals.
