Glycemic index is a term used to measure how much a carbohydrate-containing food raises your blood glucose level. Foods that have a high glycemic index raise your blood sugar much more than foods with a low glycemic index. Originally used as a tool to help individuals suffering from diabetes control their blood sugar levels, glycemic index is now being used by the general population as a means for weight loss. By learning a few key points about glycemic index, it can be used as a resource for successful body fat loss.
Carbohydrate Digestion
When your body digests a food containing carbohydrates, these carbs are converted to the simplest form of sugar, called glucose. Once these sugars are broken down, they are absorbed into the bloodstream via the intestine. Insulin, a hormone secreted by your pancreas, increases in your blood when glucose reaches your bloodstream. Its job is to move extra glucose circulating in the blood into your body's cells to be stored for use as energy.
The Premises of a Low-Glycemic Index Diet
When blood glucose and insulin levels are high, the use of stored fat as an energy source is discouraged and, therefore, it will be difficult to lose body fat. When you eat lots of sweets, for instance, your blood sugar and insulin levels stay high, or they move up and down like a rollercoaster. In both of these instances, your body may become less responsive to insulin. This can lead to weight gain and obesity and can also increase your risk for other diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Eating foods with a low glycemic index helps your weight loss efforts by making the insulin reaction less severe, allowing for your body to burn more fat from its adipose tissue stores. Foods with a low glycemic index also tend to be more filling, keeping you satisfied much longer and reducing your caloric intake.
Considerations
Although glycemic index is a useful tool in determining how your body will react to a carbohydrate, there are a few items of consideration. In order to lose weight, you still need to monitor your portion sizes to create a calorie deficit. Adding healthy sources of protein and fat to your diet can help to lower the glycemic index of your meal as a whole. Fish, poultry, lean cuts of meat, legumes and nuts are good choices. Use common sense when choosing your carbohydrate-containing foods. Since fat lowers the glycemic index in otherwise high-calorie, sugary foods, like chocolate, many foods that have a lower glycemic index many not be best for your weight loss efforts.
Picking the Right Foods
By following a few guidelines, you can easily choose foods that have a low glycemic index without much effort. Fiber is one key compound in carbohydrate-containing foods that helps to lower the glycemic index. Therefore, stick with whole foods that have high fiber content as much as possible. Whole grains like brown rice, multi-grain bread, whole-wheat pasta, bran and oatmeal are excellent sources of fiber, without the added fat. Fruits and vegetables such as raspberries, pears, apples, artichokes, peas, broccoli, turnip greens, corn and Brussels sprouts are some of the most fiber-packed foods in the grocery store. Beans, nuts and seeds are also extremely high in fiber and can be an excellent addition to a healthy, fat-burning diet.
