Glycemic
Food List
Some of the most popular
diets in recent years are based on the glycemic food list or
glycemic index.(Glycaemic Index in the UK)
Carbohydrates are given
a GI rating between 0 and 100, with 100 being the GI for sugar
and therefore at the highest end of the scale. The higher the
GI, the more quickly the food is converted into sugar in the
blood stream - and the more quickly that level of sugar drops,
giving rise to hunger and in some cases an addiction to sugary
foods.
Keeping our blood sugar
levels fairly even throughout the day means we'll stay full
for longer, which is clearly good news for dieters!
Diet and nutrition are
an important part of any weight loss program and if you eat
correctly and follow a sensible exercise routine, you should
soon start to burn the fat.
However, it's important
to remember that healthy weight loss involves burning about
one to two pounds of fat per week. So, can a low GI food intake
be considered a healthy weight loss diet? As with any weight
loss program, it's important to eat a balanced diet to ensure
that you are getting all the vitamins and minerals your body
needs.
Selecting foods which are
low GI and eating sensible portions will enable you to control
cravings and lose weight, but it's also important to go for
low fat foods. Low GI foods include pasta, porridge, stoneground
wholemeal bread, milk and even milk chocolate. So eating large
quantities of these will certainly not enable you to lose weight!
One of the ways in which
you can use the glycemic food list to your advantage, is to
increase the portions of vegetables that you eat each day. Including
low fat proteins in your meals will also help you to keep hunger
at bay.
Let's have a look at where
some carbohydrates fall on the glycemic index.
Right at the bottom of
the glycemic index come many of the fruit and vegetables, which
in fact, most people don't realise contain carbohydrates. Many
of these are low in calories, which means that they can be safely
eaten in large quantities.
Examples of green leafy
vegetables with a GI of less than 15 are cabbage, celery, spinach,
watercress, brussel sprouts, asparagus, mange tout and sugarsnap
peas. Some root vegetables and tubers are also in this GI range
and include ginger, parsnip, radish, swede and turnip.
Many fruits are also low
GI but since they don't contain as many nutrients as veggies,
shouldn't replace them. So the advice to have 5 portions of
vegetables per day and a couple of pieces of fruit is sound.
Fruits to eat on your low GI diet include apples, apricots,
mangos, oranges, grapes, kiwis, strawberries and raspberries.
Cornflakes are high
on the list at a GI of 92 in the US, and so oatmeal (porridge)
would be a better choice for breakfast with a GI of 49. Bear
in mind that prepared foods, despite having the same name and
perhaps even brand, will vary from country to country depending
on ingredients.
French fries are
pretty high GI at 75, but baked spuds are even higher at 85.
However, don't forget that French fries have a high fat content.
Sweet potatoes and yams are lower on the scale with GIs of 44
and 37 respectively.
Bread varies considerably
depending on type/size of slice with pumpernickel being low
at 41, but French stick high at 95. Wholemeal rye is a good
choice at 58, but wholemeal wheat is around 76.
Sugar, glucose, sucrose
and honey are high and to be avoided. Remember that cakes and
snacks and pastries have high levels of sugar and often fat
as well.
Becoming familiar
with the glycemic food list should help you with weight loss,
but you do need to take into account fat content and be sure
to eat a balanced diet.
Articles
on this website are for information only and should
not replace medical advice.
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