Glycemic Index Diet
Dieting usually means eating less. Any change in eating habits that still allows consumption is more popular and very likely to succeed. Low carbohydrate diet and the low-fat diet had been advocated since long, but as an alternative low-glycemic index (GI) diet has been researched. This low GI diet allows unrestricted intake of carbohydrates. This concept of Glycemic Index which is also called as glycaemic index (GI Index) was developed by Dr. David J. Jenkins and colleagues in 1981 at the University of Toronto. Glycemic index is a system of ranking carbohydrates based on their effect on blood sugar levels in the first two hours of consumption. This system compares gram for gram of carbohydrates in the foods and thus provides numerical index of glycemia after taking foods. Low GI carbohydrates produce small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels. And this is the secret to long-term health, reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes. The carbohydrates that breakup quickly after consumption have high glycemic index. Consequently those carbohydrates that break up slowly and release glucose slowly into the blood have low glycemic index.
Thus lower GI Index points that slow rate of digestion results in slow absorption of glucose into the blood stream. Moreover, lower glycemic response is thought to result in lower insulin demand, which is consequently better for blood glucose control. Exceptionally some low GI diet foods with very little.
Eating high GI foods can be detrimental to ones health because it pushes the body to extremes. This is especially true if one is overweight. Switching to eating mainly low GI carbohydrates that slowly trickle glucose into the blood stream keeps the energy levels balanced. As already stated, a low GI food will release glucose more slowly and steadily. A high GI food causes a more rapid rise in blood glucose levels and is suitable for early recovery after endurance exercise. It is also suitable for a person with diabetes experiencing hypoglycemia. Many factors contribute to the glycemic effect of foods i.e. type of starch, fat content of the food and acidity of the food.
Adding vinegar lowers GI of the foods. GI is also lowered by inhibited absorption of carbohydrates which is caused by fat and dietary fibre. Unrefined breads have higher amounts of fibre and thus have lower glycemic index.
White bread has higher GI, however adding water or oil will lower the glycemic index of white bread too. But be warned that many brown breads are processed with enzymes to soften up and thus GI is raised. Many vegetables with the exception of potatoes and fruits have less carbohydrates per serving i.e. have low glycemic index. Moreover, majority of alcoholic drinks have lower value of GI.
Recent research on low and high gycemic index have shown that persons who followed low GI diet were at lower risk of contracting diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Evidence shows that Peru and some Asia region countries who eat high glycemic index foods like rice and potatoes but still have low rate of diabetes and less of obesity. Habbit of consuption of vegetables and fresh fruits has the effect of lower value of glycemic index and mixing of low and high GI carbohydrates results in moderate glycemic index values. Athletes are constantly under obervation by their doctors and trainers about glycemic index diets during training and also during competition itself. Fewhours before competition athletes are given low glycemic index foods to enable the release of energey slowly. But during the competition, athletes are given a combination of low and high GI foods and thus constant energy levels are maintained.
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