The Glycemic Index and the Health Benefits of a Low Glycemic Diet

Carbohydrates or foods that contain sugars have been a debated subject by dieticians and dieting people. So carbohydrates have been pinned against the wall by hyperprotein dieters and sustained by those who have a daily balanced diet.

An interesting criteria for sorting foods is the glycemic index.

The glycemic index is an indicator of how fast sugars are reabsorbed or absorbed, which is an indicator of the blood sugar between meals. The glycemic index refers to the raise in blood sugar concentration in 3 hours after ingesting a food which contains 50 g of absorbable sugar.

This index is very little influenced by the protein and fat content. Simple sugar such as mono and disaccharides have a high glycemic index, because they’re absorbed very fast and greatly raise blood sugar concentration, triggering massive insulin secretion. Some examples of glycemic indexes: cornflakes with sugar 119, white bread 100, whole bread 80, apples 52, beans and dry peas 40.

The Kings College nutritionists discovered that foods with a low glycemic index accompany high quantities of HDL cholesterol which offer protection against heart attacks. Studies in the last 10 years have shown that besides having a bad effect on arteries sugar and white flour favor the appearance of cancer. A massive increase in glycemic levels after eating sweets and refined cereal, cause not only an increase in insulin secretion, but also an increase in growth factor I, an important mutagenic stimulant of tumor growth. As you can see a low glycemic diet has many health benefits.

London scientists say that people who want to protect their arteries and heart, have to avoid sugars with a high glycemic index, such as sugar, honey, white bread, pasta and husked rice, and should consume only products with a low glycemic index such as whole cereal, vegetables and gardening. On the healthy food list we also add barley, rich in soluble fibers and which increase insulin sensibility.

So you need to eat foods with a moderate and low glycemic index such as: fresh and frozen fruits, legumes, whole cereal, nuts and simple seeds. And this way you can eat a lot of foods with a low glycemic content, simultaneously getting healthier and the silhouette you want.

You should also check out Lose Weight Using the Glycemic Index Diet.