Low glycemic diet

When it comes to healthy eating guidelines, there is quite a variety in them. But one thing that all of these varieties have in common is the key nutritional message of eating low-GI. The Glycemic Index (GI) suggests consuming carbohydrates with a more complex molecular structure, such as starch, rather than consuming the simple ones such as sugar.

This index was formulated about two decades ago during the time when researchers were looking into the dietary recommendations for diabetes induced patients. They came up with the conclusion that carbohydrates like sugar and starch does not resolve the blood-glucose levels in our body. This index is basically an estimation measuring the aftermath of food consumption on our bodies’ blood-glucose levels. It is conventionally measured on a scale of 1 to 100.

After meals, high levels of glucose are induced in our bodies. These are known as glucose spikes which holds the risk of damaging our blood vessels as well as our arteries and they stimulate an excess of insulin as well.



The idea of consuming these low-GI foods suggests avoiding those glucose spikes in our meals which will aid in reducing the risk of heart as well as several other chronic diseases which are the implications of the fluctuations in the blood-glucose levels of our bodies. Its main motive is to reduce the blood-glucose levels significantly in order to enable our bodies to generate a constant cascade of energy in order to stay healthy.

The consumption of high GI foods is discouraged when it comes to weight control for an individual for two reasons. The first reason states that after having a meal containing a high-GI level, the glucose spikes trigger hunger in an individual’s body because he/she is experiencing a highly significant reduction in the glucose level of his/her body after meals for approximately 90 minutes to two hours. As a result, low-GI foods are suggested due to the fact that they help the individual in feeling fuller for a significantly long time period, which in turn helps them to stop looking for snacks on hourly intervals. Secondly, as stated earlier, that the consumption of high-GI foods induces quite a lot of insulin in our body. The consumption of a high-GI diet stimulates a lot of insulin in our body, which actually makes the storage of fat easier and also makes it difficult to burn efficiently.

Experts in this case recommend that a low-GI food should be included in meals, two times a day. This recommendation doesn’t forbid anyone from avoiding high-GI food completely, rather, putting a low-GI item on most meals. Foods such as fruits and vegetables, with the exception of potatoes are recommended to be consumed regularly for their health benefits without thinking about their GI values and only considering their low, medium and high ranges of crucial carbohydrate content in them. Breads, cereals during breakfast, pasta, rice and selecting a couple of food with low-GI content will be adequate for an individual to enjoy the health benefits produced by the meal.

Low-GI foods are essential for diabetics. This is because, unlike the high-GI foods, the low-GI foods disintegrate in the intestines at a slower rate. This enables the release of sugar to be slow, preventing a rush which forces the blood sugar levels to rise, which results in the readings of the blood sugar levels in our bodies to be balanced and uniform. Basically, low-GI means a low level of carbohydrates in certain food. Basmati rice is one of the best examples of this particular index and is actually considered as an exception.

A low glycemic index diet might not be highly significant when it comes to weight loss, even though it does contribute to it eventually, the most important thing that makes people on this particular diet content is that their blood sugar levels and blood pressure are stable and even making their meals more enjoyable and at the same time, healthy.