Dieting with the Glycemic Index

The field of nutrition is awash with charts, tables, diagrams, models, acronyms, and abbreviations; more than the typical person can memorize. As such, one often comes across somebody who has simply burnt out attempting to keep track of how much to eat, when to eat it, how to find the calories from fat, the RDI, the DV, and so on. There is an overkill of useful data throughout the nutrition field, and it could possibly ironically provoke one to grow weary and exhausted, tune out, and go grab a fast food burger.

Yet every now and again, an idea within the nutrition discipline emerges that really calls for attention. Over a decade ago, the USDA’s “Food Pyramid” was one such concept because it helped eaters discover what number of gaps existed in their typical every day diet. Now, as the Food Pyramid begins to take a new shape, and as the nutrition discipline works to establishes itself as an important branch of health care in the 21st century, an invention called the Glycemic Index is taking center stage.

The Glycemic Index (GI) isn’t new; it has been around for more than 2 decades. The GI is often only reserved for discussions regarding diabetes.

The Glycemic Index signifies how “high” or “low” blood sugar levels change in response to carbohydrate intake. A “low” Glycemic index indicates that the carbohydrates are undergoing a gradual and slow breakdown whereas the “high” Glycemic Index indicates that the carbohydrates are undergoing a quick and rapid break down. Diabetics have to know which foods have a high Glycemic Index and low so that they can balance them equally within their diet.

The Glycemic Index can be applied to not only diabetics but current dieters.

If you’re trying to lose weight you not only have to worry about exercise and diet plans but also the amount of energy you have in your diet. The drawback is one of energy. Many dieters set out to lose weight. Many dieters find out that their diet program is also causing them to lose energy.

Many diets push aside the complaints that their customers get when they say that they feel exhausted on a regular basis or they find it onerous to remain awake. This is often expressed as a complaint, as in “I’m feeling weak”, or even “I can’t stay awake”. They are saying that it’s just a weak attitude rather than an actual lack of energy.

The plain truth is that many dieters have been oblivious to the Glycemic Index, and hence, to the fact that many of the diet foods they have eaten – or are eating right now – score very high Glycemic Index levels. As such, these foods are providing a quick boost to blood sugar levels, and then setting up the dieter for the inevitable fall. GI high foods can trigger the hormone insulin to clean the sugar from the blood stream. Since blood sugar (a.k.a. glucose) largely dictates the body’s energy levels, it stands to reason that this process manifests as an preliminary boost in energy, and then as a depletion of energy. This quick rise and fall or roller coaster effect may cause individuals to at first feel good and prepared for the day to feeling as if they are about to faint and ready to go to bed.

Regrettably for many dieters, that stimulant is often more high Glycemic Index foods, such as sugary snacks or soft drinks. is to see how this experience can lead an individual to stop dieting. The dieter would rather experience weight gain rather than exhaustion. On the diet, the person is gaining weight and is exhausted for most of the day. Either way, they’re actually doing themselves good by quitting the diet.

The above scenario only takes place, however, when a dieter unwittingly eats high Glycemic Index foods. Research has shown that low Glycemic Index foods, which raise blood sugar levels much more gradually than high Glycemic Index foods, are very helpful for dieters [ii]. This is extraordinarily helpful for those on a diet because they will be less likely to be tempted by sugary foods because their blood sugar levels are more stable. Low Glycemic Index foods are rather more efficient sources of energy than high Glycemic Index foods, because the body needs less insulin to transform food into energy [iii].

Despite the rising awareness that low Glycemic Index foods are useful, the world of diet foods has not kept pace. Most companies are looking for low Glycemic Index carbohydrates but are overlooking the fact that no carbohydrates are better than low GI carbohydrates.

These zero-carbohydrate/zero sugar nutritional supplements – that are quite rare in the market – don’t deliver any sugar to the bloodstream. What results is that the “roller coaster” effect isn’t experienced again and the diet might become more successful.

Dieters who choose “zero sugar” nutritional supplements have something else to look forward to. Low GI nutritional supplements have a lot of complete protein which can help reduce or eliminate the effects of the high Glycemic Index foods.

Dieters who eat high Glycemic Index candy bars can manage their roller coaster effects by also including low Glycemic Index foods into their diet that also includes lots of protein. The protein will mix with the high Glycemic Index products and lower the overall Glycemic Index that the body will experience. This is welcome news to dieters who would otherwise be seeing those additional carbohydrates transformed by insulin into triglycerides, and stored in adipose tissue; also called body fat.

Very few nutritional supplements can claim to really be zero carbohydrate. And of these zero-carbohydrate products, even fewer supply a rich source of complete protein that effectively helps counter the blood sugar spike impact of high Glycemic Index foods.

It is inspiring to note that Glycemic Index is getting some well-deserved attention from outside the diabetic community, where it has helped millions of individuals eat wisely. All kinds of dieters can benefit from data regarding the Glycemic Index.

REFERENCES

[i] Source: “The G.I. Diet: A Food Drill”. CBS News. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/03/04/earlyshow/living/main604138.shtml

[ii] Source: “The Glycemic Index”. The Healthy Weight Forum. http://www.healthyweightforum.org/eng/articles/glycemic-index/

[iii] Source “Glycemic Index”. WebMD. http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/uq2846.asp

Protica Research (Protica, Inc.) specializes in the development of Capsulized Foods. Protica manufactures Profect, IsoMetric, Pediagro, Fruitasia and over 100 other brands, including Medicare-approved, whey protein supplements for bariatric surgery patients. You can learn more at Protica Research – Copyright

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