What is the Glycemic Index?
Using a scale of 1 to 100, Glycemic Index- GI is a numerical index of how your blood sugar is affected within two to three hours of eating foods that are high in carbohydrates and how they turn into blood glucose. The glycemic index is about the quality of the carbohydrates, not the quantity.
Eating foods that help stabilize your blood sugar and insulin levels is the key to your long term health, and lower GI foods do just that.
Foods that are digested and absorbed faster will have a higher glycemic index of 70 and above. 55 and under is low GI, 56 to 69 is medium GI on a scale of 1 to 100.
Glucose is the reference food with a GI value of 100 and this will be the maximum value any food can have.
History:
David Jenkins, a professor of nutrition at the University of Toronto invented the Glycemic Index in 1981. It was originally created to help people with diabetes, then it led to the one of the most popular non-fad diets of today, Glycemic Index Diet.
After giving his subjects most common carbohydrate rich foods, he recorded their blood sugar levels after a specific period of time.
His findings were surprising. For example, in equal quantities, white bread caused a higher spike in blood glucose levels of the subjects than ice cream!
Other nutrition and diet experts went on to test hundreds of foods in labs over the years, and these were compiled into today's Glycemic Index Chart.
Nowadays, GI is an important part of medical nutrition in Australia and Canada. People in some areas of Europe and the United States are also slowly becoming aware of GI's roles in weight loss, athletic performance, treatment of diabetes, heart disease and PCOS.
PCOS Diet
How is Glycemic Index Measured?
The average GI value is calculated from data collected from 10 or more volunteers. Both the standard and test food must contain an equal amount of available carbohydrate- 50 grams. The smaller the percentage of carbs in the food, the larger the portion needs to be in order to provide the standard 50 gram amount of digestible carbs.
A sample of blood is then taken from each subject every 15 minutes during the first hour and thereafter every 30 minutes. These blood samples are laboratory-tested for glucose content and the results recorded.
The GI of a food is defined as (the area under the two hour blood glucose response curve- AUC) following the ingestion of this fixed portion of carbohydrate. The AUC of the test food is divided by the AUC of the standard- either glucose or white bread, giving two different definitions- and multiplied by 100. The result gives a relative ranking for each tested food.
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How to Switch to a Low GI Diet?
• Eat small, regular meals of a variety of foods from different nutrient groups: When a high-GI food is eaten with a low-GI or high-protein food, the effect of the high-GI food on blood sugar levels is reduced.
• Eat lean meats- protein and oily fish or seafood- Omega 3 fatty acids regularly every week. Cut away any visible fat on meats and choose barbecuing or grilling as cooking methods over frying. Do not use creamy high saturated fat sauces on your meat.
• Drink more water, skimmed milk- calcium and fruit juices- vitamins and minerals rather than sweet drinks that are loaded with sugar.
• Eat more nuts and seeds, more legumes, more wholegrain breads and cereals that are also low in sugar.
• You can't go wrong with fruits and vegetables, have at least five servings every day.
GI for Performance:
Use of Glycemic Index in exercise nutrition may have some value when considering pre- and post- training meals. These are eaten according to whether they are rated as low, medium or high.
Carbohydrates in the form of sugars are the body's prime energy source. They are a ready source of energy that can fuel about 90 mins of continuous exercise, which represents an energy reserve of about 2000kcal within the body. Carbs are required by the body because it is the most effective means of producing energy. The GI therefore is a useful guide.
It is suggested low to moderate ranked foods- pasta, porridge be consumed several hours prior to exercise due to their long slow release of glucose into the blood stream. While high glycemic index foods- corn flakes, honey, sports drinks, sweets should be consumed during or post exercise because they quickly release glucose into the blood stream which will be rapidly taken up into the muscles.
Glycemic Index SiteSearch
Glycemic Index SiteSearch
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Glycemic Index Blog
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Why the GI Diet?
A GI diet will not let you feel hungry or deprived. Foods that are lower in GI in a 'GI Diet' are more filling so you will need to eat less than you would,giving you a constant supply of energy.
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Glycemic Load
Glycemic Load is a ranking system for carbs taking Glycemic Index and serving size into consideration. It is a new way to measure the impact of blood glucose,providing us with a more complete picture.
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Health Benefits of Low GI Diet
Health Benefits of Low GI Diet: It helps with weight loss and lowers risk of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and PCOS and prolong physical endurance in atheletes.
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High Glycemic Index
Glucose from high glycemic index foods with a GI of 70+ that rushes into your blood can't be good for you and a lot of it will go into the fat cells if you don't burn it off straight after...
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Glycemic Index Chart
Glycemic index chart rates foods on a scale of 1-100, 55 and less is low GI (10 and less:low GL), '56-69' is medium GI (11 to 19 is medium GL), 70 and above high GI (20 and above high GL)
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Low Glycemic Foods
With a diet full of low glycemic foods and nutritious foods, you will be less likely to put on weight and be healthier, based on scientific principles..Most popular and common foods with low GI...
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Glycemic Index Diet
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Glycemic Weight Loss Plan
Glycemic Weight Loss has been around for about 35 years and it has become more popular recently. There is no doubt it is a valuable information for good nutrition, healthy eating and weight loss.
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Eating Healthy on a Budget
Eating healthy on a budget does not mean you need to spend lots of money on food, as the more expensive items at the shops do not always give you the best nutrients for a healthy diet.
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Glycemic Index Cooking
Glycemic Index Cooking:Low GI will prompt a moderate rise in blood glucose, while a high GI one may cause it to increase suddenly..A useful tool for cooking healthy, low GI meals.
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Low GI or Low Carb
Low GI or Low Carb..These two diets have something in common, they both attempt to regulate the rise in blood sugar after eating,which can help in keeping you full longer.And the similarity ends here.
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Vegetarian GI Diet
Vegetarian GI Diet: Vegetarians are already eating many of the best low glycemic index- GI value foods. GI applies to foods that are rich in carbohydrates.
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No Carb Diet
Low or no carb diet is popular among people who want to lose weight fast and bodybuilders. It limits all foods that have carbs in them, it is ketogenic- uses fat as the main source of energy.
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Low Fat Diet
We all heard of a healthy low fat diet, but somehow the person on the street is not aware of what needs to be done to eat low fat. Reducing the fat in meals is easier than you think.
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Mediterranean Diet
Mediterranean diet is a dietary pattern, or several complementary dietary patterns that have existed in Mediterranean countries for centuries. The health benefits of the diet..
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High Fibre Diet
Foods in high fibre diet make you feel full and satisfied longer.They stay in the stomach longer as they are harder to digest. High fibre foods are lower in energy, making them ideal to lose weight.
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Mental Health Diet
Mental health diet..The diet for a healthy mind is the same as the diet for a healthy body. Changes to eating habits over the last 50 years and the increase in depression and mental illnesses..
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High Protein Diet Plan
High Protein Diet Plan that an athlete or a bodybuilder is on is different to the High Protein Diets such as the Atkins Diet for weight loss, which also includes large amounts of fat.
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Low Potassium Diet
Low potassium diet is necessary when the potassium levels in your blood are too high and the kidneys are not functioning as they should, to eliminate excess potassium in urine.
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Anti Aging Foods
You are what you eat and looking young is more within your control than you think with anti aging foods: live a healthier, longer life, looking at least a few years younger than your age.
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Athlete Nutrition
Proper athlete nutrition is important not just on the day of competition,but on a daily basis. All the energy you need for exercise comes from the food you eat and the fluids you drink.
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Healthy Eating For Children
A balanced diet- 'healthy eating for children' plan will give them energy and all the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development.
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Childhood Obesity
The rate of childhood obesity among children of 6-11 years has tripled and among 2-5 years has doubled... Roughly 1 out of 5 children in the U.S. is obese.
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Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates are not processed, nutritious,are an important part of a healthy diet.They are made up of many glucose molecules.. found in vegetables, fruits,seeds,nuts and grains.
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Omega 3 Fatty Acid
Awareness of Omega 3 fatty acid benefits improved dramatically over the last few years with plenty of research aiming to prove its various health benefits,although it's been around since 1930s.
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Why is Nutrition Important?
Why is nutrition important? It is not only a matter of eating ... it is 'eating very well' to prevent chronic diseases, to have the long lasting energy, to get your brain working better..
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Eating Healthy to Lose Weight
Eating healthy to lose weight.. Your body likes slow changes in terms of food and exercise and small changes can indeed make big differences.
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