There has been a lot of talk lately about the low glycemic diet. And you also hear about it regularly in commercials.
Many people are interested in any kind of diet that will make their weight loss more successful. However, they may not know much about the low glycemic diet.
The basis of the low glycemic diet is that there are good carbohydrates (good carbs) and bad carbs. The bad carbs are the ones that cause your blood sugar to rise dramatically in a very short time. They break down quickly during digestions and have the highest glycemic indexes.
Your body responds strongly to the rapid increase in blood sugar in the first couple hours following a high-glycemic load meal. This causes a significant increase in the amount of insulin released from your pancreas. Then over the next few hours the high insulin levels may cause a sharp decrease in blood glucose levels (hypoglycemia). The purpose of this response seems to be to keep your body’s systems safe.
That’s a whale of a roller-coaster ride you’re putting your body through in 3 or 4 short hours!
The first problem with eating foods that are not on a low glycemic diet is the way the insulin drops the blood sugar. It works quickly to convert as much sugar as possible into fat. Insulin takes the sugar out of the blood stream, but it causes you to have extra stored fat whenever it happens.
The second problem is when your blood sugar starts dropping; it doesn’t stop until it bottoms out. You get tired when this happens. Then you get so hungry you feel you can’t wait to eat. If you eat a high-glycemic load meal you’ll probably eat again sooner than if you kept to a low glycemic diet.
A low glycemic diet is much better for you for a number of reasons. Your body’s response will be slow and measured. You’ll feel energy from the food you eat because your blood sugar and insulin are not sending your body through rapid highs and lows.
In addition, low glycemic foods cause your body to have increased sensitivity to insulin. This is very significant and also a very good thing. A diet of high glycemic index foods causes high blood glucose levels and excessive insulin secretion. These are believed to contribute to the loss of the insulin-secreting function. And this leads to irreversible diabetes.
Therefore increased sensitivity to insulin aided by a low glycemic diet can reduce your risk for diabetes.
Not only that but impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance are known risk factors for cardiovascular disease. And if that isn’t enough reason to stick to foods with a low glycemic index and load, how about this?
Fifteen out of 16 published studies found eating low glycemic index foods delayed the return of hunger. It decreased the subsequent amount of food eaten and also kept people feeling full longer as compared to high glycemic index foods. Bottom line? Low glycemic diets result in significantly more weight and fat loss!
Finally, this healthy diet helps to increase your physical endurance. The good carbs will help replenish your energy after your workout.
The low glycemic diet is simple.
It’s easy to get started by eating oats, barley, or bran for breakfast. You can also eat whole grain or sour dough breads, or breads made from stone ground flour. Most fruits and vegetables are good but a few creep into the high category. So double check their glycemic index before you gobble them down. Here are a few quick guidelines:
o Eat more whole grains, nuts, legumes, fruits and nonstarchy vegetables
o Eat fewer high glycemic starchy foods like potatoes, white rice and white bread
o Eat fewer sugary foods like cookies, cakes, candy and soft-drinks
A low glycemic diet is not simply the latest fad. It’s backed by extensive research and it’s a healthy alternative to diets that rob the body of essential nutrients. It’s a diet that gives your body what it needs, when it needs it and reduces your risk for some very serious diseases. You may find that a low glycemic diet is just what the doctor ordered.
Learn more about a healthy weight loss diet plan along with information on the best weight loss programs by visiting http://www.WeightLossAnswersOnline.com a web site with tons of weight loss and exercise tips along with meal plans and recipes.
