Low-glycemic index diet: What’s behind the claims?

A low-glycemic index (low-GI) diet is an eating plan based on how foods affect blood sugar levels (also known as blood sugar levels).

The glycemic index ranks foods from 0 to 100. Foods on the lower end of the scale have little effect on blood sugar levels. Foods on the high end of the scale had a big effect on blood sugar levels.

One low GI The diet uses the glycemic index as the main guide for meal planning. People can also use the glycemic index as one of many tools for choosing foods and meals.

Purpose

a purpose low GI Diet is choosing foods that are less likely to raise blood sugar levels.

why you might care low GI diet

You can choose to follow low GI diet because you:

• Want to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight
• Need help planning and eating healthier meals
• Need help preventing blood sugar levels from getting too high or too low as part of a diabetes treatment plan
• Want to reduce your risk of diabetes or heart or blood vessel disease

glycemic index

The glycemic index is designed to provide a guide to food choices for people with diabetes. An international database is run by the University of Sydney's Glycemic Index Research Service in Sydney, Australia. This database shows food research results from around the world.

Basic overview of carbohydrates and blood sugar to help understand low GI diet.

carbohydrate

Carbohydrates, also known as carbohydrates, are a type of nutrient in food. The three basic forms are sugar, starch and fiber. Your body breaks down the sugars and starches in carbohydrates. They end up being a sugar called glucose. This sugar enters the bloodstream and is the main source of energy for cells in the body. Fiber passes through your body undigested.

Two major hormones from the pancreas help control glucose in the blood. The hormone insulin moves glucose from the blood into cells. When blood sugar levels are low, the hormone glucagon helps release glucose stored in the liver. This process helps maintain energy and blood sugar balance in the body.

Many different factors about food can affect how quickly glucose enters the bloodstream.

understand gastrointestinal tract number

The glycemic index ranks the effect of foods on blood sugar levels.One low GI Diet recommendations low in foods gastrointestinal tract values. The categories are:

• low gastrointestinal tract: 1 to 55
• Moderate gastrointestinal tract: 56 to 69
• High gastrointestinal tract: 70 or more

To assign grades, also known as gastrointestinal tract For values, researchers typically compare the effect of eating food with the effect of eating sugar on blood sugar levels. Sometimes compared to eating white bread.For example, to test gastrointestinal tract The value of cantaloupe, 10 or more healthy people eat enough cantaloupe to digest 50 grams of total carbohydrates. That's about one medium-sized cantaloupe per person. Their blood sugar levels were tested several times over the next two hours. On another day, the same 10 people ate or drank 50 grams (12 teaspoons) of sugar. Likewise, their blood sugar levels were tested multiple times over a two-hour period.

The researchers compared the results of eating sugar and eating cantaloupe to rank the effects of eating cantaloupe.This gastrointestinal tract The value of a cantaloupe is 65 to 70.

limits gastrointestinal tract values

The glycemic index doesn't take into account how much food you may eat during a meal. For example, you probably won't eat an entire medium-sized cantaloupe in one sitting.

To solve this problem, the researchers came up with the concept of glycemic load (GL). This figure shows the effect on blood sugar levels when you eat common foods. For example, you might eat a third of a medium-sized cantaloupe in one meal.This General ledger That much cantaloupe is worth about 11 or less.

University of Sydney table gastrointestinal tract Values ​​also include General ledger values.This General ledger Values ​​are divided into:

• low General ledger: 1 to 10
• Moderate General ledger: 11 to 19
• High General ledger: 20 or more

other problems

One gastrointestinal tract value does not tell you other nutritional information.For example, cantaloupe has a medium to high gastrointestinal tract Fractional and Moderate General ledger Fraction. But it's a good source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and other important nutrients.low in whole milk gastrointestinal tract value and low General ledger value. But it's high in fat and calories. So it may not be a good option for weight loss or weight management.

Published gastrointestinal tract The database is not a complete food list. Instead, it's a list of foods that have been researched.many foods with low nutritional value gastrointestinal tract The value may not be in the database. The list also includes highly processed foods, which may not be as nutritious as unprocessed foods.There are also some foods that are low in gastrointestinal tract Value may not be a good source of nutrition.

This gastrointestinal tract The value of any food product depends on many factors. How food is prepared and processed matters.Additionally, there can be a range gastrointestinal tract Same food value. Therefore, these values ​​may not be reliable for all food choices.

diet details

if you follow a low GI Diet, your carbohydrate foods are mostly limited to low-value options. You usually avoid high-value foods.Examples of low, medium and high foods gastrointestinal tract Value is:

• low gastrointestinal tract: Green vegetables, most fruits, raw carrots, kidney beans, chickpeas, and lentils.
• Moderate gastrointestinal tract: Sweet corn, bananas, raw pineapple, raisins, cherries, oatmeal breakfast cereals and multigrain, whole wheat or rye bread
• High gastrointestinal tract: White rice, white bread and potatoes

commercial low GI A diet may refer to foods as slow carbs or fast carbs.This is because the food content is low gastrointestinal tract Value is digested and absorbed over a longer period of time. High-value foods are absorbed in a shorter period of time.

result

Research low GI Diet showed mixed results.In general, they showed low GI Diet may help:

• lose weight
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower total cholesterol levels
• Improve diabetes management
• Reduce the risk of diabetes and heart and vascular disease

The researchers noted that the dietary benefits may be related to the nutrient-dense and high-fiber foods in the study.The overall nutritional quality of the food may be gastrointestinal tract The value of each food.

bottom line

following a low GI Diet can help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. It can help you manage your diabetes plan. It may reduce your risk of diabetes and heart and blood vessel disease.

The glycemic index can also be a tool, rather than a primary tool, that can help you make healthier food choices. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend focusing on healthy eating patterns and nutrient-dense foods.

A healthy eating pattern means making consistent healthy choices over time. Foods that fit this pattern vary. They include a variety of fruits and vegetables that provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Healthy eating patterns also include whole grains rich in fiber and other nutrients. Beans, beans, fish, low-fat dairy, and lean meats are also good choices.