A Healthy Diet Plan from SLP Slimming

What is the Glycemic Index?

The Glycemic Index was developed in 1981 to help people (especially diabetics and athletes) to maintain stable blood sugar levels.

The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of foods on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating.

Individual foods with a high glycemic index release glucose into the bloodstream quickly. This causes blood sugar levels to rise rapidly. Individual foods with a low glycemic index release glucose more steadily over several hours. This helps to keep blood sugar levels relatively calm.

Pure glucose has a ranking of 100 on the glycemic index and all other foods are ranked in relation to glucose.

GI Foods

Foods that rank as "high" on the index include ice cream, croissants, raisins and other dried fruit, bananas, carrots and watermelon. Foods that rank as " moderate" on the glycemic index (45-60) include most types of pasta, baked beans, green peas, sweet potatoes, orange juice, blueberries and rice. "Low" glycemic index foods (under 45) include beans, cruciferous vegetables and high-fiber, low-sugar cereals, low-fat unsweetened plain yogurt, grapefruit, apples and tomatoes.

It remains a very useful comparative indicator of how quickly foods are absorbed into the bloodstream.

The Glycemic Index and Weight Loss

Although the Glycemic Index has been used for years by diabetics, as well as endurance athletes, to most of us it was unknown until the arrival of two fad diet books "The Zone" (1995, Harper Collins), by Barry Sears, Ph.D, and "Sugar Busters!" (1998, Ballantine Books, Inc.) by H. Leighton Steward, Morrison C. Bethea, et al.

These high protein diet plans claim that by choosing foods with a low Glycemic Index (GI) it is possible to achieve rapid, sustained weight loss. This idea, as well as the diets themselves, remains highly controversial.

Drawbacks of the Glycemic Index Ratings

GI Ratings are for Individual Foods - not Combinations of Foods

As pointed out by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the differences in rates of digestion ranked by the Glycemic Index are not as great as they appear. The ADA says that differences in the GI ratings of many foods are less accurate when foods are eaten together at mealtimes. For example, jelly/jam is a food with a high GI rating. But when eaten with (say) wholemeal bread as part of a meal or snack - the combination of the jelly + bread is digested more slowly and should therefore merit a lower GI rating.

High-Fat Products May Score Low on the Glycemic Index.

Fat slows digestion. Therefore several foods like chocolate, sausages and peanuts, end up with a low GI score. Yet there is a clear statistical correlation between the consumption of fat, fast food and rates of obesity-related disease, like heart disease and strokes. So following a diet plan based exclusively on the Glycemic Index may actually increase your riskof a heart attack and stroke.

Conclusion: Glycemic Index, Nutrition and Weight Loss

As yet, there is insufficient data to determine the effectiveness of the Glycemic Index as a long-term nutritional or weight-management strategy. It is a very useful instant reference guide for the digestive rates of individual foods, but how helpful it is in designing a healthy weight loss diet remains to be seen. Until more diet data becomes available, here's the best way to lose weight and stay healthy:

Follow the universally accepted guidelines for healthy eating, as laid out in the Food Guide Pyramid. Follow a diet which is rich in wholegrains, fruits and vegetables, with smaller helpings of dairy foods and meat. Eat only very small amounts of fats or oils. For an average adult, about 60% of calories may come from carbohydrates, about 25% from fats and about 15% from protein. The ideal drink is water.