Everyone Should Know About The Glycemic Index!

• by Admin
• December 5th, 2009
• Leave a comment

It all became clear to me; like something inside of me clicked. How to loose weight, primarily body fat by using something called the glycemic index (GI).

Chris, a friend of mine, who was in excellent shape wanted to have lunch. We met at a Japanese restaurant for sushi and his reason for calling this meeting was to talk with me about nutrition and how food works within us to help or hinder us in reaching our goals. The year was 1997 at a time when I was at my early weight lifting stages competing in Miss Hawaiian Tropic contests.

“Do you know about the Glycemic Index?” Chris asked me. “No, what is it?” I replied. “This is something you need to know if you are going to be serious about looking your best. From building muscle to losing body fat, the glycemic index is very important.”

As Chris continued, I took mental notes of what exactly this miracle index was and how it could work for me. I was hanging on every word like it was the gospel. In essence, knowing about the GI, is pretty much like knowing the gospel in the fitness world.

What Is The Glycemic Index?

The glycemic index is a ranking of carbohydrates based on their immediate effect on blood glucose (blood sugar) levels.

It compares foods gram for gram of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates that breakdown quickly during digestion have the highest glycemic indexes. The blood glucose response is fast and high. Carbohydrates that break down slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the blood stream, have low glycemic indexes.

“In a nut shell, eating foods that have a low GI level will help keep your blood sugar levels (BSL) stable.” said Chris.

Obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, cancer and diabetes have all been linked to (as well as other factors) diets that contain foods with a high GI.

Foods with a low GI maintain a healthy BSL and help us to lose weight – one proven way to lower our risk of developing the diseases mentioned above.

Below is what I learned. I urge you to educate yourself on the Glycemic Index. Some foods may be listed as having a higher GI then you expect. Example: potatoes.

To slow the rate at which potatoes enter your system, add a tablespoon of flax oil, or even better, opt for sweet potatoes or yams since they naturally have a lower GI level.

What Is The Significance Of Glycemic Index?

• Low GI means a smaller rise in blood glucose levels after meals
• Low GI diets can help people lose weight
• Low GI diets can improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin
• High GI foods help re-fuel carbohydrate stores after exercise
• Low GI can improve diabetes control
• Low GI foods keep you fuller for longer
• Low GI can prolong physical endurance

What Is Glycemic Load?

• Glycemic load builds on the GI to provide a measure of total glycemic response to a food or meal
• Glycemic load = GI (%) x grams of carbohydrate per serving
• One unit of GL ~ glycemic effect of 1 gram glucose
• You can sum the GL of all the foods in a meal, for the whole day or even longer
• A typical diet has ~ 100 GL units per day (range 60 – 180)
• The GI database gives both GI & GL values

How to Switch to a Low GI Diet

• Use breakfast cereals based on oats, barley and bran
• Use “grainy” breads made with whole seeds
• Reduce the amount of potatoes you eat
• Enjoy all types of fruit and vegetables (except potatoes)
• Eat plenty of salad vegetables with vinaigrette dressing

Glycemic Index Table

Beans baked 44 black beans, boiled 30 butter, boiled 33 cannellini beans 31 garbanzo, boiled 34 kidney, boiled 29 kidney, canned 52 lentils, green, brown 30 lima, boiled 32 navy beans 38 pinto, boiled 39 red lentils, boiled 27 soy, boiled 16

Breads bagel, plain 72 baguette 95 croissant 67 dark rye 76 hamburger bun 61 apple muffin 44 cinnamon muffin 44 blueberry muffin 59 oat & raisin muffin 54 pita 57 pizza, cheese 60 pumpernickel 49 sourdough 54 rye 64 white 70 wheat 68

Cereals All Bran 51 Bran Buds 45 Bran Flakes 74 Cheerios 74 Corn Chex 83 Cornflakes 83 Cream of Wheat 66 Frosted Flakes 55 Grapenuts 67 Life 66 muesli, natural 54 Nutri-grain 66 oatmeal 48 Puffed Wheat 67 Raisin Bran 73 Rice Chex 89 Shredded Wheat 67 Special K 54 Total 76

Cereal Grains barley 25 basmati white rice 58 bulgar 48 couscous 65 cornmeal 68 millet 71 Crackers graham 74 rice cakes 80 rye 68 soda 72 Wheat Thins 67 Drinks apple juice 40 colas 65 Gatorade 78 grapefruit juice 48 orange juice 46 pineapple juice 46

Fruit apple 38 apricots 57 banana 56 cantalope 65 cherries 22 dates 103 grapefruit 25 grapes 46 kiwi 52 mango 55 orange 43 papaya 58 peach 42 pear 58 pineapple 66 plums 39 prunes 15 raisins 64 watermelon 72

Milk Products chocolate milk 35 custard 43 ice cream, van 60 ice milk, van 50 skim milk 32 soy milk 31 tofu frozen dessert 115 whole milk 30 yoghurt, fruit 36 yoghurt, plain 14

Root Crops french fries / chips 75 pot, new, boiled 59 pot, red, baked 93 pot, sweet 52 pot, white, boiled 63 pot, white, mash 70 yam 54

Pasta cheese tortellini 50 fettucini 32 linguini 50 macaroni 46 spagh, 5 min boiled 33 spagh, 15 min boiled 44 spagh, prot enrich 28 vermicelli 35

Soups/Vegetables beets, canned 64 black bean soup 64 carrots, fresh, boil 49 corn, sweet 56 green pea, soup 66 green pea, frozen 47 lima beans, frozen 32 parsnips 97 peas, fresh, boil 48 split pea soup w/ham 66 tomato soup 38 Sugars fructose 22 honey 62 maltose 105 table sugar 64

Snacks chocolate bar 49 corn chips 72 croissant 67 doughnut 76 graham crackers 74 jelly beans 80 Life Savers 70 oatmeal cookie 57 pizza, cheese & tom 60 Pizza Hut, supreme 33 popcorn, light micro 55 potato chips 56 pound cake 54 Power bars 58 pretzels 83 saltine crackers 74 shortbread cookies 64 Snickers bar 41 strawberry jam 51 vanilla wafers 77 Wheat Thins 67

By: Fawnia Mondey Courtesy Bodybuilding.com