As the old saying goes, you are what you eat. Eating items off the low glycemic food list is important if your health matters to you or you're controlling diabetes or if you're just trying to lose weight.
Foods that fall into the low glycemic category help you lose weight while promoting better overall health and tunes your body composition into a fat burning machine. When they are coupled with other smart food choices and portion control the benefits are exponential.
See the low glycemic food list here: Glycemic Index Food chart
Paying attention to glycemic load in everyday consumption is much easier than than you think. While a glycemic index diet might call for extreme discipline in monitoring your intake and the numbers represented, common sense can serve as an overall guide.
What is glycemic load and how does it affect the body?
Glycemic load is simply a number assigned to a particular food based on its carbohydrate content and how it affects blood glucose levels in your body. The higher the number, the greater the negative impact on the body.
Generally, simple carbohydrates, such as processed snacks and white bread, tend to have a greater influence in raising blood sugar levels. This can cause problems for diabetics that need to keep sugar levels under control to maintain better health.
It also impacts those who are trying to lose weight by triggering the release of insulin. When glucose levels are too high and too much insulin is released, the body will go into fat storing mode
But not all snacking is bad. With a low GI plan, snacking is actually encouraged. Here are 5 low glycemic snacks that promote weight loss.
How glycemic index weight loss works
When you take into account the glycemic index during a diet, the basic premise is to maintain sugar levels to promote fat burning or immediate energy use rather than storage. This is a healthier option for people who want to lose weight, control diabetes or just maintain their current weight.
Eating with glycemic numbers in mind essentially mirrors what a diabetes diet looks like. In regard to carbohydrates, people who want to follow this path will need to keep carb consumption low, but not eliminate them entirely. So if you're making a sandwich use whole grain bread instead of white.
If you feel like you may be at risk of diabetes, read Signs of Diabetes Mellitus – Diabetic Symptoms To Look For.
Some of the foods that fit well with the low glycemic food list include:
Here's a more comprehensive low glycemic food list.
Common sense considerations
When trying to follow a low glycemic plan, make sure to also include other healthy choices. Use lean meats, legumes and low carbohydrate dairy. Also pay attention to your portion size! Even low glycemic foods can boost blood sugar if they are eaten in overabundance.
Related articles:
Low Glycemic Index Food: It’s Not What You Think It is
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