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Over
the last 30 years, research into food and blood
glucose response has completely changed our carbohydrate
classification system.
It
has been learned that it is impossible to predict
the impact on blood glucose levels by certain
foods, instead people are fed carbohydrate foods
and the response measured.
This
response is known as the Glycemic Index (GI).
It is a measure of how quickly carbohydrate foods
are digested and absorbed, and ranks carbohydrate
foods according to their impact on blood sugar
(glucose) levels, as indicted by elevated blood
glucose.
Foods
with a high GI are absorbed quickly into the bloodstream
and cause a rapid rise in blood glucose levels.
While foods with a low GI are broken down more
slowly over time and keep blood glucose levels
more stable (remember that low is slow!).
Some
carbohydrate foods will maintain your energy levels
for hours, while some may cause your blood glucose
to rise and fall. Different types of carbohydrate
can also affect feelings of fullness in the stomach
and this can influence hunger and your ability
to control your body weight.
Why is the Glycemic Index Important?
When
our blood glucose levels are stable we have plenty
of readily available fuel for the brain and muscles.
If our blood glucose levels drop too low (hypoglycaemia)
we feel tired, dizzy and generally unwell. If
our blood glucose levels rise too quickly a rapid
drop usually follows this.
Include
low glycemic index foods in meals and snacks to
slow the release of glucose into the bloodstream.
A low glycemic index snack a few hours before
exercise will help maintain your energy levels
for more effective training.
After
high intensity exercise (strength training) a
high glycemic index snack should be consumed within
30 minutes. This will help to replace energy and
start the recovery process.
Low-GI
foods take longer to digest and help delay hunger
pangs that little bit more and thus promote weight
loss. So please choose your carbs carefully as
this will lower your insulin levels and burn more
fat. The secret is to swap high GI foods with
low GI foods.
Simple Steps to a Low GI Diet
Step
No. 1
Start
with a healthy, well balanced and varied diet
based on a good nutrition program. The diet should
be low in fats, moderate in carbohydrate and protein.
The program should be high in fibre and contain
a varied amount of foods to provide the required
amount of vitamins and minerals.
Step
No. 2
Look
at the type of carbohydrates that you consume
during the day. Look at the carbs that you eat
the most, as these will have the most dramatic
impact on your diet.
Try
to change the carbs you eat the most with at least
one low GI one (replace potato with sweet potato,
use noodles instead of rice). By substituting
half of your daily carbohydrate from high GI to
low GI will result in an overall reduction in
the GI of your diet.
Reducing
the GI in your diet reduces your insulin levels
and increases the fat burning apparatus in your
body. Try to reduce the high GI's in your diet
by substituting them with low GI's.
Regular
consumption of low GI foods increases the feelings
of fullness and satisfaction and so prevents weight
gain. Try taking in six small meals a day of healthy
low fat low GI foods to prevent overeating at
meal times and control appetite.
Remember,
that it is also important to look at the calories
in food too. Rice and bread might be low in fat
but when your body is burning the carbohydrates
in these foods, it doesn't burn as much fat. So
if you are on a low fat diet, you wont lose as
much weight if your calories are still high.
Have a look at the numbers below for the different
GI food ratings.
Low
GI (<50)
Grapefruit
(26)
Baked Beans (15)
Lentils (29)
Peanuts (13)
Soy Beans (15)
Medium
GI (50-70)
Pineapple
(66)
Raisins (64)
Sweet corn (59)
Potato Chips (51)
All bran (51)
High
GI (70>)
Cornflakes
(80)
W/M Bread (72)
Brown Rice (80)
Carrots (92)
Baked Potato (98)
Compare
these two menus and try to adjust your diet accordingly.
High
GI Menu
Breakfast:
40 Grams of cornflakes with milk. Two slices of
whole meal toast with margarine and jam.
Snack:
Two sweet biscuits with a white coffee.
Lunch:
Ham and salad whole meal Roll with an apple.
Snack:
Four crackers with cottage cheese and chives
Main
Meal: Serving of Roast chicken with a large baked
potato and peas. Small piece of cake.
Low GI Menu
Breakfast:
40 Grams of bran with low fat milk. Two slices
of low GI toast (Try Burgen) with margarine and
jam.
Snack:
Two oatmeal biscuits with a coffee (Low fat milk).
Lunch:
Ham and salad Roll (Low GI bread). Soft-serve
vanilla yoghurt with toasted muesli sprinkled
on top.
Snack:
Two bananas.
Main
Meal: Serving of Roast chicken with a small baked
potato and peas. Two scoops of low fat ice cream
with half a cup of canned peaches.
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Chicken,
beef, fish, eggs, nuts, and avocados contain
very little or no carbohydrates. These foods
if eaten by themselves will not have much
effect on your glucose levels and are very
low GI. Alcoholic beverages especially wine
are also low GI so can be included in your
diet but remember to count them in your
daily caloric intake.
Low
GI foods are ideal for losing weight due
to the slow absorption from the stomach.
Low GI foods also help to keep blood sugar
levels more stable and this has an effect
on reducing sweet cravings.
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Gary
Matthews has been a gym instructor for over twenty
years. He has trained people from athletes to
bodybuilders. His professional career began in
the Royal Australian Air Force where he was employed
as a Fitness Instructor. His duties consisted
of training recruits in various disciplines including
strength training and conditioning techniques.
This
trainer from "down under" believes in
using scientific principles for training. Gary
says that "as in life, in training: the simplest
is always the best." He believes in strength
training programs that are short and simple, but
with maximum intensity.
Gary
is the author of several ebooks, including "Maximum
Weight Loss in Ten Weeks" - the complete
ebook and time-saving solution for burning away
unwanted fat, and "Maximum Weight Gain in
Ten Weeks" - easy-to-use and follow techniques
that serve as a guide to muscle growth without
having to "live in the gym".
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