Glycemic index

by Freda Coetzee

Low GI Foods And Weight Loss

Low GI The glycemic index, or GI, is a ranking system that measures the effect that carbohydrate-containing foods have on your blood sugar, or glucose, levels. Foods with a low GI have a milder effect on your blood sugar than high-GI foods. Though low-GI foods cannot trigger weight loss on their own, they may enhance your efforts and they affect your appetite. Function of low GI foods Low-glycemic foods can support weight management in several ways. A low-glycemic diet can support healthy blood sugar levels and help prevent or reduce blood sugar-related illnesses, such as diabetes and insulin resistance. Low- GI foods may also enhance appetite management and delay hunger cues, which enhance weight loss. Optimum Foods To lose weight by incorporating low-GI foods, you must first gain an understanding of which foods are low in GI and which are high. Examples of low-GI foods include whole grains, such as pearl barley, rye, brown rice, sprouted wheat and cracked barley. Most vegetables and legumes are also low-GI. Low-GI fruits include cherries, grapefruit, dried apricots, apples, pears, peaches, plums, grapes, kiwi and bananas. Dairy products, including low-fat milk, yogurt and chocolate milk, are also low-GI. Foods to Avoid While low-GI foods support healthy blood sugar levels and reduced appetite, high-GI foods may pose challenges. Consuming high-GI foods on their own can trigger mood imbalances, blood sugar spikes and food cravings. High-GI foods include enriched white and wheat breads, cereals and dinner rolls, and most commercially prepared cookies, crackers, cake, pastries, candy and muffins. Soft drinks and fruit juices are also high-GI. Effectiveness of low GI foods Low-GI foods can effectively promote weight loss. According to an analysis of intervention studies published in “The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” in July 2002, people who follow low-GI diets demonstrate more effective, sustainable weight loss results than those following low-fat diets. In addition, high-GI diets tend to increase body fat and weight gain during pregnancy more than nutrient-rich low-GI diets. Low-GI foods tend to ease the process of calorie reduction and reduce excessive hunger and feelings of deprivation. Recommendations To reap benefits from low-GI foods, increase your intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes. Replacing processed carbohydrates, such as white bread, candy and potato chips, with low-GI foods can further enhance your weight-loss efforts. When you do consume high-GI foods, keep your portion sizes modest and balance them with protein-rich foods or high-fiber foods. Doing so reduces the overall GI of your meal. For best results, exercise regularly and follow the Manna Weight Loss program in the free e-book. By taking the Manna Blood Sugar Support supplement with each meal, you reduce the GI value of the meal by up to 43%. Thus, the Manna Blood Sugar Support lowers the GI value of any food you eat.You can also replace 1 to 2 meals per day with the Manna Low GI Shake, for effective and healthy weight loss and to keep your hunger away for longer than normal.