Carbohydrate foods can be ranked by their impact on blood glucose levels. This is know as GI or the glycemic index. The higher the GI the more rapidly the food is absorbed and the quicker glucose levels rise.
Low GI foods, in contrast break down more gradually and produce more stable glucose levels in the blood. This, in turn, leads to less fluctation in mood and energy.
Low GI foods release energy more slowly because they take longer to digest. This can give the feeling of being "full" for longer which decreases the need for snacks.
The fluctuating blood glucose levels caused by a diet of too many high GI foods can cause an overproduction of insulin. Over time, this can lead to problems such as hypoglycemia, Syndrome X and even type II diabetes. On the other hand, there is some evidence that lower GI diets can improve the levels of good cholesterol in the blood.
Most low GI diets don't restrict you to only eating low GI foods, but usually prompt you to add more foods with a low glycemic index in your diet. Simply adding a low GI food to a meal, has the effect of lowering the glycemic index for the whole meal. In particular, active people should use of balance of high and low GI foods to make sure they have optimal energy stores for exercise.
High glycemic index foods include many carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, rice, serial and baked goods. Low glycemic index foods tend to include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. However, within these broad categories there are differences. For example, bananas and potatoes would be classified as having a mid-range glycemic index.
There are also other factors, which can influence the GI level such as how you cook a food and the degree of processing. Instant oatmeal, for example, has a higher GI than traditional rolled oats because the processing allows the starch to be more easily exposed to digestive enzymes.
While GI is useful, you need to be sensible. For example, chocolate is a low GI food, but it is not the best food to add to your diet.
However, used sensibly GI can help you to select appropriate foods for your diet.
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