How Low Glycemic Foods Impact Weight-loss

Research has found that eating low glycemic foods not only reduces the risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer, but also can help manage a healthy weight. The opposite is true of high glycemic foods which contribute to obesity and type 2 diabetes.

According to experts, eating a lot of high GI foods can be detrimental to your health because it pushes your body to extremes. If you are overweight and sedentary, this can be particularly true. Switching to eating mainly low GI carbohydrates that slowly trickle glucose into your blood stream keeps your energy levels balanced which causes you to feel fuller for longer between meals. (www.glycemicindex.com).
So what are low glycemic foods? Here is just a few you can begin to incorporate into your diet:

• Whole grains such as, whole wheat breads that contain complex carbohydrates, wild rice, whole oats
• Low glycemic fruits - apples, grapefruit, berries, etc.
• Vegetables – broccoli, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, etc.
• Legumes – lentils, beans, chickpeas, etc.

I tell my clients the easiest way to recognize high glycemic foods are by their color. For example, white rice, white potatoes, white sugar and white flour. If these are mostly removed from your diet and more vegetables, fruit and whole grains are added, your overall health should improve immensely.

Studies show that diets high in dietary fiber can significantly reduce the risk of several illnesses. Fiber is the number one way to lower the glycemic load. Eating a low glycemic impact diet focuses on eating more high fiber, found in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. It is important to understand the affect carbohydrates have on the body; not remove them from your diet completely.
The glycemic impact is a measure of how a food raises blood glucose levels and elicits an insulin response. The theory of this diet is to increase blood sugar gradually instead of rapidly by eating foods with a low glycemic index. When you eat high glycemic foods, your blood sugar rapidly increases which causes your body to store fat.

In my Transitions classes I teach the impact of high glycemic foods and how to determine what foods are low glycemic. This is most important to losing and maintaining weight-loss. Of course, changing behavior and exercise is crucial for a healthy lifestyle, which are the other two important areas we work on.

The next Transitions overview will be March 14th at 6:30pm at Spirit of Life Church in Martinsville. (Note: The March 10th overview is cancelled). This is a free overview to the public. Please RSVP if you would like to attend.