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Glycemic index diet: what it is and how it works
By My Store Admin
Among the various food regimes which, it is thought, can help maintain good physical shape there is the glycemic index diet. It is a nutritional plan based on the glycemic index of the products brought to the table.
By controlling sugar consumption, in practice, it would be possible to maintain an optimal level in the blood. An amount such as to have enough energy during the day but not so much as to become "harmful".
But how does this diet really work and what concepts is it based on?
What is the glycemic index (GI)?
The concept of “glycemic index” (GI) is quite new, because it was theorized for the first time in the 1970s by a researcher at Stanford University.
In practice, it would be the indicator that measures the ability of each carbohydrate-based food to raise blood sugar levels in a more or less massive and more or less rapid way.
Sugar metabolism and blood sugar
Let's start by understanding how sugar metabolism works. Sugar is one of the cells' primary sources of nutrition.
Carbohydrates can be divided into simple sugars, which are more immediately assimilable, starches, which need to be broken down further, and fibre, which pass through the digestive system substantially unchanged.
Although much demonised, sugar is useful because it provides quickly used energy to the body. insulinis the enzyme that transfers sugar from the blood to cells when there are high levels of sugar in the blood.
glucagon, on the other hand, serves to release sugar into the blood from stocks stored in the liver, when not enough is introduced through the diet.
The blood sugar level is commonly called glycemia.
There are some pathologies, such as type 2 diabetes and obesity, which have a strong correlation with glycemic imbalances due to incorrect functioning of insulin, which does not allow blood sugar levels to be regulated correctly, raising or lowering them suddenly.
In these cases, obviously, it is best to follow the instructions of your specialist and follow an adequate diet, under medical supervision.
What to eat if you follow the glycemic index diet
The idea is not to divide foods into canonical “macros” – carbohydrates, fats and proteins – but to select them according to their glycemic index.
The glycemic index diet involves the consumption of low GI foods, which often reveal unexpected truths. An example?
Pure sugars, such as fructose, naturally contained in fruit, have a much lower GI than foods considered suitable for slimming diets, such as white rice, rich in starches and capable of significantly raising blood sugar levels.
It is therefore good to study the GIs of individual foods, to understand what is best to include in your weekly menus and what to avoid. Generally speaking, regarding carbohydrate-based foods, whole grains whole grainsare more suitable than refined ones, because they have a higher fiber content.
Green light - without exceeding, obviously - to protein-based foods and good fats, which do not directly contain sugars and therefore have no or extremely low GI.
In general, however, pay attention to all highly processed industrial products: they often contain hidden sugars, it is better not to abuse them.
Glycemic index diet: pros and cons
Ingesting excess sugar has a negative correlation with various health problems, even serious ones. It is also true, however, that sugar is the primary nourishment of our cells and should therefore not be completely stigmatised.
Among the the pros of the glycemic index diet there is certainly the fact that you can keep your blood sugar under control, and encourage the consumption of natural sugars, such as fructose from fruit, and of whole foods.
Among the the cons, the fact that, to date, there is no unambiguous and scientifically unassailable list of glycemic indices. This is because the GI of each food is influenced by many parameters, for example ripeness - if we are talking about fruit - or the type and duration of cooking for starches.
Also, be careful not to overdo it by completely eliminating an essential macronutrient such as carbohydrates from your diet.
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