Low calorie foods look attractive for weight loss because they actually starve the body of calories while making us feel full. However can we successfully use low calorie foods to lose weight over the long term and build a healthy lifestyle around them? I dont believe we can and I will example their place in our diets. Low calorie food is food with low energy content and energy content in food is measured in calories. Good examples of low calorie food would be rice cakes, egg white omelettes, macaroons. If you think about these foods, you realise can eat them in vast quantities and you will never put on one ounce. The down side is that it would be extremely boring to eat this type of food day in and day out. Also low calorie foods arent foods you can eat in the long term. They are deficient in the necessary minerals, vitamins, proteins, fats and carbohydrates which we need for god health.
Many foods that are low calorie aren’t foods around which you can build a healthy diet and lifestyle. If weight loss is your intentions perhaps a better choice should be slow release food. This is food that is complete in all three food elements ” carbohydrates, proteins and fats but which is digested more slowly by the body than the highly processed or high GI foods. The three main components of food ” fat, protein and carbohydrate all contain calories. Protein and carbohydrate both contain 4 calories per gram and fat contains 10 calories per gram. The key to weight loss should be a balanced diet with the right proportions of each protein, carbohydrate and fat, but with our present food industry misleading us at every turn this is easier said than done.
For the last few years we have been made aware of the diet benefits of low GI foods. The GIycemic Index (GI) ranks carbohydrates from 0 to 100 according to how quickly they raise your blood sugar levels after eating. Foods that are rated high on the GI scale are foods which are rapidly digested and absorbed by the stomach and bowel. They cause big spikes in blood sugar levels.
Of great benefit to the dieter is an understanding of the GIycemic Index (GI). The GIycemic Index (GI) lists carbohydrates from 0 to 100 according to how quickly they raise your blood sugar levels after eating. Foods are rated high on the GI scale because they are rapidly digested and broken down into sugars and absorbed by the stomach and bowel. These foods cause rapid rises in blood sugar levels. Foods with a rating of low GI are digested and absorbed by the body more slowly, and so only produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels. These are foods such as wholegrain breads, brown rice and pasta. The evidence shows that they have major benefits for health and losing weight. Low GI diets improve both glucose and fat levels in the bloodstream of people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. They assist weight control because they help control appetite and delay hunger. Low GI diets can also reduce the need for the body to produce so much and reduces or stops insulin resistance which is the cause of Type 2 Diabetes.
Insulin is released by the body to keep the blood sugar levels steady. Too much sugar in your blood stream puts stress on the heart and causes hyperactivity. Too little sugar and you become lethargic. Unfortunately much of our processed and snack foods contain massive quantities of sugar and it is these that cause the sugar spikes. When too much sugar hits the bloodstream the body over-produces insulin which converts the sugars into fat on your butt and stomach. This insulin response is so efficient that half an hour after you have eaten the insulin has mopped up all the sugar in your bloodstream and your blood sugar drops rapidly. Suddenly you feel hungry, lethargic and irritable. So you reach for the candy or donuts or some other highly processed junk food because your body craves more sugar. That reboots the whole cycle again and you start packing on the pounds.
By selecting low GI foods you are choosing food that digests more slowly. This means your pancreas isn’t stressed through overproducing insulin to process all the excess sugar in your bloodstream. Now your muscles and organs get a steady flow of fuel so your energy levels stay high. You don’t feel hungry again as quickly and so you avoid binge eating because your energy levels dont fluctuate wildly. The result is that you become a more balanced person and a much happier one. You definitely become a happier person when the weight begins to drop off your butt, stomach and stomach. You will lose those horrible moods swings which characterize sugar spikes because your body is no longer so stressed. This is very common in children and adolescents and is one of the more overlooked effects of excess sugar in the diet.
The GI chart has a few strange anomalies. For example carrots are rated as a high GI food because carrots contain quite a lot of natural sugars. Now we know that none of us got fat eating carrots so there is one useful rule to apply in cases like carrots. Aim to eat the sugars with the fiber they are found with. With carrots they are full of fiber which slows their digestion and also stops the sugar spike. Drink the apple juice from 3 apples by itself and your sugar levels will spike. Eat three apples and your sugar won’t spike. Do you see how it works? Orange juice is good for you because of all the Vitamin C and bioflavenoids. However it is also packed with sugar. Eat the oranges and you will get the Vitamin C but no sugar hit. Our practice of eating processed foods, both good and bad is causing many of our problems.
Dont choose to live on low calorie foods which is difficult and also unhealthy but choose a diet that combines all the food groups in a balanced way. The easiest way is to find a weight loss program that uses food as an ally in your weight loss efforts. Low GI foods, the correct balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, improved eating patterns and strategies for avoiding destructive eating behaviour are all components of a good weight loss program.
When choosing a weight loss program look for one that balances food and avoids the high GI foods in favour of low GI foods and a balance of fats and proteins is the key to weight loss. Low calorie food diets are unsustainable because they lack the essential nutrients for good health. Your goal should be a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet, regular exercise and a healthy self image. Then you will be on the pathway to a satisfied and contented life.
