Very few of us realize the major impact the glycemic index list can have on our lives.
Ever had a “blood sugar” crash? We all have – some of us have several every day. But most of us don’t understand just what is going on inside our bodies. When your blood sugar drops too much, you will feel a general tiredness, you could feel weak and even get the shakes.
Our bodies tend to perform at their optimum levels when we have a constant and steady supply of glucose (sugar) in our bloodstream. This is our source of energy. We need to find foods that will supply this slow, steady release. Good news, avoiding the major highs and lows is easy with the glycemic index list.
Proteins and fats are digested more slowly and tend to release their glucose into the bloodstream more slowly… without the spikes caused by carbohydrates. Because of this, they aren’t ranked on the glycemic index list. Carbohydrates are ranked according to the amount of affect they have on the blood glucose levels.
The affect is determined by measuring a 50 – gram portion of the various carbs against the control of bread or pure sugar.
The temporary spiking affect is called the glycemic response. All carbs cause it but, it can vary by the amount eaten, the degree of processing, the type of carbohydrate and how it is prepared.
The glycemic index list ranks the various carbs on a scale from 1 to 100. the reference of 100 is pure glucose. Foods are considered high ranking if they are at 70 or above. the medium score is 56 to 69. And, the bottom is brought up by foods in the 55 and lower level.
Like pretzels? they come in at a whopping – fat inducing 81.
Instead, reach for some broccoli (15) or a fruit cocktail at 55.
In our bodies, for the glucose to work, it has to be accompanied by insulin. Glucose spikes cause insulin spikes which are bad for us on MANY levels that go well beyond this article. That’s why we care so much about the glucose spikes. Lower levels of insulin release is better for us.
True our bodies need glucose…but the extra caused by spikes has to be dealt with in some manner – so we store it as FAT! You can have the pounds effortlessly falling off of you by simply substituting foods high on the glycemic index list for foods that are lower on the glycemic index list. As a bonus, slower digestion means we feel full longer and will tend to eat less.
The glycemic index list is not concerned with the quantity of carbs but with the quality. Of course the amount you eat is important, but the measurement of the glycemic index of foods is based on a constant of 50 – grams. In other words, it’s the type of carb being ranked not the amount.
To avoid spiking your blood sugar levels and to control your weight, you will have to maintain reasonable portion sizes.
With regular workouts and keeping an eye on portion sizes the glycemic index list can be the best weight loss system you’ve ever tried.
You can get a lot more information from my website. It has tons of information about the glycemic index list and other weight loss methods. Be sure to get your copy of my “Fast Weight loss Tips!” mini-course while it’s still free.
