Low-Glycemic Diet: More Than Just a Trend?
When it comes to dieting, sometimes it can feel like despite doing everything right, the pounds just aren’t budging. Even though you might be doing all you can do to maintain a successful weight loss regiment, but there could be elements you don’t even know to include in your diet. Recent studies have emerged that point to a new factor that may play a major role in losing weight- a low-glycemic diet.
Glycemia is the amount of glucose found in the blood. Carbohydrates cause the blood sugar to rise, and the extent that it rises depends on the type of carbohydrate eaten. Foods that are high in glycemic levels cause blood sugar to rise quickly. Your pancreas then responds to this spike by releasing insulin to reduce the blood sugar, which then lowers glucose levels. This drop in glucose causes the body to release hormones that cause hunger, creating a cycle that can induce weight gain. Foods with a low glycemic index don’t cause the drastic rise and fall in blood sugar levels. These foods are digested at a slower rate, causing the body to feel full for longer amounts of time.
In 2007, research found that eating a diet rich in low-glycemic foods boosted weight loss levels, as well as lowered blood sugar. The study done by the Journal of the American Medical Association discovered that people were more apt to lose weight while on a diet high in fat and low in high-glycemic carbohydrates.
Foods made from high-fructose corn syrup cause blood sugar to rise and fall at drastic rates, which can cause weight gain, according to David Ludwig, M.D., Ph. D., director of the Optimal Weight for Life program at Children’s Hospital Boston. Ludwig’s research also has led him to conclude that outside of weight loss, low-glycemic diets are beneficial for those with type 2 diabetes because they increase the good cholesterol in the body and lower blood-glucose levels.
This doesn’t mean you should be afraid to consume carbs. A low-glycemic diet means around 50 percent of what you eat should be carbohydrates, they just need to be the right kind. There should also be a fair amount of fat in your diet, causing this type of diet to be a great mix of carbs and fats. By incorporating the correct fat and protein in your meals, your blood sugar won’t spike and crash. Low-glycemic diets might be the way to help you drop those stubborn extra pounds. Not only does it help with weight loss, but it is a way to stabilize blood sugar without having to follow a restricting diet.
Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of goblinbox_(queen_of_ad_hoc_bento)