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Body articles
Is
GI the answer?
By
Tim Jones - www.tjfpersonaltraining.com
INTRODUCTION
The amount of carbohydrate in the daily diet of the average westerner
has increased dramatically in the last 50 years. Much of the blame
for the rising epidemic of obesity in the western world has recently
been placed in the hands of carbohydrate intake and many people
have jumped on the band wagon, hence the numerous low-carb diets
currently being marketed and might I add, they are doing very
well! Two of these diets are called the GI (Glycaemic Index) and
GL (Glyceamic Load) Diets. The point of this article is to give
you the facts about carbohydrates and to analyse GI and GL, so
that you can make an informed decision when it comes to meal times.
THE
HISTORY BEHIND GI
Traditionally it was thought that foods made up of simple sugars
are broken down quickly by the digestive system and complex carbohydrates
broken down slowly. This is an easy assumption to make, what with
their names! But in 1981, diabetic specialists discovered that,
contrary to popular belief, consuming starchy foods such as pasta
and potato increased blood sugar levels quite dramatically, while
some sugary foods had less of an effect. From this research the
GI or "Glycaemic Index" scale was developed, which quite
simply ranked foods based on the effect they had on blood sugar
levels. Since then many GI diets have been created all based on
the same concept.
THE
SCIENCE
Let me explain how this all works.
When you eat carbohydrates with a high GI, it raises your blood-glucose
level quickly. Because high levels of glucose are dangerous, your
body instantly recognises the problem and releases a hormone called
insulin, whose job it is to remove the excess glucose and restore
levels to normal. This rapid removal of excess glucose has two
effects.
| 1. |
The
glucose needs to be taken away and stored somewhere. It ends
up in your muscles and liver, and, once they are full, it
is converted into fat and dumped in the places you don't want
it to be dumped. Insulin opens the gates of these fat cells
to allow this excess in.
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| 2. |
Since
the glucose is removed from the blood, this sudden drop leaves
us craving more high-GI food for a further glucose hit. If
you find that you are hungry again soon after eating a bowl
of sugary breakfast cereal, or that one biscuit is never enough,
your blood-glucose is yo-yoing. Your glucose levels soar after
eating these foods, subsequently dipping sharply and sparking
the need for another sugar rush. |
The
concept behind these diets is that you should stick to foods with
a low-GI, which can help to satisfy your hunger and balance your
blood sugar level.
WHY
THE GI IS FLAWED
But the GI cannot be trusted just like every other fad diet. The
GI of food has been proven to be inconsistent. There are too many
variables that can affect the GI of food that were not considered
when the diet was designed.
Firstly, the overall nutrient content of a food can affect its
GI. For example, fat and protein affect the absorption rate of
carbohydrate. This helps to explain why chocolate and high-fat
crisps, which are high in fat, have low GI values. Whole milk
also has a lower GI value than skimmed milk because it has more
protein and fat. How you cook a food, the degree of processing
and the ripeness and variety of a fruit are also good examples
of variables that can affect a foods GI.
THE
VERDICT
So now you understand the GI Diet let me give you my opinion about
it.
Don't get me wrong, the GI diet has been proven to be effective
dietary tools as it restricts the starch based foods and help
balance blood sugar levels and the GI of a food can be helpful
information. But it is not always accurate and can be misleading.
I also don't like the fact that complex carbohydrates are made
out to be enemies by this diet. Quality complex carbohydrates
and some high GI carbs are a very important source of fuel for
the body and in the right proportions they can help form part
of a healthy and supportive eating plan. They should not be eliminated,
just moderated.
In my opinion there are too many diets out there just adding more
and more confusion to the fray and the GI diet is just another.
Let's take a step back to basics and instead of following the
latest craze in dieting to help you lose weight, I urge you to
make use of much more traditional means
An exercise plan and better eating habits! I guarantee that will
help you fight the bulge!
Here are some helpful guidelines to follow that I tell my PT clients
that will help you to lose weight…
•
Never diet
• Eat regularly to satisfy hunger
• Consume slightly smaller main meals
• Eat high quality food such as organic produce
• Drink plenty of water. Ideally you should drink your
body weight in Kgs X 0.033 of water in litres per
day.
• Decrease the amounts of grains you eat
• Decrease the amount of dairy and wheat you consume
• Eat a source of protein at every meal
• Reduce your intake of processed food
• Make sure you get to bed on time
AND FINALLY!!
• Move your body
Article
by Tim Jones - to find out more about
Tim and his Personal Training team go to:
www.tjfpersonaltraining.com
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