The Glycemic Index: A Miracle Weight Loss Cure or a Bursting Soap Bubble?

 The Glycemic Index: A Miracle Weight Loss Cure or a Bursting Soap Bubble?

The glycemic index is a system that rates the likelihood of an increase in blood glucose levels in relation to various carbohydrate sources.

The score ranges from zero to one hundred.A carb's capacity to cause a spike (increase) in blood glucose levels is proportional to its glycemic index.

The health advantages and gradual increases in blood sugar and insulin levels caused by low-GI foods are a result of their delayed digestion and absorption.

People with diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) have seen improvements in glucose and lipid levels when they follow low GI diets.

So much for the glycemic index as a tool for slimming down.

The South Beach Diet and other popular diet books are based on the oversimplified and unproven idea that eating foods with a low glycemic index (GI) will cause you to eat less and feel fuller for longer, which in turn will cause you to lose weight.

Take a look at this sample from WebMD:

Glycemic Index: A Review by Industry Experts

Dietitians may be hoping for a miracle recipe, but health professionals have long maintained that none exists. "If your glucose level is stable, then hunger should be kept at bay," states Kathleen Zellman, RD, who is a representative for the American Dietetic Association (ADA). "But it's not that easy. Factors such as total health status, meal size, and fat content also have a role.

A representative from the American Diabetes Association in St. Louis, Missouri, Connie Diekman, RD, stated that the glycemic index only considers individual items and not their potential interactions with one another. The absorption of protein, for instance, may be delayed if consumed with a diet that has a high glycemic index. Because of this, the glycemic index is problematic. Few people will intentionally consume a series of foods that are high on the glycemic index. It's food that we consume.

Endocrinologist Michael Jensen, MD of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., says there is no evidence that eating foods with a high glycemic index causes insulin levels to rise, which in turn causes hunger pangs. It takes a little experimentation to see what works best for patients who are really hungry in between meals. I'm confused as to whether it's the glycemic index, the amount of food consumed, or the composition of food that causes satiety. In order to curb snacking between meals, I also suggest they think about including protein and moderate levels of fat.

When it comes to managing diabetes and weight gain, the dietary fiber content, not the glycemic index, is what matters most, according to all the researchers.Examine the abstract of a recent study published by WebMD,....

Not all carbs are the same in relation to type 2 diabetes, according to new research. Eating whole-grain foods, particularly cereals that are high in fiber, seems to increase insulin sensitivity and decrease the risk of metabolic syndrome, according to researchers at Tufts University.

The newly published study adds to the growing body of evidence linking whole grains to a protective role against metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Previous research has shown that whole grains can help lower the risk of these diseases and cancers.

"Unless you're a diabetic, glycemic index may not be all that important," says Jack Alhadeff, PhD, professor of biochemistry at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. He adds that the index's accuracy can be problematic because most of us eat a range of foods throughout a meal.

What about the theory that suggests the body is more prone to retain glucose from foods with a high glycemic index as fat?

Nagi Kumar, PhD, director of clinical nutrition at the Moffitt Cancer Center and professor of human nutrition at the University of South Florida in Tampa, states, "The scientific literature is very clear that eating carbohydrates that are embedded in plant cellulose -- complex carbohydrates -- is always better." "But the reasons it is better are not because it somehow lessens or alters fat storage."

All of this points to the fact that, for dieters, fiber is significantly more important than glycemic index. Diet programs that claim to help you lose weight, such as the South Beach Diet and other low-carb plans, are just trying to cash in on the little research on the Glycemic Index.

A high-fiber diet offers numerous benefits, such as:

Eating less is easier with the aid of fiber. Evidence suggests that dietary fiber may reduce blood cholesterol via binding to dietary cholesterol in the intestines.

Along with its involvement in weight regulation and the phytochemicals found in foods high in fiber that seem to have anticancer properties, fiber also helps prevent the following:

Hemorrhoids Constipation A condition known as appendicitis diverticulosis occurs when infected pockets form in the lining of the intestines.

The sole option for safe and guaranteed weight loss is a diet regimen that promotes fiber-rich foods and offers numerous healthy and natural substitutes for the foods promoted by fad diets.

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