What is the glycemic index?

The term "glycemic index" was introduced by doctors involved in the treatment and study of diabetes. They drew attention to the fact that each product in its own way affects the level of sugar in the blood. In fact, this means that some products are quickly digested by the body and in the form of glucose instantly enter the human blood, while others are digested much longer, glucose is released into the blood gradually, in small portions.





Today, the glycemic index is used not only by diabetics, for whom sugar level is an indicator on which life directly depends, but also by people who want to lose weight. The fact is that a sharp release of glucose into the blood starts the production of insulin, which should remove excess glucose. And remove by processing into fats. Thus, two problems are solved: firstly, the sugar level decreases, and secondly, energy is stored for the future.





When the amount of glucose drops, the body begins to require energy from the outside and the person feels a sense of hunger. This does not mean that there is no energy left, just part of it has already been reserved for the future, and the team has not received expenditure of an untouchable supply of energy in the form of fat.





When glucose enters the blood evenly, insulin is not released, energy is consumed evenly, and not stored for the future. A person feels full longer and fat does not accumulate.





So, the glycemic index (GI) is just that indicator that clearly reflects the speed with which the carbon-containing product is processed into glucose. The GI of glucose equal to 100 is taken as the reference point. It is with that figure that the HZ of other products is compared. The higher the degradation rate of the product, the higher its GI. Accordingly, in order to lose weight, it is necessary to give preference to products with a low glycemic index. GIs are considered low below 55, from 56 to 69 - average GI, from 70 - high.









For weight loss, it is recommended to consume more carbohydrates with a low glycemic index, the so-called complex carbohydrates. The body is forced to spend a lot of time and energy on splitting such a molecule. This mechanism is designed for the lifestyle that a person adhered to for hundreds and thousands of generations, namely for constant movement in order to search for food. Now the situation has changed radically, a person no longer has to ride on the steppes to catch breakfast or lunch, searching for food began to take up much less time and effort, and the food itself became more high-calorie. All this leads to the fact that too much of the population is obese. To solve this problem, you must begin to monitor what a person eats.





However, not everything is as simple as it seems. If you look at all the tables with GI values ​​found on the Internet, you will inevitably notice that different tables offer different numbers. And this is not surprising, because the glycemic index depends on many factors, in particular, on the method of processing the product. GI of coarse flour will be lower than GI of premium flour, GI of fresh carrots is lower than that of boiled flour, and even more so than that of mashed puree, even a hot and cold dish will have different GI, while in a cold one it is lower.





Roughly speaking, the more processing a product undergoes before use, the higher its GI. The addition of spices also leads to an increase in the index. Therefore, it is better to give preference to simple and unpretentious dishes. There are other nuances. The fact is that GI also depends on what, in combination with what the product was eaten, it is equal to a higher one. Therefore, in one meal it is better to combine products with a similar index.





In addition, there are a number of products that are practically free of carbohydrates. What, for example, is the glycemic index of meat? In fact, it can be equated to zero, because it does not affect the level of sugar in the blood. However, this does not mean that when choosing a weight loss system based on GI, meat can be eaten uncontrollably. In addition, there are products such as nuts or chocolate. Their GI is not too high, but they have a high fat content.





As you can see, in order to follow this system, you will have to understand it for a long time and remember what, how and with what is better to use, and what you need to refuse completely. However, this system is considered very effective, due to which it is gaining more and more fans.












All Articles