Why follow low GI diet

Written By Lucie Ouzib

The low glycaemic index (GI) diet is based on the concept of glycaemic index. The glycaemic index assigns a numeric score to a food based on how drastically it makes your blood sugar rise. Foods are ranked on a scale of 0 to 100, with pure glucose (sugar) given a value of 100. The lower a food's glycaemic index, the slower blood sugar rises after eating that food. In general, the more processed a food is, the higher its GI, and the more fibre or fat in a food, the lower it's GI. The GI of food is influenced by a number of facts, including the type of sugar it contains, the structure of starch, nutrient composition, the cooking method and the level of ripeness.  But the glycaemic index tells just part of the story. What it doesn't tell you is how high your blood sugar could go when you eat the food. To understand a food's complete effect on blood sugar, you need to know both how quickly it makes glucose enter the bloodstream and how much glucose per serving it can deliver. A separate measure called the glycaemic load does both — which gives you a more accurate picture of a food's real-life impact on your blood sugar. Watermelon, for example, has a high glycaemic index (80), but

a serving of watermelon has so little carbohydrate that its glycaemic load is only 5.

GI ratings are:

Low – 55 and fewer

Medium = 56-69

High – 70 or more

 

GL ratings are:

Low – 10 and fewer

Medium – 11-19

High – 20 or more

The science shows that a low GI diet can reduce the risk of developing significant health problems, and is a simple and effective way to:

  • Manage weight by controlling appetite and delaying hunger

  • Fuel the body for sustained energy

  • Improve pregnancy outcomes

  • Reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease

  • Improve concentration

  • Increase physical performance by extending endurance

  • Reduce breast cancer risk

  • Manage Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

  • Decrease the risk of common diabetic complications

  • Feel fuller for longer

  • Benefit eye health and prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness

  • Reduce acne

 

A healthy low GI diet can be suitable for everyone. Whether you are looking to improve your general health, prevent or manage a specific health condition, a low GI diet can help you do just that. Making low GI choices is not a dramatic change. It simply means swapping at least one high GI food for a low GI food at every meal.

Lucie Ouzib
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