The Glycemic Index Diet is based on the Glycemic Index. It is a way of looking at how the carbohydrates in foods affect blood glucose (or blood sugar) levels. Before starting a new diet, it is a good idea to speak with your doctor about it.
What is the Glycemic Index Diet?
The Glycemic Index Diet has also been called Sugar Busters, the Zone Diet, and Nutrisystem. The original version was called the “G.I. Diet”. Despite what people have been taught by the authors of those books, the Glycemic Index Diet was not intended to be a weight loss diet.
Who is the Glycemic Index Diet for?
The Glycemic Index Diet was designed to help people who have diabetes. The purpose of the diet is to give people who have diabetes a way to control their blood sugar levels. In some cases, a low glycemic diet may help prevent conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
The diet focuses on carbohydrates. The goal is to eat foods that cause your body to produce a steady rise in blood sugar. Foods like white bread, cookies, and white potatoes can make some people’s blood sugar rise rapidly. That situation is not good for people who have diabetes. The rest of the diet involves the fiber from certain foods that will help a person feel less hungry.
Why do people choose the Glycemic Index Diet?
The main reason why a person chooses to start the Glycemic Index Diet is because their doctor recommended it to them. Typically, this group of people already has diabetes or is considered by their doctor to have pre-diabetes.
Other people decided to start the Glycemic Index diet because they believe it will help them lose weight. This group does not have diabetes, pre-diabetes, or other health conditions that require them to keep close control of their blood glucose levels.
Controversies with the Glycemic Index Diet
The first thing to realize is that this diet is not likely to make a person lose weight. It is specifically for people who are trying to control their blood glucose level. Those who start this diet expecting to have a lot of weight loss may be disappointed.
Be aware that foods that are low on the Glycemic Index aren’t necessarily healthier for you than the foods that are higher on the Glycemic Index. A food that is low on the Glycemic Index may or may not be low in calories. In addition to watching carbohydrates, people on this diet must also pay attention to the amount of protein and fat they are getting.
Image by Curtis Alan Jackson on Flickr.
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