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The Glycemic Index

Discussion in 'Physical & Sexual Health' started by BasketCase, Jun 15, 2011.

  1. BasketCase

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    I've a friend at work who has been on a fitness kick recently and he has been going on about low GI foods.

    How important is a low GI score in losing weight?

    Is it possible to lose weight solely by changing to lower fat and lower GI foods? I do know that exercise should be done as well.
     
  2. Alex

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    No.

    You lose fat by eating less calories than you burn.
     
  3. KaraBulut

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    Low glycemic diets have been around for a while. The concept is that an effective diet has two components - portion control and healthier foods.

    In this case, advocates of low glycemics argue that not all foods are equal- that some foods like vegetables are healthier- calorie for calorie- that equivalent portions of other foods like processed flour breads.

    The assumption is that foods that trigger insulin release also encourage water retention and storage of body fat. The theory behind this does have a basis in physiological research and there is some evidence that in some people who have metabolic dysfunction, high glycemic foods can encourage increases in body weight and fat storage.

    One correction to your post- fat is considered to lower the glycemic index of foods. A low glycemic index diet is high in protein and fats but low in simple carbohydrates (sugars, starches).
     
  4. Gumtree

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    There are many totally natural high GI foods out there, but the main reasons low GI diets are often successful is not solely due to the 'type' of sugar you eliminate.

    I mean this in the sense that the foods you end up cutting out when following a Low GI diet, are generally processes foods that are not only High GI containing foods, but also have LOTS of sugar.

    Low GI diets don't have to mean less sugar, they just mean it's released over a longer and more distributed time. So over a 24 hour period, you're pretty much consuming the same amount of calories (not considering the energy used to digest polysaccharides as opposed to monos).

    In short, a low GI diet isn't going to help your weight much unless you're doing some exercise already. It may just mean that the exercise you DO do, will be more beneficial.

    Also, GI diets often take a lot of research, as there's constant debate over the GI of certain foods.

    E.G previously many people believed that 'grains' were a low GI food, where as now we know white rices metabolise so fast you might as well be eating a monosaccharide, also bananas are constantly debated; although as a rule of thumb most 'extreme GI dieters' I’ve encountered seem to avoid most fruit except stone fruit.
     
  5. malachite

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    things like white breads, pasts, rice and the such have gluten in them, which turns to sugar when your body processes it, plus they are full of carbs.

    You should cut out all whites as far as bread, rice, pasta and the such.

    Whole wheats are much better for you (not be confused with multi grain)

    Proteins are better for you when you're working out this is where white meats comes in: chickens, lean pork, turkey.
    Red meat is ok about about 1 or 2 times a week. Fish is also great,but eatting too much of it can cause digestive problems so try to eat fish about twice a week at most.

    and remember you won't loose weight unless you work off more then you put in