Weight Loss with the G.I. Diet

The G.I. (which stands for Glycemic Index) diet pays attention mainly to the way that certain foods affect a person's blood-sugar levels, and the resultant impact on their energy, appetite, and weight loss. Foods with a high GI level cause a spike in blood-sugar levels (and a companion spike in energy levels) by dispersing their glucose quickly into the blood stream. Foods with a low GI level provide for longer term energy and feelings of satisfaction as the glucose takes longer to enter the blood stream, providing a more sustained energy. As great as quick energy spikes may sound, think back to the advice your mother gave you about empty calories and sugar-rushes; they soon go away, leaving you feel drained, hungry, and reaching for another snack. A cycle of overeating can result, which leads to weight gain.

The Index

In 1981 Dr David Jenkins, a professor of nutrition, was conducting tests to discover food's impact on blood-sugar levels. What he discovered was that some sugary foods did not necessarily have large affects on blood sugar levels, which was the conventional thinking at the time. In fact, he discovered that many carbohydrate-rich foods, especially processed white flour and sugar foods, often had a bigger, more dramatic impact. Dr. Jenkins created the Glycemic Index (sometimes referred to with the alternate spelling of "Glycaemic Index"), which lists foods in the order of blood sugar level impact, ranking them from 0 to 100. Glucose is used as the reference (score: 100); low GI foods have low numbers, high GI foods have high numbers.

The G.I. Diet

Former president of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario Rick Gallup has authored two books on the subject: "The GI Diet" and "Living the GI Diet." The G.I. Diet uses a system as simple as the index itself, which works the same way a traffic light does. Stop if you see Red; those foods so marked are high in GI and will not help you loose weight. Slow down and use caution with Yellow marked foods; these mid-range GI foods can be harmful to your attempts at weight loss if eaten too frequently. Green means go, of course, and the green marked foods are all low GI foods, and can be eaten without fear. A quote from their website sums up the philosophy of the GI Diet's system: "If you can follow a traffic light, you can follow this diet."

What Else Should I Know?

Additional education on the Glycemic Index and how the GI rating is listed on food packaging will be of use. Caution is advised when making meals, as cooking, preparation and combinations of foods can all affect an individual food's GI ranking. The best way to plan for a low over-all GI level in your diet plan is to stick to as many low GI foods as possible.