The Pros And Cons Of Following A GI Low Diet

It seems like that, as more people are getting conscious of what they eat, there are more and more experts who are propagating another set of dietary plan. However, not all of them are receiving a nod from medical practitioners. One of the most favored types of diet is the GI low diet.

What is the GI Low Diet?

A GI low diet is certainly not referring to the diet of militaries, though you need to be disciplined enough to stick to it. GI stands for glycaemic index. It was in 1981 when Dr. David Jenkins introduced the concept of the GI low diet. According to him, carbohydrates, depending on the source, have varied effects to the level of sugar that is found in the blood. Others can be very detrimental, while a number of them produce little to no effect at all.

Losing weight through the GI Low Diet

The GI low diet is based on a ranking of different kinds of food, according to their GI value. It’s been inferred that those belonging to the lower ranks have more chances of helping you lose weight. This is because they are very slow when it comes to releasing sugar. Thus, besides having almost constant energy supply, you will feel much fuller and more satisfied with your food. Of course, the ones with higher GI value will produce an opposite effect. Thus, if you are thinking of losing weight through the GI low diet, you need to concentrate on those with lower values instead of the higher ones.

Other benefits of the GI Low Diet

Besides lowering your blood sugar and making you feel so much fuller, the GI low diet also means that you have to minimize your intake of fat. As you know, they can actually be one of the leading causes when it comes to developing various heart-related diseases such as hypertension, stroke and heart attack. Hence, even if a certain food has a very low value, as long as it’s enriched with fat, you need to cut them out from your diet or limit your intake. These may include chocolates and whole milk, to name a few.

Downsides of the GI Low Diet

One of the greatest disadvantages of the GI low diet is that it’s very hard to determine the GI value of a particular food. Worse, you cannot simply use the amount of carbohydrates they contain when it comes to deciding if they are indeed right for your diet. For example, salted peanuts have garnered a very high GI score; however, they contain 5 grams of salt, which is actually what is being recommended by nutritional experts. Moreover, the manner by which you cook your meal can practically change the overall GI value of the food.

Nevertheless, despite the limitation of the GI low diet, it has received favorable responses from medical experts. They believe that the theory behind it is sound. You will only not lose water in your diet, but you can also exhaust those excess fats. Following the GI low diet strictly will allow you to lose as much as 2 pounds every week.