Is Glycemic Index is important in food that we eat?

In body building we often focus on food with high level of carbohydrates but there is a hidden danger of diabetes with these high carb foods. This is where the importance of food with a low GI(Glycemic Index) comes into play. We should choose foods that have low GI and that means it has very low effect on our blood glucose levels.

For example fruits that are high in fiber won't let glucose spread in a faster way. So ideally we have to choose high carb and low GI foods like nuts, legumes, dairy products, fiber rich fruits and vegetables. Meat and poultry doesn't have any GI as they are not carbohydrate sources. But eating too much of meat can lead to high cholesterol.

Eating a lot of high GI foods can be detrimental to your health because it can raise blood sugar and as such pushes your endocrine system to extremes. This is especially true if you are overweight and sedentary. Switching to eating mainly low GI carbohydrates that slowly trickle glucose into your blood stream has many benefits, such as:

Low GI diets increase the body's sensitivity to insulin.
Low GI carbohydrates improve diabetes control
Low GI carbohydrates reduce the risk of heart disease
Low GI carbohydrates reduce blood cholesterol levels
Low GI carbohydrates reduce hunger and keep you fuller for longer
Low GI carbohydrates prolong physical endurance
Low GI diets help people lose and control weight
Low GI diets help minimize carbohydrate cravings
Low GI diets help minimize energy crashes
Here are some tips to start a low GI diet.
Here are some tips to start you on your way:

Skip sugary box cereals like Cocoa Puffs. Instead choose breakfast cereals based on oats, barley and bran
Skip the white bread and instead choose breads with whole grains, stone-ground flour, sour dough
Reduce the amount of white potatoes you eat, substitute for yams and sweet potatoes
Skip the white rice and instead choose basmati rice
Eat plenty of salad vegetables with a vinaigrette dressing
Minimize fruit juices
Choose cherries, peaches, grapefruit or bananas over watermelon or dates

This is one of those where it comes out and I always think that it is the end all be all, and then you start to read some more and realize that there are other measures though. I guess the best you can do is do your research and find out what you yourself should avoid.

It is true that glycemic index may be a good measure to take into account while choosing food items especially for those who are diabetics or are prone to it.


However, it is difficult for general population to know which food items could be having high or low GI as most packed food items do not have this spelled out.

The general rule then should be avoid carb packed foods and turn to protein and fibre rich items.

GI is very important, but the main issue is that the general population is very much ignorant in what nutrition is concerned. Even when we try to get informed about supplements it's hard, so that is why our community here is so important.