3 Myths about the Glycemic Index

3 Myths about the Glycemic Index

3 Myths about the Glycemic Index

There are plenty of myths floating around the glycemic index these days. It seems like just about everyone knows something about it and is happy to tell you which foods to eat as well as which high-glycemic foods to avoid. The truth is that measuring the glycemic effect of foods is a highly precise and scientific process that requires specific testing.

You Should Never Eat High-Glycemic Foods

A low-glycemic diet is all about moderation, so thinking that you can't ever have that high-glycemic chocolate chip cookie you love is both silly and potentially harmful. Second, the glycemic index is only one component to consider when choosing which foods you want to eat. You should also consider vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, total carbohydrate amount, fat content, type of fat, and sodium.Some higher-glycemic foods, such as popcorn and Cheerios, are made of whole grains, which are good sources of fiber. When you want to eat a high-glycemic food, balance that choice out with a lean protein and other low-glycemic foods. For example, enjoy whole-grain cereals for breakfast served with fat-free milk and fresh strawberries, or add a small handful of peanuts to your popcorn for a medium-glycemic snack.The amount you eat of a high-glycemic food is often more important than how frequently you consume it. Paying attention to your portion sizes of higher- glycemic foods is an important eating strategy for weight loss. Enjoy a snack-size portion of microwave popcorn rather than a large bowl, and you're making progress!

High-Glycemic Foods Will Make You Gain Weight

Weight gain occurs when you consume more calories than you expend. Although it's true that some high-glycemic foods are higher in calories (French fries, for example, have a higher GI of 64), it's also true that some lower-glycemic foods are high in calories. Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, often a favorite birthday cake choice, has a GI of only 38. Yet it certainly wouldn't be on any dieter's list of "foods to eat on a daily basis."If your goal is to lose weight and keep it off, pay attention to both the calorie content of the foods you eat as well as their glycemic index. And don't forget to exercise regularly too!

You Can Eat as Many Low-Glycemic Foods as You Want and Lose Weight

How nice it would be if this myth were true! Unfortunately, it's not. Yes, you can eat all the low-glycemic foods you want but you still need to factor calories into the equation if you want to lose weight. Why? Because some low-glycemic foods are high in calories. Nuts, for example, have a GI of less than 30. Yet 1 ounce of mixed nuts contains 166 calories, and most people find it very difficult to limit themselves to just 1 ounce of nuts. A handful of nuts is at least 1/2 cup and that amount of nuts contains more than 400 calories!Even if you choose low-calorie, low-glycemic foods, you should still pay attention to the amount you're eating. Calories add up quickly, and overeating leads to weight gain and health problems.

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