subject: Choose Low Glycemic Carbohydrates Over High Glycemic Carbohydrates [print this page] Author: michaelrussell Author: michaelrussell
There has been a lot of discussion in the media recently about reducing carbohydrate intake, but what does that mean? Many food companies and fast-food restaurants are coming out with low-carbohydrate versions of their menu offerings. Are all carbohydrates bad for you? No, they are not. Your body needs carbohydrates as much as it needs protein and fat. Your brain needs carbohydrates to function properly, and your body needs them as an energy source. You want to use your excess fat as an energy source, but that energy source can go only so far. What the diet industry has determined as "bad" carbohydrates are the ones that elicit the high insulin response because their high glycemic index causes them to enter the bloodstream quickly. "Good" or low to moderate glycemic carbohydrates do the exact opposite: they enter the bloodstream slowly and elicit a low insulin response. However, I don't like to refer to carbohydrates as "good" or "bad"; they are simply either high, moderate, or low glycemic, due to their effect on insulin.
The Glycemic Index ranks carbohydrates from 0 to 100 based on how quickly they enter the bloodstream and cause blood sugar and insulin levels to rise.
Low glycemic carbohydrates are listed as 55 or less.
Medium or moderate glycemic carbohydrates are listed as 56 to 69.
High glycemic carbohydrates are listed as 70 and above
Listed first in the Glycemic Index Food List are low glycemic, fiber-rich carbohydrates. If you can eat from this list most of the time, you will have great success in dropping body fat and in managing your weight in the long term.
About the Author:
For Michael Russell, writing articles for Health-care-tips.org. Tips and information on herbal medicines and home remedies for treatment of various common ailments and diseases. For any querry cotact author at nikhil@health-care-tips.org.
