4 questions to ask about low glycemic diets

More and more experts agree that a low glycemic diet is an effective way to lose weight for many people. Ask yourself these questions first to see if this diet is right for you.

• Not long ago, health experts recommended a low-fat, high-carb diet for optimal health and weight management. But it didn't work and carbs took the brunt of the blame.
• Specifically, it was the types of carbs people were eating, like french fries, mashed potatoes and hamburger buns.
• It was the starchy foods and refined grains stripped of their fibre and other nutrients that were the likely culprits.
• Because these foods digest quickly and convert easily into glucose, or blood sugar, they cause blood sugar and insulin surges that lead to insulin resistance and weight gain, or so the theory goes.

• The glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how quickly a food is broken down into glucose.
• The reference point is pure glucose, which is arbitrarily scored as 100. The higher the GI, the greater the blood sugar spike a food causes.
• White buns and white potatoes, for example, rank high on the GI.
• Thanks to our penchant for processed foods and refined grains, the GI of our diets has increased dramatically over the past 30 years.
• Some experts believe this is the primary reason for the obesity epidemic, along with increasing portion sizes.

• Researchers have found that people who ate a diet with a low GI lost an average of 1.1 kilograms (2 1/2 pounds) more than people who ate a higher-GI diet.
• One likely reason is that low-GI diets lessen hunger by keeping blood sugar levels relatively steady.
• In a study of 39 overweight or obese people, researchers found that participants on a low-GI diet reported less hunger than those on a low-fat diet. Their metabolisms slowed less as well.

• You don't have to give up foods like potatoes, corn and rice. But you should probably eat less of them.
• You should try to get more of your carbs from non-starchy vegetables and legumes.
• Instead of rice or corn-based cereal, choose a bran cereal.
• Steer clear of most store-bought baked goods.
• Sweetened fruit drinks and non-diet soft drinks should also be avoided.

Switching to a low-GI diet could help you lose weight. Learn as much as you can before making the switch to see if it's right for you.