The Glycemic Index and High Protein Food
Glycemic Index High Protein Food: Diet Freebies!
Diets tend to be ironclad. There are things you just can’t eat and everything counts, one way or another, toward the limit. This does not have to be the case when eating according to the glycemic index. High protein food are a nice little loophole, like a “freebee” that seems to be lacking in so many other diets.
Here’s a brief explanation of how anyone can use this freebie to expand their diets through the use of protein foods.
The Background
Let’s start at the beginning. The glycemic index is rated according to how fast foods are digested and enter the bloodstream and what effects this has on your blood sugar level. Something that burns quickly will cause a spike in your blood sugar, which is just the sort of thing the glycemic index was made to avoid. Such spikes are generally unhealthy.
Foods that digest slowly, that burn slowly will cause a slow rise in blood sugar at a steadier rate, without the crash that often follows eating high glycemic food. The more slowly food is digested, the better quality of energy you will receive from it.
The problem with high glycemic food is that it is almost an addiction. It is a vicious circle because it causes a rush that makes you feel energetic, and then crashes hard, making you feel tired – which requires another rush, until the crash, and so on. Most people have no idea this is going on.
So, What’s All This About, Protein?
High protein food causes the digestion process to move more slowly. It takes a bit longer than other types of food as it burns away more gradually, rather than all at once.
This means that adding protein to high glycemic foods – for example peanut butter on white bread – will cause both to burn more slowly, both the bread and the peanut butter. The slower the digestion gets when the protein level is higher. In other words, the blood sugar level will not spike, despite having eaten that slice of high glycemic white bread.
Just that one change makes all the difference and makes planning a diet a whole lot easier.
Now..For The Part About “Freebies”
Many people groan inwardly when they see all the foods on the glycemic index that have a high score. Bread, rice bagels and many kinds of cereal are all fairly high on the list. Does that mean they can never be eaten again?
Not at all! While it’s bad to go overboard with these foods and eat them all of the time, adding something with protein to the mix makes them a lot better for you. There’s no need to give up everything you like to have a low glycemic diet. Find a way to put high protein food into the glycemic index diet, and high glycemic foods drop a fair way down the list.
Forbidden foods as freebies – what other diet can offer this opportunity? Only the glycemic index one!
Tallying Your Glycemic Load
Glycemic Index vs. Glycemic Load Index
More often than not, nearly all the Glycemic Index lists or charts published have an added numbered scale column. This is the Glycemic Load Index. This additional measure was created out of the notion that the Glycemic Index formula was missing some key components of data that would make the index more effective or accurate.
In plain terms, the difference between the two is, the Glycemic Index measures the specific carbohydrates, and the Glycemic Load measures the blood sugar raising power per serving of food. In other words, the Glycemic Load is a relatively new way to assess the impact of carbohydrate consumption that takes the glycemic index into account, but gives a fuller picture than does glycemic index alone.
How to Use the Glycemic Load Index
There are many benefits to using the glycemic load index to plan a diet, but it can be confusing to someone not used to it. The ranking of foods on the index can depend upon several factors:
- Different means of food production, processing or cooking;
- The amount of food eaten,
- An individual’s personal metabolism; and
- How foods are combined at a meal
All these variables can easily change the number on the Glycemic Index.
Controversies exist regarding the computation of the glycemic index. There are some experts who claim that the index is slightly off as each food is based on a very small quantity of food (50 grams), somewhat less than what a person would generally eat. This skews the index toward heavily favoring low-carbohydrate foods while unfairly inflating the value of high-carbohydrate foods.
In light of this, a group of nutritionists have developed a formula from the glycemic index to figure out the glycemic load certain foods add to the bloodstream, which also considers the carbohydrates. The Glycemic Load is calculated this way:
Glycemic Load = Glycemic Index/100 x Net Carbs
Where,
Net Carbs = are equal to the Total Carbohydrates minus Dietary Fiber
For instance, starch and sugar may provide energy, but they have no fiber whatsoever. These nutritionists recommend using the glycemic load rather than the index because it accounts for the quantity of food eaten and the way such foods are combined. It is necessary to know what the glycemic index and the glycemic load of foods are in order to know the exact effect they have on blood sugar.
How Glycemic Load Improves the Glycemic Index
Here is a comparative scale of the GI and GL index charts:
A glycemic load of more than 20 is considered high. Medium is a score from 11 to 19, while anything 10 or less is considered low. Just as an example, consider watermelon. The glycemic index of such a sweet fruit is fairly high – 72. A 120 gram serving, however, has only 6 grams of carbohydrates. 72 divided by 100 times 6 is 4.32. Round that down to 4, to a very low glycemic load. See how much of a difference that makes?
Learning the difference and definitions of glycemic index and glycemic load can be a big help in figuring out a healthier way to eat. Certain combinations can really be a life-changing experience. Looking at both can explain why ice cream, containing fat and protein, can have a lower glycemic index and glycemic load than an equivalent amount of Cheerios, which are virtually entirely refined carbohydrates. Alone, the glycemic index can be useful in choosing the right foods and it is certainly easier than counting carbohydrates.
The glycemic index is not perfect, but despite its shortcomings, it is still by far a powerful and exceptional tool for those suffering from insulin resistance.
A Taste Of Glycemic Index Recipes
Amazing Glycemic Index Recipes!
Eating according to the glycemic index chart sounds like it might be fairly bland. Things are not always as they seem, however. Glycemic Index recipes are not only healthy, they are very tasty as well. Try these glycemic index recipes, and you will see for yourself! Remember, taste will NOT be compromised even thought you’ll be eliminating high carbohydrate count foods, and all saturated fats. Instead, fiber-rich foods, delicious proteins and a wide selection of fruits and vegetables will replace the high blood glucose level foods that will keep you from loosing weight.
Chicken and Fried Rice
Ingredients:
12 fluid ounces of chicken stock
1 ½ ounces of brown rice
5 ½ ounces of chickpeas (cooked)
2 fluid ounces of light soy sauce
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
2 cubed boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 ounces of sliced mushrooms
1 chopped green onion
1 diced carrot
2 sliced celery (sticks)
8 ounces bean sprouts
Salt to taste
Instructions:
Add 10 ounces of the chicken stock, the salt, and the rice to a medium saucepan. When it begins to boil, reduce the heat to low and cook it covered for 25 minutes or until all the liquid in the pot has been absorbed.
Fluff the rice with a fork, then put it aside for later.
Add the sesame oil to a large non-stick skillet and cook the chicken and mushrooms over a medium to high heat until the chicken is white all the way through. Once the chicken is cooked, add the celery, onions, chickpeas, carrots, and rice. Stir while cooking for about two minutes.
Add the rest of the chicken stock, and the soy sauce, then cook for a further five minutes. Finally add the sprouts and mix it all together.
Eat it with a light salad for a great glycemic index recipe meal!
Chicken Tarragon Delight
Ingredients:
2 chicken cutlets (about 4 ounces apiece)
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
8 ounces of mushrooms (sliced)
2 ounces of white wine
1 teaspoon of margarine
1 teaspoon of dried tarragon
Freshly ground pepper
1 chopped small onion
4 ounces of water or chicken stock
Instructions:
Add the oil to a non-stick pan and heat over a medium to high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with the pepper and sauté it in the oil until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover it.
Use the same pan for the margarine and sauté the mushroom and onions until they’re soft (about five minutes). Lastly, add the wine and tarragon.
Simmer for about a minute, then add the chicken stock. Let it simmer again until it is reduced to about half. Add a bit of pepper, and it’s done!
Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.
Oh, and this recipe is great over rice!
GI Chocolate Cookies…m,m, good!
Ingredients:
3 ounces of non-hydrogenated soft margarine
3 ounces whole meal flour
1 tablespoon of wheat bran
4 ounces of sugar substitute
¼ pint of cooked, pureed white kidney beans
1 ½ ounces of unsweetened cocoa powder
3 fluid ounces of skim milk
1 egg
2 teaspoons of vanilla
½ teaspoon of baking soda
Add the egg, skim milk, vanilla, cocoa powder, baking soda, sugar substitute, flour, margarine and bean puree into a bowl and beat it until well mixed.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper and drop teaspoons of cookie batter onto it. Bake them for about 10 minutes or until they are firm.
These are just a couple of the many – and varied – delicious glycemic index recipes that can be prepared when following this new and healthy eating habbit.
Switch Over to Low Glycemic Index Foods
Meeting the Challenge: The Switch to Low Glycemic Index Food
Any change of diet can be difficult, and the change to foods with low glycemic index is no exception. The best route is to introduce the new changes slowly in order to better acclimate yourself to the changes.
It will seem like a horrible chore, but it certainly is not the end of the world. It can be the beginning of a whole new phase of improved health and more energy. Once there, you’ll wonder why you ever ate any other way. The change is the hard part!
Why Is It So Hard, Anyway?
Diet is a habit, and chances are you’ve been following your particular diet for years now. That’s perfectly fine and perfectly normal. That’s the way virtually everyone does things. Everyone tends to form habits and become comfortable with them.
Changing a habit takes a tremendous amount of dedication and willpower. This is where people often find the greatest difficulty. It is difficult to muster up that much sheer mental fortitude to make the change.
The best ways to change are ways that are personalized. Whatever works best for you, personally, is the best method for you, plainly enough. Some people have no problems at all with making big changes quickly. They can just plunge right in. Others need to take it step by step.
So, which way would suit you best?
Making the Change Quickly
Many people try the quick transition as the sort of “cold turkey” approach to diet change. This isn’t because it’s the quickest way necessarily, but it is the way that works best for them.
People who take the drastic route should wait until there isn’t much food left in the house. Eat all the old food, so there isn’t any of it to pick. At that point, consult the glycemic index list and make up a list of foods with low glycemic numbers. Restock your kitchen with good food from that list.
This means there is very little opportunity to eat the former bad foods, because what else is left to eat?
Taking It Slowly
For some this isn’t the easiest way to go, but for others, it is the only way to go. The natural tendency when making a slow change is to go back to the old foods in the refrigerator. That does not mean change will never come, however! It can start small. Get just one item that is low on the glycemic index at first. Swap out the foods one by one. Over time it will become easier, and before you know it your entire diet will have changed.
Why Do It At All?
No lifestyle change is easy, and this includes changes in diet. What we enjoy eating becomes second nature over the years. Shifting away from that to something entirely new – namely, to foods with low glycemic index – is a very difficult thing to do. It is also a very healthy thing to do.
Understanding The Glycemic Index Chart
The Glycemic Index Chart – Where Is Your Favorite Food?
New to the glycemic index chart? It could be a little confusing to anyone who has never taken a close look at it before. The chart was first created to give doctors and their patients a common ground to work from when planning a diet, which means, it is important for a layman to be able to understand the numbers and know what they mean and how they work.
The glycemic index chart does not have to be a scary thing. In fact, it may very well be your key to a healthier life. Take a look at it, learn from it and reap the benefit.
What Do All Those Numbers Mean?
A quick look at the glycemic index chart will show a long list of foods, each one with a number next to it ranging from 1 to 100. This number shows how much and how quickly the level of blood sugar will rise, upon consuming these foods. For instance, something with a 95 will be digested quickly, burning energy fast and raising your level of blood sugar quickly. A lower number will take more time to digest and slowly raise the level of blood sugar, which is healthier in the long run – particularly for diabetics.
The concept is simple, once it’s understood. These charts generally rate anything above 70 as high, anything from 55 to 69 as moderate, and anything 54 or less as low. Many charts don’t even list foods individually. Instead they will rate food groups or types of food. Charts can differ in the details, but the basic principles are the same.
Making Sense of the Ratings
A quick glance at the glycemic index chart may produce some confusion. For instance, a certain candy bar can rank only 40 or so. Pretty moderate, right? A bagel, on the other hand, can be in the 70s.
Many candy bars are not just pure chocolate and sugar. Some of them contain nuts, which are protein. This protein causes the food to be digested at a slower rate, which means its glycemic rating will be lower.
And here is uncovered a big secret of the glycemic index chart. Want to eat something high on the chart? Add protein to it. White bread works well when it is made into a peanut butter or tuna sandwich. This is why some foods that are mixed can have a strange rating. These aren’t just random numbers to those who know how to read the chart well.
So, What Does This All Mean?
The glycemic index is not just a tool for diabetics. Using it can help anyone control their weight and live a longer, healthier life. It takes time and some experimentation to find the right way to use the glycemic index chart, but using it to plan your diet is really worth the effort.
The Glycemic Food Index Made Simple
The Glycemic Food Index Facts – What It Is And How It Can Help with Weight Loss
Glycemic Food Index…a mystery to most people. Even those who have no idea what a sugar crash is have felt the effects at some point in their lives. This is a general tired feeling that is caused by a drop in blood sugar. Sugar is necessary to provide the body with energy, but many foods only give a quick burst and then drop off, leaving the body worse off than it was before. The glycemic food index allows one to choose the sort of foods that release glucose (sugar) at a slow and steady rate, providing a more constant level of energy throughout the day.
The glycemic index provides a way to rank foods according to how they raise, lower, or maintain the glucose level in the bloodstream. This is especially relevant for carbohydrates. Fats or proteins do not have much effect on the blood glucose level. In essence, the glycemic index uses a baseline food, either white bread or pure glucose, and uses that to determine comparison against other foods in 50-gram portions. Carbohydrates all cause some rise in a person’s blood glucose level (known as the glycemic response), but not all carbohydrates are equal. There are other variables as well, such as how much of the food is eaten, what sort of carbohydrates the foods contained, and how the food was prepared. Highly processed foods can also rare differently on the glycemic index than less processed versions of the same food.
Foods on the glycemic index are given a number on a scale from 1 to 100. Pure glucose sets the mark for 100. Any foods greater than 70 are considered high glucose. Moderate levels are from 56 to 69, while anything below 55 is considered to be low on the glycemic index. Something with a great deal of carbohydrates, such as a pretzel, is high at 81 points. Something with more natural sugars, such as a fruit cocktail, is moderate at 55 points. Broccoli is very low at only 15 points.
The goal is not to eat only low glycemic foods, but to have a good mix. A few high glycemic foods are fine, but the truth is that the lower glycemic foods release their glucose at a slower rate, which allows a steadier flow of energy through the body. If most of the foods eaten are low index, it will not only prevent that sugar crash, but control weight gain. Foods that burn their energy slowly keep a body feeling full for a longer period of time, staving off hunger.
Not all carbohydrates are the same. It is the type of carbohydrate that is important. No matter how much is eaten, is the balance that matters! The use of the glycemic index to create meals will make anyone feel healthier and more energetic, as well as control weight. Combined with exercise, very little saturated or trans fat, and lots of fiber, the glycemic food index can help you with your weight loss and change your life for the better.
The Glycemic Index List
The Healthy Way of Eating: Follow The Glycemic Index List
The glycemic index list is a reality of life for diabetics, but over the years more people have realized how it can benefit anyone who wants a better diet. It isn’t just for one segment of the population anymore.
The Glycemic Food Index
The glycemic food index was developed to help diabetics control their blood sugar levels. It was difficult for them to know what was safe to eat and what was dangerous, so doctors developed the index so they and their patients could be on the same page when it came to diet.
The scale of the glycemic index runs from 0 to 100, and the higher the number, the faster the food will raise blood sugar levels. High foods will cause a spike in blood sugar levels, and drop just as quickly. Lower ranked foods are digested more slowly and provide a more even rise in blood sugar. They do not burn quickly, so there is no spike.
It isn’t just diabetics who use the glycemic index. Anyone who wants to reduce the risk of heart disease or control their weight can use the same eating habits to become healthier.
The Glycemic Index List
Anyone who is interested in the idea will soon realize that just knowing about the index is not enough. The way to best interpret the glycemic index is with the glycemic index list.
It is exactly as it sounds – a big long list of various foods and their glycemic ratings. Bread, meat, cereals, vegetables, fruits – it has everything someone might eat for the basis of comparison. It is easy to see just how much that slice of bread or bowl of pasta will rate in terms of the glycemic index with this list. Because they are rated 1 to 100, the numbers are easy to understand. A rating of 80 is pretty high, while 10 is going to be very low.
What’s So Great About The Glycemic Index Anyway?
Ah, there is the great question!! There are dozens of diets out there, all touting their own merits and claiming to be the best. Why should anyone use the glycemic index to determine their diet? What makes it better than all the options out there?
Simple, the glycemic index is not a diet plan for diabetics or something put together to sell books. It is made by doctors and other scientists to manage glucose levels in the bloodstream. It is backed by an insurmountable amount of science-based research and facts. Recently, it has been discovered that managing blood sugar levels is not only beneficial to diabetics, but to people in general, especially those looking to lose weight.
Remember, in a nutshell:
- The glycemic food index measures how much certain foods cause your blood sugar level to spike.
- The glycemic index list provides the glycemic levels of common foods.
- The glycemic index was made to help diabetics manage their diets, but it has been discovered that many non-diabetics can use it to lose weight and become healthier.
