Low Gi Diet or Low Carb Diet ? Which One Is Best? > NetSparsh

Home
>
Weight Loss
>
Low Gi Diet or Low Carb Diet ? Which One Is Best?

Low Gi Diet or Low Carb Diet ? Which One Is Best?

These days, most everyone has heard of low carb diets such as the South Beach and Atkins diet but the GI or glycemic index diet is a fairly new name on the diet scene. While low carb diets restrict the quantity of carbohydrates, the GI diet focuses on the quality of carbohydrates. It works by promoting the consumption of foods that are low on the glycemic index, foods which will have a gently effect on your blood sugar levels and keep you full longer.

A typical low carb diet, has a restrictive phase in the beginning where your carbohydrate intake is severely limited. You can eat all the meat you want and fats are also unlimited, although the South Beach Diet does encourage you to stick to low fat meats and healthy fats. As the diet progresses, you can gradually add in more carbohydrates, typically those with a low glycemic index are also those that are lower in carbs.

Although a low GI diet might not be one that you've heard much about before, it has actually been around since the 1970's and is used in many European countries to help manage diabetes. Recently, however, this way of eating has gotten a lot of attention as a healthy way to control weight. This diet focuses on carbohydrates ? "good carbs" have a low glycemic index and you should eat plenty of them (incidentally, these are also the foods that we know to be good for us like fruits, vegetables and whole grains). "Bad carbs" have a high glycemic index and should be eaten in moderation and mixed with the low glycemic index carbs to lower the overall GI of a meal. Since this diet focuses only on carbs it is very easy for vegetarians to adopt this way of eating.

In comparison, a low carb diet can be limiting in fruits and vegetables which are high in vitamins, minerals and enzymes as well as fiber. Many people associate low carb diets with a license to eat as much saturated fat as you want, but that choice is up to the individual so we really can't fault the diet for this misconception. A low GI diet is full of fruits, vegetables, fiber and low in fat but emphasis the good fats found in nuts. It encourages eating lean meats in moderation. While we all know that meats and fats are no carb and green leafy vegetables are low carb, some may not be aware of what foods have a low glycemic index. Most vegetables (except potatoes, beets, pumpkin) have a very low GI. Some fruits that have a low GI include citrus fruits, apples, plums and peaches while most other fruits have a medium GI value. Oatmeal, most pasta and whole wheat bread also have a low gi.

So which diet is best?

Where many people in the health and nutrition profession consider a low carb diet to be unhealthy, most everyone would consider a gi diet to be very healthy. Studies have shown that eating lots of fruits and vegetables can help to bolster your immune system thus allowing you to fight disease and eating high fat meats may adversely affect your health and help contribute to heart disease. That being said, it has also been shown that being overweight is a major health risk for many diseases so the best diet is probably one that works for you! Some folks might respond better to a low carb, others to a low gi. Either way, it makes sense to make healthy food choices, limit food intake and exercise for your good health.

Lee Dobbins is owner and editor of Low Carb And Low GI Resource where you can learn more about the glycemic index value of foods.

In The News:

This RSS feed URL is deprecated, please update. New URLs can be found in the footers at https://news.google.com/news

INSIDER
10 surprising costs of losing weight
INSIDER
When you are focused on your health, or a specific fitness goal like weight loss, you're better off to prepare your own food than to eat out, making it a more time-consuming process, especially if you live somewhere like a food desert. When you prepare ...
Here's Why You Need to Eat A High-Fibre DietNDTV

all 4 news articles »

Nutrisystem: The Science Of Weight Loss
Seeking Alpha
Shares of Nutrisystem Inc. (NTRI) are down 15.93% since peaking on August 3, 2018, and in my opinion, the shares of this provider of weight management products and services are an attractive buy at current price levels. The company has a solid history ...

Snopes.com
How a Weight Loss Company Lured People Into Paying to Join a Non-Existent Study
Snopes.com
The Oregon-based weight loss company Fitera was founded by Chad Tackett in 1996 under the name Global Health and Fitness. His company, which claims to be the oldest internet-based weight loss outfit in existence, provides strategies for weight loss, ...

Healthline
13 Causes of Unexplained Weight Loss
Healthline
Unexplained weight loss, or losing weight without trying, can be a cause for concern. It might indicate an underlying condition. A good rule of thumb is to see your doctor if you've lost a significant amount — more than 5 percent of your weight ...

The Takeout
Last Call: What if we've been wrong about weight loss all along?
The Takeout
There's a fascinating article making the round in Huffington Post today, titled “Everything you know about obesity is wrong” by Michael Hobbes. It's a long read, but a fascinating one, making the case that overweight people aren't necessarily any more ...

NBCNews.com
Meal timing and weight loss: Does it matter when you eat?
NBCNews.com
As the saying goes, timing is everything. And when it comes to eating, aligning your meals with your natural circadian rhythm — the highly elaborate physiological system that coordinates your sleep-wake cycle and all the hormones and metabolic ...

nwitimes.com
Consistency helps Times weight-loss contestants drop 162 pounds
nwitimes.com
During each of the first seven months of The Times' Lose 18 in '18 weight-loss contest, Pociask has lost weight. She's been chipping away at the number she sees on the scale, a few pounds at a time. She's been ever so consistent. "Basically I show up ...

Women's Health
Jenna Jameson Just Shared All The Keto Foods That Helped Her Lose 60 Pounds
Women's Health
Jenna lost 60 pounds on the keto diet—recently hitting her ideal weight of 125 pounds—and revealed on Instagram that she's now “upping” her calories to try to stay at her current weight. “I am not saying to myself... 'it's ok to eat garbage processed ...

Women's Health
Kirstie Alley's Weight-Loss Journey Hasn't Been Easy
Women's Health
That means fans have been with her through her weight-loss wins and setbacks (like when she lost 75-pounds on Jenny Craig...or when she gained some of it back before losing weight again on Dancing With The Stars). So, no, Kirstie's weight-loss journey ...

POPSUGAR
Could Sparkling Water Wreck Your Weight Loss? We Asked a Dietitian
POPSUGAR
Whether you're trying to slim down or simply maintain your weight, you probably know that what you drink matters just as much as what you eat. Eliminating soda (even diet versions) is a no-brainer, and while you might assume that sparkling water is a ...

Google News

Low Gi Diet or Low Carb Diet ? Which One Is Best?

Weight Loss Weight Loss