The Glycemic Index-Fact or Fiction December 1, 2011

I’m sure by now everybody has heard about the glycemic index.  Maybe it was on television;  or maybe you have read about it on the internet.  With all of the weight loss hype going around,  it can be hard to know what is real and what is not.  Surely you all know by now that many people are just out to get your money.  So in this post;  I will do my best so separate fact from fiction.

About the Glycemic Index

The glycemic index is a value or score that is given to a certain food based on how fast the carbohydrates are broken down and then absorbed into the bloodstream.  These scores range between 1 and 100;  1 being the best,  and 100 being the worst.  There are many factors that contribute to this such as the food consistency and the type of carbohydrates present.  But one of the biggest indicators is fiber content.

High Glycemic Index Foods

• Potatoes
• White bread
• Sugar
• Watermelon
• Pineapple
• All fruit juice
• White rice

Low Glycemic Index Foods

• Sweet potatoes
• Wild rice
• Apples
• High fiber berries
• Pears
• Sourdough bread
• Nuts
• Most non starchy vegetables

The Glycemic Index and Diabetes

The low glycemic index diet is thought to be good for diabetics because it minimizes blood sugar spikes.  Any type 2 diabetic knows how hard it can be to keep your blood sugar steady.  Apart from blood sugar getting too high,  it can also be too low;  wreaking havoc on the human body.

The high fiber content in these foods slows the digestion of these sugars into the bloodstream,  this gives the insulin a chance to do it’s job.  This can really cut down on the amount of tweaking that somebody has to do with their blood pressure medications.

Weight Loss

This is the area where things can get confusing;  just because of the amount of scam products that target weight loss.  But in this area,  I’m glad to say that they’re is some science to actually back this up.  But for it to be beneficial,  it is best that you understand how and why it works.

Blood sugar levels are just as important for weight loss as they are for the type 2 diabetics.

Dietary Fiber

Dietary fiber is excellent for weight loss.  It provides filling bulk;  along with slowing the absorption of carbohydrates into the body.  Fiber can also be added as a supplement,  glucomannan and psyllium husk are the 2 of the most popular.  And several glucomannan weight loss studies that were recently conducted,  add credibility to this claim.

Blood Sugar and Weight Loss

Most of us know that high levels of blood sugar are not healthy.  But low levels of blood sugar can be just as bad.  When we eat these high glycemic foods,  blood sugar levels quickly spike.

It is the job of insulin to regulate blood sugar levels in the body.  So the insulin rushes in at a very fast rate;  and sometimes doesn’t know when to stop.  This can make the blood sugar dip far too low.  When our blood sugar levels get too low,  we get hungry.  We also get tired and cranky,  these can be other causes of overeating;  as well as inactivity.

This is a vicious cycle that is a nightmare for anyone who is trying to lose weight.

Along with the other disadvantages,  most of these low glycemic index foods cause constipation.  Constipation is another cause of inactivity,  as well as poor nutrient absorption.  And we need our nutrients for good health.  So it all goes together.

In Closing

So are low glycemic index foods good for diabetics…the answer is yes.  Are they good for weight loss…the answer is yes.  Just don’t fall for the hype too much,  there is a limit to what this can accomplish.  And don’t believe any information you hear about certain foods having a negative calorie effect.  There is no such thing.

Glucomannan Fiber June 3, 2011

By now I’m sure that everybody has heard about the health benefits of soluble fiber.  And for many years,  the only real choice was psyllium husk.  But there is a new kind of fiber that is becoming very popular…glucomannan.

Glucomannan has several benefits over psyllium husk.  The first is that it has been shown to be better tolerated than psyllium.  The second is that glucomannan is not grain based,  so it has no gluten.  Glucomannan is actually derived from the root of the konjac plant.

Glucomannan Benefits

Glucomannan is most commonly used to help alleviate constipation.  But it has many other benefits as well.  It has been shown to aid in weight loss.  This is for obvious reasons,  It has bulk and is naturally filling.

It has been shown to help people with type 2 diabetes.  When soluble fiber is mixed with water,  it forms a gel.  This slows the absorption of carbohydrates.  It has also been shown to lower cholesterol for the same reasons listed above.

But there is one area that most people are not aware of.  Glucomannan is a prebiotic fiber.  This means that it acts as a natural food source for the naturally occurring probiotic fiber present in all of our digestive tracts.

This is excellent for preventing a condition known as dysbiosis.  Dysbiosis occurs when our healthy probiotic bacteria gets overtaken by other not so friendly organisms such as candida.

While some people will simply take a probiotic supplement,  glucomannan is an excellent way to go also.  And all of the other health benefits are just a bonus as far as I’m concerned.  A combination of probiotics and soluble fiber is a super power combo for natural digestive health.

Glucomannan Side Effects

There are some minor glucomannan side effects that can occur,  but they are minor and include gas and abdominal discomfort.  But there is one area for concern.  Glucomannan,  especially in the pill form will expand when mixed with water,  so it is very important that you chase it down with a large glass of water.

The reason for this is that there is a possibility the capsule could expand and get lodged in the esophagus.  I have never heard of this happening,  but it’s better to be safe.  But water is essential to proper digestion anyway,  so drink up.

Conclusion

I know we’ve all heard about different supplements that don’t live up to the hype,  but glucomannan is an exception.  Weight loss,  regularity,  diabetes,  cholesterol…Who knows what they’ll find next.