Glycemic index diet is a general term for a weight-loss diet that’s based on choosing foods and beverages that are thought to prevent rapid increases in your blood sugar level.
Glycemic index diet: Losing weight with blood sugar control
Definition
Glycemic index diet is a general term for a weight-loss diet that’s based on choosing foods and beverages that are thought to prevent rapid increases in your blood sugar level. Glycemic index diets are based on the idea that controlling blood sugar levels leads to weight loss. Many popular commercial diets and related books are based at least in part on the glycemic index, including Nutrisystem, the Zone diet and Sugar Busters.
A glycemic index diet uses the glycemic index to guide your eating plan. The glycemic index was originally developed to help improve blood sugar control in diabetes. The glycemic index classifies carbohydrate-containing foods according to their potential to raise your blood sugar level.
The glycemic index diet is neither a low-carb diet nor a low-fat diet, and it doesn’t require you to reduce portion sizes or count calories. Rather, its goal is to help you choose the “right” carbohydrates to keep your blood sugar balanced, leading to weight loss and better health.
Purpose
Diets based on the glycemic index steer you toward foods and beverages with low glycemic index rankings to help you lose weight and, in turn, reduce risk factors for certain chronic diseases.
Why you might follow the glycemic index diet
You might choose to follow the glycemic index diet because you:
- Believe that a diet that regulates blood sugar will help you lose weight quickly or easily
- Believe that you have blood sugar imbalances related to your current diet
- Think that following this diet will help you achieve overall healthier eating habits
- Don’t want to count calories or go low-carb
- Think that you can stick with this diet for the long term
- Have friends who are doing the glycemic index diet
Check with your doctor or health care provider before starting any weight-loss diet, especially if you have any health conditions, including diabetes.