Glycemic Index and Why it Matters

The most important piece of your diet puzzle is to pick the right carbohydrates. In order to know what carbs to pick, we’re going to use the glycemic index. The glycemic index measures how fast glucose (sugar) raises a person’s blood sugar. Straight glucose is rated 100 on the index and foods with carbohydrates in them are ranked based on how fast sugar is released into your blood. The lower the glycemic index number, the better the food is for you. Follow this link to find the glycemic index number for hundreds of common foodshttp://www.glycemicindex.ca/glycemicindexfoods.pdf.

If you can’t find a particular food, find the glycemic index value for it here. Foods that we are looking to eat a lot of will have a glycemic value of 55 or less. The above list of foods has most green veggies missing; if its green and a vegetable, you should eat it! Foods that have a glycemic value of 56 to 59 are medium, and should be used at a minimum. Foods higher than 60 on the glycemic index is suicide!

“The problem with high-glycemic carbohydrates is that they give an inordinate insulin response. Insulin is an essential hormone for life, yet acute, chronic elevation of insulin leads to hyperinsulinism, which has been positively linked to obesity, elevated cholesterol levels, blood pressure, mood dysfunction and a Pandora’s box of disease and disability”(crossfit.com).

Low glycemic carbohydrates not only control insulin levels, but low glycemic carbs are loaded with the nutrients that keep you healthy and functioning properly. Low glycemic foods are equivalent to rocket fuel for your body!

You’ll be amazed at how well you’ll look, feel, think, and perform. You’re immune system will be invincible and you’ll feel a new found mental focus!