To those that seek to be ripped! I want you to read this so you will have a better understanding of why I use the glycemic index to choose the right foods to eat to reach my goals of maintaining a healthy bodyfat level, or even more extreme leanness.  I use the glycemic index as a small part of the “big picture” when I am choosing healthy foods and shopping at the store, or trying to be creative in inventing crazy gourmet meals.  I like to be creative in my meals to make them as yummy as possible, yet still healthy for me and that will keep me at my desired level of body conditioning.  GET HUGE and EAT!!!

The Glycemic Index…So! What is the glycemic index?

The Glycemic Index is a number that represents how quickly after a food is eaten that it affects your body in the form of an insulin reaction. Foods that have a high glycemic index trigger an undesirable insulin response, which is an insulin spike (insulin level is high). This means that there is an excess amount of insulin in the bloodstream and this promotes fat storage. Just the opposite, foods that are low on the glycemic index do not elevate insulin levels. Low glycemic products as said to reduce excess fat storage, increase and sustain energy levels and increase mental alertness. A high level of insulin is followed by a very low level of insulin, called a 'crash'. This is when you feel tired and may even think you're hungry because your body is trying to raise insulin levels back to normal levels.
            Most of the glycemic charts I’ve seen have ranked carbohydrates from 0 - 100. Simple sugars, that cause an undesirable insulin spike, are higher in number. Examples of foods with a high glycemic index are flour and sugar. Think of all the foods that have either of these ingredients: bread, doughnuts, jelly beans, cookies, bananas... the list goes on and on. Examples of foods with lower glycemic indexes include more complex carbs: beans, yams, beans, oatmeal, beans, and broccoli. These are better food choices because they will not release insulin into your system anywhere near as quickly.  So, the slow release insulin due to the consumption of low glycemic carbohydrates has many consequencial results.  First, the food consumed (nutrients=calories) is absorbed into the body for assimilation of protein to repair tissues and create lean muscle tissue, carbohydrates for glycogen (stored muscle glucose) replenishment and energy for activity, and fats to aid in vitamin uptake, energy, and hormone balance.  Second the slow assimilation of these nutrients means that there is less calories available in the bloodstream at any given time…  Remember, if you consume more calories then you are burning at any given time, then your body will store the excess calories as mostly bodyfat…well yes and no!  Example:  If you eat a 1000 calorie meal of 50% protein (lets say…egg beaters), 45% carbohydrates (lets say from…veggies and beans), and 5% fat.  Well egg-beaters, veggies, and beans are low glycemic, thus minimal insulin response and slow nutrient assimilation…lets say uptake over a 5 hour period.  Now you eat a 1000 calorie meal of 50% protein from egg-beaters, 45% carbohydrates from non-fat pasta, and non-fat bread, and 5% fat.  Well pasta and bread are high glycemic, thus a maximal insulin response and quick nutrient assimilation…lets say about 2 hours.  Whats the difference you say?  1000 calories is 1000 calories…WRONG!  Use your math skills here…1000 calories assimilated in 5 hours –vs- 1000 calories assimilated in 2, the results of the low glycemic meal leads to the assimilation of 200 calories an hour, wherease the high glycemic meal leads to the assimilation of 500 calories an hour.  Now a person is more likely to burn off 200 calories an hour or more while physically active doing whatever…work, play, house work., compared to 500.  You would have to be exercising constantly to burn off 500 calories an hour, and who on earth does that!  Now, if you are sedentary watching T.V. or whatever, like we all do, then you will use the 200 calories and hour for repair, energy, and minimal bodyfat storage.  If you ate high glycemic carbo’s, then your sedentary booty will collect all the extra calories your body does not need right on your seat cushion.  You see!  Amazing isn’t it…it’s the cold hard simple truth.  I don’t care what anybody, any fad-diet, or book says.  If you remember this simple little equation for the rest of your life and adopt it, you can control your body composition and health.  So whether you are active or sedentary, the carbohydrates you eat are the critical factors in what will happen physiologically with your body.  Insullin is one of the most anabolic hormones in the human body, affecting rate of nutrient assimilation and growth.
            An important note is that just because a product is low in carbohydrates does NOT mean it has a low glycemic index. The type of carbohydrates and their relationship to the other ingredients in the product as well as processing dictates a low glycemic index rating and how they affect the human body. The only way to determine a glycemic rating for any product is to subject it to specific analytical testing.

So! Take it from me. Choose carbohydrates that rank low on the glycemic index…the lower the better as far as keeping blood glucose levels within the optimal fat burning range. 

Here is a small glycemic chart to check out!