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Have you been hearing a lot about a glycemic diet? What kind of a diet is this and what does it mean? It is a diet with foods low in glycemic index value. Foods are ranked 1 - 100 based on the effects they have on blood sugar levels. Foods with a low glycemic value will slowly release sugar into the blood. This provides you with a steady supply of energy and a satisfied feeling so that you are not hungry. Thus you should snack less often.

Naturally food with a high glycemic impact value will do the opposite of a low value. The rapid rise in blood sugar can make you feel fatigued and hungry within a short period. Thus eating foods high in GI value can cause you to over eat causing weight gain.

Diets based on the GI value will encourage you to eat foods low in GI and to stay away from foods high in GI value. Most of these GI diets like many other diets will discourage the intake of fatty foods, especially saturated fats. So even if you have a food that is low in GI value but high in fat it should be limited in consumption.

Foods ranked from 0 to 55 on the glycemic index are considered to have a low GI. Some foods that have this rank are broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, mushrooms, onions and red peppers. These vegetables all have a rank around 10. Cherries and grapefruits run in the 20's. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grains, lean meat, fish and low fat dairy are basically low in GI value. Any foods that rank over 70 are considered to have a high GI rank. Some of these foods you would want to stay away from are red skinned boiled potatoes, corn flakes, dates, bread stuffing, rice cakes and rice crackers. Foods made from white flour are heavily processed and are usually high GI foods. This is only a small sampling of foods that are low and high in GI value.

What are some popular diets that encourage the low GI values? Ann Collins, Nutrisystem and Ediets all have diet plans that are based on the Glycemic Index. There are many books to help guide you on a low glycemic index diet. The GI diet is claiming to be a simple, healthy way for permanent weight loss without going hungry. There is a saying regarding this diet. If you can follow a traffic light you can follow this diet. Categorizing foods as green, yellow and red.

This GI Diet can actually reduce your risk from heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and other high risk diseases. If you are concerned about your weight and health you owe it to yourself to invest the time and to look into this diet and discuss it with your doctor.