KEYWORDS: low carb diet which carbs are bad glycemic index good carbs low glycemic index foods
Calorie for calorie, what's a better snack choice, pretzels or peanuts? If you've clued into the notion that all carbs are not created equal, you know that the answer is peanuts. But why?
The answer lies in the fact that some carbohydrates, when digested, affect your body differently than others. The carbs found in pretzels affect your body more adversely than do those in peanuts, making the nuts a better choice. This carb difference is precisely why it's important to follow a weight loss plan that considers the quality of carbs over the quantity of carbs included.
According to the Glycemic Index (which is a ranking of carbs based on their effect on your blood sugar and insulin levels), "good carbs" are those that don't spike your blood sugar and insulin levels, so you don't store fat, but instead burn it. These good carbs are given a LOW Glycemic Index rating.
Quality Over Quantity
When comparing weight loss plans, don't confuse
"low-carb" with
"low-glycemic."
LOW-CARB diets severely restrict the amount of any type of carbs you can consume.
LOW-GLYCEMIC diets simply restrict the type of carbs you should have—"bad" or high Glycemic Index carbs should be avoided. |
On the other hand, "bad carbs" are those that do spike your blood sugar and insulin levels (which causes you to store more fat), and they're given HIGH Glycemic Index ratings.
In other words:
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GOOD carb |
= |
LOW GI |
| BAD carb |
= |
HIGH GI |
So if you're looking to lose weight, it's important to seek out a GOOD carb, LOW-glycemic program, to ensure that you get maximum fat burning, for maximum results. And don't be confused by all of those "low-carb" plans out there—low-carb does NOT mean low-glycemic. There's a big difference between "low-carb" and "low-glycemic" plans—low-carb plans restrict ALL types of carbs you can have, whereas low-glycemic plans include those "good carbs" that help you burn fat (not to mention, keep your carb cravings at bay)—and that distinction could spell the difference between success or failure for you on your weight loss program.
Here's a fun exercise—to test your knowledge of good carbs vs. bad carbs, take our quick quiz to see if you can identify, calorie-for-calorie, which carbs are better for you than others.
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Based on the Glycemic Index, which foods rank BETTER?
- Ice Cream or Tapioca?
- Angel Food Cake or Sponge Cake?
- French Bread or Croissant?
- Bagel or Blueberry Muffin?
- Rye Bread or Whole-Wheat Bread?
- Instant Rice or Linguini?
- Apple Juice or Cranberry Juice?
- Grapefruit Juice or Orange Juice?
- Baked Beans or Beets?
- Cheerios or Fruit Loops?
- Cornflakes or Frosted Flakes?
- Instant Oatmeal or Shredded Wheat?
- Rice Krispies or Special K?
- Popcorn or Corn Chips?
- Peanut M&Ms or Pretzels?
Here are the answers!
- Ice Cream or Tapioca? Ice Cream
- Angel Food Cake or Sponge Cake? Sponge Cake
- French Bread or Croissant? Croissant
- Bagel or Blueberry Muffin? Blueberry Muffin
- Rye Bread or Whole-Wheat Bread? Rye Bread
- Instant Rice or Linguini? Linguini
- Apple Juice or Cranberry Juice? Apple Juice
- Grapefruit Juice or Orange Juice? Grapefruit Juice
- Baked Beans or Beets? Baked Beans
- Cheerios or Fruit Loops? Fruit Loops
- Cornflakes or Frosted Flakes? Frosted Flakes
- Instant Oatmeal or Shredded Wheat? Instant Oatmeal
- Rice Krispies or Special K? Special K
- Popcorn or Corn Chips? Popcorn
- Peanut M&Ms or Pretzels? Peanut M&Ms
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Get the NutriSystem
Glycemic Index Advantage
The Glycemic Index ranks the quality of carbohydrates and their impact on your blood sugar levels.
Carbohydrates that break down slowly in your body and encourage stable blood sugar and insulin levels (so you don't store fat), have a low rating on the Glycemic Index, and are called "good carbs."
Carbs that break down too quickly and cause your insulin levels to spike, which in turn, causes your body to store fat, have higher glycemic index ratings, and are called "bad carbs."
These "bad" carbs also leave you hungry and craving soon after a meal, so if you're looking to lose weight, you should seek to incorporate as many "good" carbs with low Glycemic Index values as possible to keep your blood sugar levels stable and your metabolism burning strong.
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How did you do? Was it tough to tell the good carbs from the bad? If you're like most people, probably so. While of course, all foods must be eaten in moderation (consuming three servings of anything, no matter how low on the Glycemic Index it is, is never a good idea), short of memorizing the Glycemic Index, there are few ways of knowing exactly which foods—which carbs—affect your blood sugar levels adversely, or are better or worse for you. That's where this program comes in.
We designed the new NutriSystem Nourish program to feature low Glycemic Index foods, with good carbs built right in to every entrée and dessert. It's a low-glycemic meal plan that's all ready to go for you—plus, all of the new foods also have increased amounts of protein and fiber, which helps encourage weight loss and kicks your metabolism into high gear.
So if you're not sure which carbs are good for you and which aren't, no sweat. Just choose your NutriSystem breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert, and rest assured you're getting great nutrition and all the benefits of a GOOD CARB, LOW-GLYCEMIC meal plan, automatically!
Learn more about the Nutri-System weight loss plan
