Understanding the Slow Carb Diet
You’ve heard of the low-carb diet, which has received mixed reviews from doctors and scientists, but the newest diet craze, the slow carb diet is getting glowing reviews. What exactly is the slow carb diet? That’s simple; the slow carb diet is based on the glycemic index, which measures the effects of carbohydrates on your sugar levels. The slow carb diet doesn’t require an arduous initiation period or complicated eating instructions like other diets; it simply requires that you eat more of the foods that your body doesn’t easily convert to sugar, or slow carbs.
The Food
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the slow carb diet, or low glycemic index diet as it’s often called, is that there are no prepackaged meals and no calorie counting. This doesn’t mean that you can eat as much food as you want, but it does mean that losing weight has become somewhat easier. Similar to the food pyramid, the glycemic index pyramid lets you know how much of each important group you should consume.
The bottom of the pyramid includes the foods you should consume the most of: fruits and vegetables served cooked or with good oils such as flax seed oil. Next are lean meats, low-fat dairy foods, fish, beans, and nuts. The next level of the pyramid, which indicates foods that are to be eaten less often, includes whole grains, unrefined grains, and pasta. At the top of the pyramid are refined grains, sweets, and potatoes. These foods should be eaten very infrequently, if you eat them at all.
The Science
When you eat carbohydrates, they form glucose, which is carried around the body in the blood. The glucose is then absorbed and converted to energy. When you eat refined carbohydrates such as white bread or white pasta, the glucose is released into the bloodstream much faster, giving it a high glycemic index. Complex carbohydrates—whole wheat pasta and bread–take longer to release into the bloodstream, which gives you a slower release of that energy.
By consuming foods with a lower glycemic index, experts believe that you will feel more satisfied and less likely to fill up on snacks and sugar between meals. In addition, foods with a low glycemic index will give you energy for a longer period. Refined sugars and carbohydrates with a high glycemic index give you energy, but shortly after consumption, you will feel sluggish.
Is The Slow Carb Diet For You?
If you’re looking for a way to lose weight that’s more than a diet, consider the slow carb diet. Rather than giving you a long list of foods you can and cannot eat, the slow carb diet focuses on the types of food you eat. Simply consume carbohydrates with proteins and good fats at every meal, making sure you focus on complex and whole grain carbohydrates. The slow carb diet recommends that dieters eat until they feel full, and consume a snack when you feel hungry. Make sure the food you choose has a low glycemic index.
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