The Glycemic Index and Weight Loss

Dear Friends and Valued Customers,

The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly certain foods release carbohydrates into the body, which then raises blood glucose levels. High GI foods cause blood sugar levels to rise more rapidly, whereas a low GI rating that takes longer to digest and release sugar into the bloodstream produces a “full” sensation.

According to the Glycemic Index website, “Eating a lot of high GI foods can be detrimental to your health because it pushes your body to extremes. This is especially true if you are overweight and sedentary. Switching to eating mainly low GI carbs that slowly trickle glucose into your blood stream keeps your energy levels balanced and means you will feel fuller for longer between meals.”

This all leads up to a study that was reported recently in Nutrition Journal. Researchers found that a supplement derived from a white kidney bean extract can help reduce the glycemic index of some foods. Find out more about this fascinating study in my first report below.

Vitamin D is in the news again, as it often is. Now scientists believe that maintaining low levels of the “sunshine vitamin” may increase the risk of dying from all causes by 150%. This is just another instance of “bad news” for the body caused by low vitamin D levels. See my second report for more information.

My last report looks at green tea and the support it provides for healthy bones. Researchers in Hong Kong made the discovery and reported it in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Read about it below.

As always, I wish you the very best of health.

Lee Swanson