Low Glycemic Index or Low Fat Dieting, Which is Better?

With all of the diets available on the market, it can get confusing. I have been finding that many physicians have actually started scrutinizing and conducting more diet studies and in more controlled environments. With obesity still on the rise and all of the effects that go hand-in-hand with obesity, it's time we get to the conclusions of these medical professionals. There were two main dieting styles that recently hit the interest of the physicians, Low-Glycemic and Low Fat. Which is better?

Low Glycemic Index dieting, which I'll refer to as LGI in this article, is dieting in which you eat carbohydrates (carbs), but not the kind that cause a quick rise in blood sugar. Carbohydrates are not all bad. In fact, we do need carbohydrates to keep us fueled, just not the kinds that cause a sudden rise in the body's glucose. Too often, this rise is followed by a drop in glucose levels, which sparks a chain reaction and cycle of cravings, hunger, shakes, etc. This continues to keep our body unstable.

Carbohydrates which have lower sugar and higher fiber are the 'good' kinds of carbohydrates. LGI foods are legumes, beans, most vegetables, and some grains. Foods that are not LGI are rice, pasta, some breads, some grains, and some vegetables (like potatoes). The hint that a particular food is an LGI one is that they tend to have more fiber, which balances the blood sugar rather than cause spikes. Basically the really starchy kinds of foods are not LGI foods. It is important for us to learn the difference between the two type of foods (LGI and non LGI foods) if we hope to be successful with this type of dieting.