People with heart disease who eat a low glycemic index diet rich in leafy vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and fiber-rich fruits and vegetables should lose extra weight and slim down the center. You may find it easy. This is a small clinical trial. I will propose.
The glycemic index ranks carbohydrates from zero (foods that contain no glucose) to 100 (sweets and drinks that contain only glucose). Simple carbohydrates with more glucose are digested rapidly, causing dramatic spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels. Complex carbohydrates low in glucose are slow to digest and help maintain stable blood sugar levels throughout the day.
All people in the new clinical trial had coronary artery disease. This happens when plaque buildup narrows, hardens, and restricts blood flow in the heart’s major blood vessels. Participants were also overweight or obese at the start of the study and were a risk factor for complications of serious coronary artery disease such as heart failure and heart attack.
During the three-month study period, researchers randomly assigned 160 adults to either switch to a low glycemic index diet or join a control group following a diet commonly recommended for people with heart disease. .. The control group was asked to limit fat and some proteins such as whole milk, cheese, meat, egg yolks, and fried foods. In the low glycemic index diet group, there was no need to change fat or protein consumption.
On a low glycemic index diet, participants’ average body mass index (BMI) dropped 3.6 points from 29.8 to 26.2. In the control group, the mean BMI decreased by 1.4 points from 30.2 to 28.8. A BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese, and a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9 is considered overweight.
In addition, people on a low glycemic index diet reduced waist circumference by an average of 9 centimeters (3.5 inches) compared to an average decrease of 3.3 centimeters (1.3 inches) in the control group.
“Although larger studies are needed to confirm these findings, our study emphasizes low-glycemic index foods as part of a balanced diet for patients with heart disease. It has shown that it can help control weight and waistline, “said study co-author Jamor Uzokov, treatment at the Republican Professional Scientific Practical Medical Center in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. And medical rehabilitation.
The results were presented at the ACNAP-EuroHeartCareCongress2022, the scientific conference of the European Society of Cardiology. This study has not been published in peer-reviewed medical journals. This is a process that involves independent verification of the findings. One of the limitations of the analysis was that participants relied on using questionnaires about the frequency of meals to accurately recall and report what they ate. This process does not necessarily reflect the actual diet.
Foods with a low glycemic index
According to the Cleveland Clinic, foods with a low glycemic index score below 50, but foods considered high on this index tend to score above 70. Foods with a low glycemic index include:
- Vegetables (pepper, broccoli, tomato, lettuce, eggplant)
- Fruits (strawberry, apple, pear)
- Legumes (chick beans, dried or boiled beans, legumes)
- Dairy products (whole milk and plain yogurt)
- Some sweets (such as dark chocolate with over 70% cocoa)
- Nuts (cashew nuts and peanuts)
According to the Cleveland Clinic, many highly processed foods can have a high glycemic index.
- Processed foods (corn chips and pretzels)
- Beverages with sugar (soda, sweet tea, sports drinks)
- Fast food (cheeseburger, fried chicken, pizza)
- Baked confectionery (donuts, white bread, cereals, unless whole grains)
- Potatoes (mashed potatoes and french fries)
Preparation is also important, as the way food is made can affect where it lands in the glycemic index, says the Cleveland Clinic. For example, for oatmeal, a microwave-cooked instant packet has a glycemic index score of 79, while a stove-cooked steel-cut oats has a glycemic index score of 55.
Effects of low glycemic index foods on heart health
New studies are not designed to prove whether or how a low glycemic index diet directly helps prevent heart disease or minimize the risk of complications, but is healthy. Maintaining weight and waist size can reduce these results, says Uzokov. This is because obesity is one of the greatest risk factors for coronary artery disease, along with related health problems such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
Dr. Carol Kirkpatrick, an associate professor and director of the Wellness Center at Idaho State University, said that study participants on a low glycemic index diet had low total calorie consumption and high quality, nutritious carbohydrates. It may have helped you lose weight by eating. University of Pocatello.
“Usually, regardless of how you lose weight, waist circumference improves overall with weight loss,” says Dr. Kirkpatrick, who was not involved in the new study.
In previous studies, a high glycemic index diet was associated with an increased risk of all causes, especially premature death from cardiovascular disease.
One study published in April 2021 New England Journal of Medicine ((((NEJM). We examined the diets of 137,851 people aged 35-70 years and followed them for about 10 years. Participants with heart disease who eat the highest glycemic index compared to those who eat the lowest glycemic index experience or die of major cardiovascular disease events such as heart attack and stroke. The probability was 51% higher.
Studies published in March 2019 Mayo Clinic Minutes: Innovation, Quality, Outcomes We found that for every 10 points of increase in the average glycemic index level in a participant’s diet, the risk of developing coronary heart disease increased by 24%.
When it comes to heart health, one of the main benefits of a low glycemic index diet is to promote the consumption of nutritious carbohydrates. This is a more attractive pitch for the patient than being told to give up carbs altogether. Lead author of MD, PhD NEJM Research and professor of nutrition and medicine at the University of Toronto.
A plant-based diet can provide a wide range of nutrients that promote heart health, and the fruits and vegetables that make up part of a healthy heart diet may also contain a lot of carbohydrates. The latest study, says Dr. Jenkins, who was not involved. By following a low glycemic index diet, people will consume healthier carbohydrates such as legumes and leafy vegetables, and will limit their intake of nutritious supersugar foods.
“A low glycemic index diet encourages a balanced and healthy diet that contains beneficial carbohydrates,” says Jenkins. “Eating this way helps maintain a healthy weight and shape and prevents obesity, one of the major risk factors for heart disease.”
