The Glycaemic Index (GI) is a way to classify carbohydrates based on how quickly they are absorbed and their effect on blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. This GI scale is not only helpful as a guide to healthy eating, it can also be used to control your weight and curb the tendency to overeat. Here's how:

The Glycaemic Index

The glycaemic index is a relative measure of how fast a given food raises blood sugar. So why is this important? Simply put, when blood sugar goes up, so does the levels of the hormone insulin. And when insulin levels are elevated, the body doesn't burn fat.

So, knowing just how fast a food you eat gets digested into sugar (and how quickly it raises blood sugar levels) can be useful for weight management. Several studies have also shown the GI diet to help control cravings, mood swings, obesity and type II diabetes – not that surprisingly, perhaps, since blood glucose spikes have a direct impact on your energy levels and appetite.