Does The GI Value Of A Food Matter?

Does the glycemic index value of a food really matter?
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From a performance standpoint, yes. From a body composition standpoint, no. ⁣
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At the end of the day the caloric value of the food, the amount of energy it gives you, will be the same. So if both macronutrient and calorie values of the food are the same, it doesn’t matter if the food is Low GI or High GI when it comes to fat loss and weight gain. ⁣
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But where this can make a difference, is the rate at which it releases energy and how full it keeps you for how long. People who can’t resist the urge to eat when they are hungry are better off having a fair amount of Low GI foods as the energy is released slower. And when it comes to performance I believe a mix of low and high GI carbs in a meal about an hour and a half before training is ideal, that way you will have energy at the start of the workout from the quick absorbing carbs, and then throughout the workout the slower absorbing carbs will fuel you. ⁣
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A meal that I am quite regularly eating currently is yoghurt, banana, ground up Weetbix, banana & honey. I eat this about 1-2 hours before training and my sessions have been great lately. ⁣
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But in saying all that, everyone feels different on different types of food. Find out what works for you and then stick with that! Happy eating!

Originally published by Darren Chandler here.