A study published last week in the journal "Advances in Nutrition" concluded that rapid carbohydrates do not lead to weight gain more than slow carbohydrates. A series of 35 observational studies, which collected data from nearly two million adults, revealed no consistent differences in body mass index when comparing rapid carbohydrates with slow carbohydrates.
The study found that the myth stating "rapid carbohydrates make you fat" is merely a fallacy. It also noted that low glycemic index diets were not generally better than high glycemic index diets for reducing body weight, body fat, or waist circumference.
In fact, factors such as age, genetics, physical activity, insulin sensitivity, and body mass index had a greater impact on body weight, body fat, and waist circumference. The glycemic index was introduced in 1981 as a means of classifying foods based on how they affect blood sugar levels. Each food was assigned a number from 0 to 100 representing the rise in blood glucose levels two hours after consumption, as reported by the British Daily Mail newspaper.
