Independent Articles & Videos About:

1. Glycemic Index Diets
2. Low GI Diet Plan
2. GI Diet Recipes

High Fiber Menus Throughout the Holidays with the Glycemic Index

And what do you want for Christmas this year, asks Fiberlady? GI? GI Joe? Sorry, but I cannot consciously support the military-industrial complex by purchasing idols of warmongers for children to reenact their misplaced power. Okay, go ahead. Tell Santa.

The only GI that I can conscientiously promote is the Glycemic Index otherwise known as the GI. Originally used to manage diabetes, the theory behind the Glycemic Index is simply to reduce insulin-related problems by identifying and monitoring foods that have the greatest effect on your blood sugar.

If you want to learn (it's as easy as buttering a carrot bran muffin), here's how it works. The Glycemic Index system ranks foods from 0 (good) to 100 (not so good) according to the effect on blood sugar levels after eating. Low-GI foods (less than 55) produce a gradual rise in blood sugar that's easy on the body, keeping blood sugar levels fairly tame. Foods between 55 and 70 are intermediate-GI foods. Foods with high-GI numbers (more than 70) make blood sugar as well as insulin levels quickly surge.

A GI value tells you only how rapidly a particular carbohydrate turns into glucose. It doesn't tell you how much of that carbohydrate is in a serving of a particular food. Adding protein and/or fat or increasing acidity may alter the GI of any given carbohydrate-laden food.

Here's a simple comparison. White bread (GI=70), not a high fiber food by any means, is digested almost immediately to glucose, causing blood sugar to spike rapidly. Brown rice (GI=59), however, is digested more slowly, causing a lower and more subtle change in blood sugar. Once more. By eating a cup of All Bran cereal (GI=51), your blood sugar level will sustain you longer than a cup of corn flakes (GI=83). The numbers say it all. Corn Flakes brings up your blood sugar faster than All Bran. When blood sugar rises and falls rapidly, the body is stimulated to eat again. What? Never during the holidays.

During the holiday season you need to be particularly aware of a high fiber diet of which many are low to intermediate-GI foods. Otherwise you will be seeking a serious weigh loss plan in the new year from overeating refined and processed foods, i.e. cakes, pies, cookies.

To stave off the indulgences, eat low-GI foods such as beans, vegetables, fruits and certain whole-grains. These choices also effect the amount of fat absorbed in the body, and less calories to burn off. You stay full and away from that beckoning buffet! Fiberlady reminds you that they don't call it the holiday spread for nothing.

High fiber foods are crucial when balancing a low glycemic diet. Your blood sugar will maintain a slow, even rate so you can ease your way through holiday gatherings without too many ups and downs. You really can't fumble this balancing act because high fiber foods provide the perfect safety net on the Glycemic Index. It might be enough reason to bring GI Joe home for the holidays.

Stephanie Shank (a.k.a. Fiberlady) has studied good nutrition since her days of mothering began 15 years ago which prompted her commitment to a high fiber lifestyle and the development of her informative website High Fiber Health.

Can The GI Diet Help You Lose Weight?

The GI diet, based on the Glycemic Index, has recently become very popular, but the GI ranking system has been around since 1981. There have been several books published on the success of the GI diet, but is it really a diet or a lifestyle change?

The glycemic index

Dr. David Jenkins, from the University of Toronto in Canada, developed the glycemic index to measure the speed at which foods break down in the body to produce glucose. While originally intended to help diabetic patients control their glucose levels, it was soon used to help individuals trying to lose weight to control their eating habits and hunger. The key was to decrease the fast breakdown of foods into glucose. Glucose is the natural source of energy for the body. It produces a rush of energy when the food is broken down, and then when it is burned up, it leaves a feeling of hunger and fatigue.

Depending on how fast they elevate the blood sugar level after eating, foods are considered high, medium and low GI foods. Low GI foods rank less than 55 on the glycemic index scale, medium GI foods go from 55 to 70 and high GI foods rank higher than 70. High GI foods break down very quickly in the body and make you feel hungry again soon after consuming them. Low GI foods are slowly digested and absorbed so you feel fuller for a longer period of time after you eat.

High GI foods include:

* white flour products like white bread, croissants, doughnuts; * heavily processed foods like corn chips, potato chips or pretzels;

* foods high in sugar like cookies, rice krispies, ice cream;

* high starch vegetables such as potatoes and parsnips;

* fruits high in sugar - watermelons, dates and other dried fruits.

Medium GI foods include:

* most types of pasta;

* rice;

* some fruits like mangos, apricots and raisins;

* some vegetables like baked beans.

Low GI foods include:

* most fruits and vegetables;

* legumes;

* cereals that are high in fibers but low on sugar;

* dairy products like low fat plain yogurt, whole, low fat or skimmed milk; * whole grain breads.

The Low GI Diet

The low GI diet focuses on changing eating habits so that the majority of the foods consumed are from the low GI food group. These foods take longer to break down into glucose in the body. This does two basic things:

* Produces a more even level of glucose throughout the day to avoid those high glucose times followed by the low glucose slumps.

* Stops cravings and hunger from occurring as much.

When these two components combine, they allow the dieter to eat a balanced meal and not experience the "energy slumps". The whole grains and unprocessed foods take more time for the body to convert to glucose and keep the feeling of being full for longer. It also prevents those cravings which tend to cause overeating or consuming foods that are not on the eating plan.

However, the diet should not rely exclusively on the glycemic index as low GI foods aren't necessarily healthy. Foods should be chosen based on their overall nutritional value. The glycemic index is influenced by a sum of factors like: the nutrient content of the foods, the extent to which they are processed, the cooking method, food combination or ripeness in the case of fruits and vegetables.

Products that are high in fat have a low GI as they don't break down as easily as the ones high in carbs. That doesn't mean you should choose to eat high fat foods in order to stick to the index. As an example, whole milk is ranked lower than the fat free or low fat one.

The glycemic index doesn't rank foods that do not contain carbohydrates, like fresh meat, chicken, fish, eggs and cheese. However, it includes processed foods that include meat and diary products. For a healthy low GI diet you should choose lean or low-fat meats that have been trimmed of visible fat, skinless poultry, fish and low-fat dairy products, even though they aren't ranked.

The nutrient content is also very important. Between dates or watermelon and a bag of crisps the obvious choice is the fruit even though the watermelon is considered high GI because of the sugar content and the crips are considered low GI as they are high in fat and slow down the absorbtion process.

It is also important to remember that the glycemic index ranks invidual foods only, not whole meals. Depending on how the foods are combined, the overall GI value of the meal can change and cannot be measured accurately, but the main idea is that including low GI foods in your meal will result in lower GI value overall. The low GI diet does not lead to rapid weight loss; rather it results in a steady and constant decrease in body weight. The individuals who use this plan find that they have more energy and therefore are more likely to exercise.

So is the low GI plan a diet or a lifestyle? Most experts agree that it is a diet plan that leads to changes and becomes a lifestyle. Eating low GI foods just makes good sense for weight control and maintenance, energy levels and healthy eating.

Ken is a successful writer and online entrepreneur. He has developed http://www.lower-your-cholesterol.net as a portal for presenting articles, information, resources and links about lowering your cholesterol.

The GI Diet: Part of the War on Fat

You might have heard of the GI diet and wondered if it had anything to do with the nation's military forces. Actually, this meal plan is not connected with any branch of the armed services. But it is definitely an important part of the war on fat. By following the GI diet, you might be able to successfully fight the battle of the bulge.

To begin with, it is important to define our terms. GI refers to glycemic index. The GI measures just how quickly the body breaks apart food in order to develop glucose, which has been referred to as a major energy source for the body. The GI was the brainchild of Dr. David Jenkins, a nutritional expert at the University of Toronto. If food ranks high on the GI scale, it means that the food breaks down quickly. As a result, the body is not satiated and goes looking elsewhere for food. However, food that is low-glucose breaks down less quickly, which means that it makes you feel satiated. The GI diet, therefore, is made up of food that is low on the GI barometer. If you follow this food plan, you will be eating lean meat and fish, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and fruits and vegetables.

In addition, you can partake of dairy, as long as it is low-fat. However, you'll be passing up cake, cookies, bread, and other foods that are comprised of white flour and therefore high on the GI.

Those who support the GI diet maintain that the vast majority of diets are unsuccessful because dieters do not feel satiated. Dieters may also feel fatigued, causing them to binge. In addition, many diets are complex, requiring individuals to do complicated calculations in order to determine how much they should eat. Following the GI diet is as easy as following a traffic light. Red means stop--in other words, don't eat that particular item. Yellow means proceed to eat with caution--and moderation. Green means go ahead and eat the item--it's good for you. There are numerous advantages to the GI diet.

To begin with, it provides proper nutrition, which means that it is heart-healthy. Also, you can eat as much as you want--if the foods have been given the green light. Chances are you won't feel as if you're running on empty with this diet, since it's designed to keep you feeling satiated. It is believed that the diet can reduce the likelihood that you will be afflicted with heart disease, diabetes, stroke, colon cancer and prostate cancer. The GI diet is easy to maintain and equally easy to follow.

You might believe that the GI diet is like Atkins; however, there are notable differences. For example, the Atkins approach stresses high protein and animal fat while curbing carbohydrates. Atkins is based on the philosophy that, if the body does not receive carbs, it will end up breaking down fat instead. Over the long term, Atkins has been linked to kidney damage, heart disease, and Alzheimer's. But the GI diet is based on carbs such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and encourages dieters to eliminate saturated fat, winning it the endorsement of a number of nutritionists. Still, it should be noted that the GI diet is not perfect. If you have spent a lifetime eating foods in the red category, you might find the diet quite challenging. Also, during the initial stage of the diet, the dieter's weight may rise until the body makes an adjustment.

The GI diet may not be as popular as other diet programs, but it has a number of qualities to recommend it. It is not complicated, so it may not lead to as much frustration as other diets. The traffic light system might appeal to even the most unsophisticated of dieters.

It encourages the consumption of good carbohydrates which are nutrient-rich. It is also sure to eliminate an individual's reliance on junk food. While the adjustment to the diet may be difficult at first, a number of dieters maintain that it is well worth the effort. You may actually be surprised to learn exactly how much weight you can lose following the GI system.

As a Teacher of Sport and Physical Education, Tony Robinson has a keen interest in Health and Weight Loss issues.

Carbs: The Good, the Bad, and the Healthy

Carbs are a part of nearly every dieter's vocabulary. A number of diets are famous for fighting carb consumption. But you should know that not every carbohydrate is created alike. While it is true that you can lose weight by cutting carbs, carbs are also necessary for a good diet.

To begin with, we should define our terms. Carbs are derived from a number of different sources. They are present in bread, pasta, fruits, and vegetables. There are also a number of different types of carbs. For instance, carbs come in the form of sugars, starches, and fiber.

For the most part, the digestive system divides carbs into sugar molecules which can be taken into the bloodstream. The majority of carbs are transformed into glucose or blood sugar. In this way, carbs provide energy for our bodies. Those who lack sufficient carbs in their diet may suffer from fatigue.

Carbs can be filled with nutrients. For instance, fruit contains vitamins A and C, fiber, and folate. Vegetables are also a good vitamin and fiber source; in fact, they usually contain a greater variety of minerals than other foods do. Whole grains can provide you with fiber, protein, and B vitamins. Legumes can provide you with protein, iron, and potassium.

But carbs can also be potentially bad for your health. For instance, cookies, potato chips, and soft drinks also contain carbs in the form of sugar and flour. You should know that refined carbohydrates have been linked with diabetes and heart diseases, making these carbs a dangerous choice. There are a number of good reasons to ban these carbs from your diet. For instance, they are extremely high in calories and offer little in the way of nutrients. Because they contain no fiber, they will not keep you satiated. In fact, such carbs offer you zero nutrients, but plenty of fat.

Therefore, you should avoid processed grains and sugars. Instead, eat whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to maximize your nutritional intake. Instead of eliminating carbs completely from your diet, simply ban those that increase the size of your waistline.

There is another way to think about carbs. You can generally divide them into two categories: simple and complex. A simple carb, such as sugar, promotes weight gain. As a result, you should select low-sugar foods, especially low-sugar beverages. In contrast, complex carbohydrates promote weight loss. Health experts recommend that dieters consume between 55 and 65 percent of their calories from these types of carbs. Such carbs include fruits and vegetables and a number of other natural foods.

But it isn't enough to simply eat fruits and vegetables. You also need to avoid fattening sauces and condiments such as mayonnaise and butter. By adding butter to your broccoli or mayonnaise to your potatoes, you can raise the calorie amount exponentially, sabotaging your diet.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture promotes a food pyramid that recommends as many as eleven servings of bread, pasta, and cereal. However, a number of dieticians are suggesting that Americans should cut the carbs--period. In one poll, 81 percent of the respondents said they were abiding by a low-carb diet.

It is interesting to point out that neither the American Heart Association nor the American Diabetes Association believes that the glycemic index should be considered when following a weight loss plan. While the Diabetes Association concedes that various foods offer different glycemic responses, the Association's leaders believe the most critical factor is the number of carbs rather than the form of the carbs consumed.

Granted, dietary information about carbs can be confusing. However, a number of dieticians say that, while you might not want to cut carbs out of your diet entirely, you should eat carbs only in moderation. Health experts also say that you should limit your carb intake to good carbs and pass up the bad ones.

By following such a plan, you should have energy--but you shouldn't pack on the weight. It may be difficult at first to follow such a diet plan, since many of us are conditioned to eat bad carbs in order to elevate our moods. In time, however, you may find that you enjoy the fruits and vegetables you're eating, and you may not even miss those tortilla chips.

As a Teacher of Sport and Physical Education, Tony Robinson has a keen interest in Health and Weight Loss issues.

The GI Diet Explained

The latest 'hot' diet to hit the market is the 'GI Diet' or 'Glycaemic Index' diet. Used by stars such as Kylie Minogue and Helen Porter, the GI Diet was invented in 1981 by Dr David Jenkins and is actually well respected by qualified nutritionists too, so it's not just the latest 'celeb fad' diet.

Dr Jenkins based his ideas on his observations into how different carb-rich foods affect human blood sugar levels in diabetics. What he found amazed him and us here at www.supadiet.com too - namely that there are some starchy foods that affect blood sugar levels dramatically, while some sugar-heavy foods actually have little effect. This is, of course, in direct contrast to all the perceived medical wisdom. The culmination of Dr Jenkins' work is a scale called the Glycaemic Index, ranking foods on the basis of how they affect your blood sugar levels.

Starting with glucose which has a GI of 100, the GI scale goes all the way down to zero. By comparing how various foods raise blood sugar levels when we eat them, each food can be positioned on the GI scale relative to glucose. A high GI value means the food causes a fast and large rise in blood sugar levels, while a low GI value means the food has only a slow, low effect on blood sugar. Foods that have low GI values are supposed to release sugar into the blood slowly, over a long period, providing constant energy thru the day, meaning that hunger pangs are less likely to strike. High GI value foods, in contrast, flood the body with sugar fast, but the effect wears off just as quickly meaning you get hungry again.

This is why a candy bar often seems such a good idea when we are starving, yet rarely satisfies. Keep that kind of snacking up, and you end up pumping far more calories into your system than you actually need, because the falling blood sugar levels make you body think you are hungry again. A recipe for weight gain, in fact, as several researchers at www.supadiet.com have found to their cost!

So the gist of the GI diet is to focus on low GI value foods, as these are the ones that will keep you going for longer without hunger rearing it's ugly head! A 'low' value is generally thought to be below about 55 on the GI scale, while 'medium' foods are between 56 and 69. Above 70, and the food is a high GI value. Obviously, on the GI diet, you focus on low GI value foods, keeping your blood sugar at a constant level and holding hunger pangs at arms length. You should generally cut down on fat-laden foods too, even if technically they are 'low' GI foods. Milk, chips and chocolate are examples of this.

You have probably already spotted the main problem with the GI diet - it can be hard to tell what the GI value of an entire meal is, given that a meal has several component foods. Unless you are careful, you could end up following what looks like a good GI diet, but is actually packed out with fat and salt - hardly healthy! This is why meal plans are essential on the GI diet. On a good GI diet plan, you should expect to lose 1 or 2 pounds a week, and this is a pretty sustainable level to aim for, according to leading nutritionists. A GI Diet may also (although the research is not conclusive yet!) help ward off certain types of diabetes, and heart disease too.

Like all diets, you should check with your doctor first, to make sure you aren't running any health risks unnecessarily. A typical 'good' GI diet plan for a day might look something like this (more detailed plans are, of course available at www.supadiet.com ).

Breakfast Oat porridge with skimmed milk and sweetened and a piece of fruit.

Elevenses A low fat fruit yoghurt and another piece of fruit.

Lunch Lentil soup, whole-meal tuna sandwich and some fruit.

Dinner Whole-meal pasta with bolognese sauce (extra lean mince) with salad.

Mavis Barton diets and writes diet tips for www.supadiet.com the free website aiming to help you sed those pounds fast!