Easily lower the glycemic index of any meal...
Pick up any popular diet book written in the last 20 years, and you'll probably
find a section on the glycemic index
in there somewhere.
Books such as The Montignac Method (known also as Eat
Yourself Slim), The South Beach Diet, The
Atkins Diet and The
Zone Diet all promote the idea that foods with a high glycemic
index raise blood sugar levels. In theory, these foods cause large
amounts of insulin to be secreted, leave you feeling hungry, and
make it more difficult to lose fat.
Glycemic index
The glycemic index is a tool used to rank different types of food
according to the effect they have on blood sugar levels. Foods that
lead to a rapid rise in blood sugar levels are known as high glycemic
index foods. Foods that lead to a slower rise in blood sugar levels
are said to have a low glycemic index.
Although it's very popular, the glycemic index — just like
any tool — has some limitations.
Some argue that the glycemic index concept makes a diet more complicated
than it needs to be, and that the benefits just aren't worth the
extra effort. This, of course, is a matter of opinion. Following
any kind of diet requires discipline. Some people will find it relatively
easy to make the required changes to the food they eat. Others will
decide that it's simply too much hassle.
Many diet books encourage you to eat foods with a low glycemic
index such as meat, fish, chicken or eggs. The idea is that these
foods minimize insulin production. Yet some high-protein
foods trigger a greater insulin response than their high-carbohydrate
counterparts. When you eat a food such as cheese, insulin levels
will rise, even though blood sugar levels stay the same.
As with any diet, it's also very easy to deviate from the plan.
People who cheat a little today usually cheat a little more tomorrow.
Then, it’s only a matter of time before every "rule"
has been broken and they're right back at square one.
Ultimately, a diet based on the glycemic index alone probably
won't deliver the results you want. That said, using it is better
than not using it. If you're having a hard time trying to
figure out how to lower the glycemic index of your diet, here are
two simple ways to do it.
Add vinegar or lemon juice to your meal. Studies show that
a few teaspoons of vinegar added to a meal lowers the glycemic index
by 20-40% [2]. Vinegar (along with foods such as pickled cucumber)
also helps to lower the insulin response to a starchy meal, possibly
by slowing the rate at which the meal leaves your stomach [3, 4].
Vinaigrette dressing (one tablespoon of vinegar and two teaspoons
of oil) works just as well. You can also use lemon juice if you
prefer.
Include fresh fruit or vegetables in your meal. Including
fresh fruits and vegetables in a meal also lowers the glycemic index
[1]. At breakfast, rather than filling your bowl with cereal, cut
the serving size in half, and replace the cereal with fruit such
as blueberries or strawberries. Including vegetables — such
as celery, broccoli, onions, spinach, tomatoes or peppers —
with your lunch or dinner works in the same way.
The glycemic index is not the only, nor the most important, criterion
by which to judge a food. But when it's used to supplement
other information about food (rather than replacing it),
using the glycemic index is a step in the right direction for anyone
wanting to improve the quality of their diet.
Related Articles
References
1. Jenkins, D.J., Kendall, C.W., Augustin, L.S., Franceschi,
S., Hamidi, M., Marchie, A., Jenkins, A.L., & Axelsen, M. (2002).
Glycemic index: overview of implications in health and disease.
American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 76, 266S-273S
2. Sugiyama, M., Tang, A.C., Wakaki, Y., & Koyama, W. (2003).
Glycemic index of single and mixed meal foods among common Japanese
foods with white rice as a reference food. European
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 57, 743-752
3. Liljeberg, H., & Bjorck, I. (1998). Delayed gastric emptying
rate may explain improved glycaemia in healthy subjects to a starchy
meal with added vinegar. European
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 52, 368-371
4. Ostman, E.M., Liljeberg Elmstahl, H.G., & Bjorck, I.M. (2001).
Inconsistency between glycemic and insulinemic responses to regular
and fermented milk products. American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 74, 96-100
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