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.

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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