- May. 11, 2006
- Glycemic 101
Glycemic index (GI) seems to be all the rage again! Will it be the next Atkins? Maybe the next big diet phenom? Doubtful. GI's been around for years and it just keeps coming back.
People who are gung-ho about following the glycemic index eating plan believe that all their foods must fall in the low category. But really, there's a time and a place for low, medium and high glycemic foods—a bit of a confusing concept.
The good news is that when people glom onto GI, they begin eating all sorts of nutritious foods associated with a GI-based eating plan—a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, good fats and less refined grains to name a few.
But what's confusing is that not all low-GI fare is healthy. High-fat candy bars and donuts for example are low GI & REALLY high in fat whereas carrots have a high GI. Does this mean that donuts and candy bars, which are full of saturated fat and high fructose corn syrup, are better for you than carrots? Hardly!
My nutritionist self is not ready to chuck the glycemic effect of food just yet. There's something to it and it's a good measure for athletes when choosing the right performance foods before, during and after an endurance event.
Or you can bag glycemic talk altogether and just use common sense as your guide—fruit, whole grains, healthy fat, fiber, vegetables, low fat dairy, lean meats, legumes—variety & portion control are key. By the way, if you're looking for help in the area of portion control, I just bought these great bowls! Love them!
People who are gung-ho about following the glycemic index eating plan believe that all their foods must fall in the low category. But really, there's a time and a place for low, medium and high glycemic foods—a bit of a confusing concept.
The good news is that when people glom onto GI, they begin eating all sorts of nutritious foods associated with a GI-based eating plan—a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, good fats and less refined grains to name a few.
But what's confusing is that not all low-GI fare is healthy. High-fat candy bars and donuts for example are low GI & REALLY high in fat whereas carrots have a high GI. Does this mean that donuts and candy bars, which are full of saturated fat and high fructose corn syrup, are better for you than carrots? Hardly!
My nutritionist self is not ready to chuck the glycemic effect of food just yet. There's something to it and it's a good measure for athletes when choosing the right performance foods before, during and after an endurance event.
Or you can bag glycemic talk altogether and just use common sense as your guide—fruit, whole grains, healthy fat, fiber, vegetables, low fat dairy, lean meats, legumes—variety & portion control are key. By the way, if you're looking for help in the area of portion control, I just bought these great bowls! Love them!
- Posted by:
- Tara, the RD
- Category:
- Food Matters
- Comments
