I bookmarked the site, thank you!
Posted on 06/07/2005 7:22:51 AM PDT by Nov3
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Foods with a low-glycemic index, which are digested relatively slowly and cause smaller increases in blood sugar, may protect the heart and blood vessels better than low-fat fare, according to the findings of a small study.
Researchers in Boston found that when obese people consumed as many carbohydrates with a low-glycemic index as they wanted, they lost just as much weight in 12 months as people who stuck with a conventional, calorie-restricted low-fat diet.
Carbohydrates with a low-glycemic index include foods such as nonstarchy vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts and diary products, according to the report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Dieters who watched their glycemic indices also experienced a larger decrease in fatty substances in the blood linked to heart disease and had a drop in levels of a protein that interferes with the body's ability to break down blood clots. In contrast, low-fat dieters had an increase in levels of the same protein, which may put them at higher risk of heart attack.
"Reducing (glycemic index) may be more effective than cutting back on fat over the long-term, both for weight loss and also for reducing risk of heart disease," study author Dr. David S. Ludwig told Reuters Health.
"Based on our results, and several dozen other clinical trials and epidemiological studies, I would recommend" eating foods with a low-glycemic index, added Ludwig, who is based at Children's Hospital.
The glycemic index measures how efficiently the body can metabolize carbohydrates. It ranks carbohydrates by how much a person's blood sugar rises immediately after eating, and tends to favor high-fiber foods that take longer to digest.
Ludwig and his team asked 23 obese young adults to follow either a low-fat diet or a diet in which they ate low-glycemic index foods for one year. As part of the low-glycemic index diet, people could eat as much as they wanted of foods with a low index, and got roughly 45 to 50 percent of calories from carbohydrates, and 30 to 35 percent from fat.
Low-fat dieters cut their daily intake by 250 to 500 calories, limited fat to less than 30 percent of their total calories, and got between 55 and 60 percent of calories from carbohydrates.
Ludwig noted that even though low-glycemic index dieters had no calorie limits, they likely didn't overeat because they felt less hunger after eating foods that take longer to digest.
"Numerous previous studies by our group and by others have shown that individuals feel less hunger and greater (sense of fullness) after low-glycemic index compared to high-glycemic index meals," he added.
SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, May 2005.
I never exercise. I lost 20 pounds since February, and have reached my target weight. During the same period, I quit smoking.
I eat five times a day on the Zone Diet, using a protein shake for one of them. I am never hungry, and don't do more cooking than steaming veggies and broiling meat, plus making a salad. Fruit makes a nice dessert. Frozen cherries are my "ice cream."
Easy! And my skin is "pulling up," not sagging from weight loss.
When I was able to find eVamor bottled water, the weight really fell off in a hurry....it's hard to find here, alas. It's extremely alkaline and I find it delish. I'm driving 60 miles next weekend to buy it in case quantities.
I bookmarked the site, thank you!
If I had all the whole grain bread and beans I wanted, I'd gain 20 pounds a week. I lost 20 on the Zone, which limits protein to 3 oz per meal for me and allows huge amounts of low glycemic veggies and berries. Other fruit in moderation. But no bread, rolls, cake whether whole grain or not. The equivalency tables are quite remarkable.as I recall, you can have 1/4 English muffin or four cups of zucchini for the same number of carbs.
Really? So, one once of clear coconut rum = one carb?
COOL!
And don't drive!
Oh never. This is strictly a homebound (or beachbound) recreational habit :)
thanks for your info!
But once you go without for a while, you find out how little the bread adds to the sandwich (unless you're using good bread) -- besides, there are low-carb breads, bagels, and wraps that you can use instead (or go with the natural lettuce leaf to keep those fixin's intact!)
Congrats Mr and Mrs Gb! Keep us posted!
You know, I never used to have to exercise at all. And I never gained weight, and pretty much ate what I wanted, well into my forties. But metabolisms change over time, and mine sure did.
I am not 'overweight' now, nor have I ever been. In fact, my BMI is normal for my age. My weight is considered healthy as well. However, it's not OK with me. I wanted to lose about 15 pounds. I've lost seven of it, and have 8 to go.
I do not know about the Zone Diet. But if it requires daily preparations, it probably wouldn't work for me. I love salads and I also enjoy cooking in general. But I work full-time, and I just don't want to come home some evenings and mess with even making a salad. I'm taking guitar lessons, and I would rather spend time practicing than preparing food. And I'm enjoying the exercise. It's good for me. And walks are something my husband and I enjoy doing, since we live on the cusp of a national forest.
But congratulations on your weight loss! I think it's fantastic that you have found a program that is helping you.
I've tried low-carb. I know it works, but I excercise a lot and really struggle with my energy level doing Atkins. I'm considering body-for-life. Anyone have any suggestions for someone whose highly active but still needs to lose about 25 pounds?
My S. Korean roommate stayed with us for a couple weeks before he left for the summer to go to Europe, and he had us try wrapping food in a lettuce leaf. It was really good, and I usually don't like veggies much aside from potatoes.
good idea on the wraps.
The exercise you're doing is admirable and very good for you. Watching those inches melt away is really gratifying.
If I had a husband to take walks with I'd be out there too. I do have a dog who tries to nudge me out the door every afternoon about 2:00 like clockwork. Sometimes she succeeds. But I live in a cold place and only feel like moving when the temp hits 80. And I love it at 95!
I'm older than everyone, thus my sense that the Zone has been a miracle. Actually, it's not even about weight loss as much as it is about getting and staying healthy. Choles, triglycerides, etc just marched into the best possible formation once I started following this plan, joints quit aching, inflammation left--not that I had huge problems, but my overall health is better now.
As for "preparation," LOL. I don't do ANYTHING to food, never follow a recipe, don't look at cookbooks. Steamed veggies on the stove and meat or fish broiled in my little toaster oven or on the "George" is the extent of it all. Ten minute dinners. Cottage cheese is my friend. And salads that come in bags. Martha Stewart, I'm not. I'd much rather have a sauna than a kitchen, which takes up too much darned space.
Do you think Atkins is wrong since it does not support mild ketosis?
...
3. Eye-appeal. Bruised, misshapen, or under-ripe produce are culled out for canning and powders. Only the "pretty" goods will make it to the fresh produce shelves.
Did the protein power plan work?
"Last weekend, I started the Protein Power Plan Phase I, with 20 grams of protein per meal and 7-10 grams of low-glycemic carbs (blueberries or green beans or celery or whatever). After one day, my appetite took a nosedive and after three days, I've lost nine pounds. It's all I can do to cram in those 30-protein 10-carb meals, they're just tooo much to eat. And this from a sugar addict who can put away half of a half-gallon of icecream in one sitting. The very idea of ice cream makes me a tad nauseous today. Huzzah!"
Actually, I believe it's about 6 carbs per ounce of cocnut or spiced rum.
If you're going to put lettuce on the sandwich anyway, why not, right? Just spread some mayo or salad dressing on it, and add your other ingredients. I realized after doing this type of thing how much I cared about the burger (for example), and how little the bread (especially generic sandwich bread or rolls) brought to the party.
ping #39 for later reading
Well, a nice toasted bun is great, but you could do that with whole grain...the kind with the seeds not ground up... bread or even put some special seasoning on the lettuce if you wanted.
Ah, that makes sense. Will keep that in mind, thanks.
(not that I plan on having more than an ounce or so at a time, lol)
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