The Glycemic Index Diet for Dummies (43 page)

Keep the glycemic load of your meal at or under 25

If you feel more comfortable tracking numbers and having some guidelines to work toward, then this advice is for you: Strive to consume a maximum glycemic load of 25 per meal. Doing so allows you a good variety of carbohydrates foryour meal including grains, vegetables, fruits, and/or dairy products.

Here's what one possible under-25-glycemic-load meal looks like:

1/2 turkey sandwich on whole-wheat bread with a slice of cheddar cheese, tomato, lettuce, and sliced avocado (glycemic load of whole-wheat bread = 8)

1 cup of tomato soup (glycemic load = 8)

8 ounces of fruit yogurt (glycemic load = 7)

The total estimated glycemic load for this meal is 23.

Note:
Sometimes you may not find a glycemic load for certain foods like cheese or avocado. When that happens, it's okay to guess at the foods' different glycemic loads. (Appendix A notes the glycemic load of several go-to foods for your reference.) In this case, you can guess that the glycemic load for cheese is low because milk has both a similar makeup to cheese and a very low glycemic load. Avocado has too little carbohydrate in it to obtain a glycemic load measurement.

The variety of carbohydrates available paired with portion control makes keeping the glycemic load of your meals under 25 an easily attainable goal . . . unless of course you're indulging in large amounts of medium- or high-glycemic foods. Watch out for traditional meal combinations such as spaghetti and garlic bread or pizza and breadsticks that can make maintaining a glycemic load of 25 or less difficult.

Not sure what the estimated glycemic load of your favorite foods is? Head to
www.nutritiondata.com
and click the Estimated Glycemic Load button on the right-hand side of the page. From there, look for the "See the foods that are:" box and click to find the foods that have the highest and lowest estimated glycemic loads.

The glycemic load isn't an exact science, so no need to worry about counting your total glycemic load for each meal. However, if counting the numbers helps you stay on track with your weight-loss efforts, then by all means count up to 25 to your heart's content!

Changing the Balance of Your Meals

Discovering how to balance the nutrients in your meals is an essential part of losing weight successfully on a low-glycemic diet. For a diet to be truly balanced it must contain a mix of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. You can also think of balance in terms of food groups: starches, fruits, vegetables, meat and beans, and dairy and fats. When you incorporate a variety of food groups into your meals, you help stabilize your blood sugar and supply your body with a more complete nutritional load of vitamins and minerals.

Eating balanced meals is clearly a great approach to long-term weight loss. And the best part? The rules are simple enough that you don't have to put too much thought into it at mealtime, nor do you need to break out the calculator whenever you eat.

In the following sections, I describe the role of important nutrients and delve into the details of why keeping them balanced is so beneficial. I also share with you a simple strategy for balancing your nutrient intake at any meal, whether you're at home, on vacation, or in a restaurant. Finally, I present a couple menus that show you just how easy it can be to balance your nutrients at each meal.

Understanding different nutrients' roles and the benefits of balance

To really appreciate the value of balancing your nutrient intake at each meal, it helps to know some basic facts about proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.

Proteins
are crucial for building body tissues, regulating hormones, and pumping up your immune system.
Additionally, they provide a longer release of energy than carbohydrates, helping you to feel more satisfied when you eat them. Incorporate one serving of lean meats (such as poultry, fish, or beef) or other high-protein foods (such as soy, beans, eggs, or nuts) with each meal. For help determining the appropriate portion size, see the earlier "Pay attention to portion sizes" section.

Carbohydrates are your body's main source of energy.
Eating low-glycemic carbohydrates helps keep your blood sugar steady and makes for a more sustained energy release. The amount of carbohydrates you need really depends on your activity level and metabolism. For weight loss, women should have two servings of starchy carbohydrates from whole grains and at least one fruit or vegetable serving each meal; men should have three servings of starchy carbs from whole grains and the same minimum amount of fruits and veggies per meal.

Fats can also be used for energy, but their primary task is to aid nutrient transport and cell functioning.
Fats have a slower energy release, allowing you to feel more satisfied with your meal for a longer period of time. Use small amounts of fat for cooking and preparing cold foods, but don't feel like you have to include it at each meal. Always remember that a little fat goes a long way. Healthy fats include avocadoes, nuts, fish, olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, and olives.

The tricky part about dietary fat and weight loss is twofold: When people are overweight, they can store fat more readily because they have increased levels of the fat-storing enzyme called
lipoprotein lipase,
which transfers food fat from the bloodstream to fat cells. As you may already know, fat contains 9 calories per gram compared to just 4 calories per gram for protein and carbohydrates. Thus, fat adds extra calories. This combination of fat storage and extra calories can make weight loss difficult for individuals consuming too much fat in their diets.