Health-conscious consumers who want to make good food choices may be misled by the commercial use of scientific terms to promote a product, plan or book. The use of the term “glycemic index” is a good example of this problem.
Glycemic index measures the effect of carbohydrates on a person's blood sugar. The glycemic index of a food is calculated by measuring the effect of individual foods on blood sugar. The higher the glycemic index, the greater the effect the food has on blood sugar.
Although this sounds like a simple concept, there are some problems with applying it to a person's food choices. The glycemic index of a food does not take into account several factors that affect the glycemic index, such as whether the food is eaten raw or cooked, how much fat is in the food, how the food has been processed, and in the case of fruit, how ripe it is.
Glycemic index also measures the effect of a food eaten by itself, not combined with other foods in a meal. Several studies have shown that eating high glycemic index foods, such as white potatoes, in a mixed meal substantially lowers the effect on blood sugar.
You are most likely to hear the term “glycemic index” in promotions for weight loss programs and books. Although this may sound convincing in the advertising, the scientific proof for the benefit of using glycemic index for weight loss is lacking.
A newly released study from Tufts University found that weight loss is the same whether a diet has a high or low glycemic index. In this study, all foods eaten by the subjects for six months were provided to them to control how foods were prepared and what portions were eaten. At the end of the study, both high glycemic index and low glycemic index diet groups had lost 8 percent of their starting weight by reducing their calories by 30 percent. The researchers concluded that it is total calories eaten, rather than glycemic index, that determines how much weight is lost.
The easiest and healthiest ways to reduce calories are to:
€ Use smaller dishes
€ Fill half your plate with vegetables
€ Use low-fat or fat-free dairy products
€ Limit added fats (oil, butter, margarine, sour cream)
€ Satisfy your sweet taste with fruit
€ Eat high fiber foods (fruits, vegetables and whole grains)
Farmers markets offer a wide variety of local fruits and vegetables to help you eat well. Sweet cherries are at their peak now. Summer squash, cucumbers, greens, peas, beans, radishes, new potatoes and onions also are ready for your eating pleasure. For a taste of spicy summer squash, come to the Cooperative Extension table at the Auburn Farmers Market Thursday, July 12.
Visit www.cce.cornell.edu/cayuga for more nutrition information and easy recipes.
Christine Gutelius, MA, RD, CDN, is a nutrition resource educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County.
Although this sounds like a simple concept, there are some problems with applying it to a person's food choices. The glycemic index of a food does not take into account several factors that affect the glycemic index, such as whether the food is eaten raw or cooked, how much fat is in the food, how the food has been processed, and in the case of fruit, how ripe it is.
Glycemic index also measures the effect of a food eaten by itself, not combined with other foods in a meal. Several studies have shown that eating high glycemic index foods, such as white potatoes, in a mixed meal substantially lowers the effect on blood sugar.
You are most likely to hear the term “glycemic index” in promotions for weight loss programs and books. Although this may sound convincing in the advertising, the scientific proof for the benefit of using glycemic index for weight loss is lacking.
A newly released study from Tufts University found that weight loss is the same whether a diet has a high or low glycemic index. In this study, all foods eaten by the subjects for six months were provided to them to control how foods were prepared and what portions were eaten. At the end of the study, both high glycemic index and low glycemic index diet groups had lost 8 percent of their starting weight by reducing their calories by 30 percent. The researchers concluded that it is total calories eaten, rather than glycemic index, that determines how much weight is lost.
The easiest and healthiest ways to reduce calories are to:
€ Use smaller dishes
€ Fill half your plate with vegetables
€ Use low-fat or fat-free dairy products
€ Limit added fats (oil, butter, margarine, sour cream)
€ Satisfy your sweet taste with fruit
€ Eat high fiber foods (fruits, vegetables and whole grains)
Farmers markets offer a wide variety of local fruits and vegetables to help you eat well. Sweet cherries are at their peak now. Summer squash, cucumbers, greens, peas, beans, radishes, new potatoes and onions also are ready for your eating pleasure. For a taste of spicy summer squash, come to the Cooperative Extension table at the Auburn Farmers Market Thursday, July 12.
Visit www.cce.cornell.edu/cayuga for more nutrition information and easy recipes.
Christine Gutelius, MA, RD, CDN, is a nutrition resource educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County.
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