Consumer Diet Reviews, Glucose Diet Reviews

Description: The Glucose Revolution diet says that, foods with a low glycaemic index (GI), such as apples, basmati rice, buckwheat and pasta should be eaten, instead of those with a high glycaemic index, like glutinous rice, potatoes, bananas and tropical fruits.

Reviews (7):

Why we gain weight--How to turn it around
Reviewer: Ole Wik Potter Valley, CA 07-13-2003
The body is perfectly adapted to the diet that our human ancestors followed for hundreds of thousands of years, but cannot properly handle "industrial foods", such as refined flour. These mechanically-processed foods flood the blood stream with glucose (the simple carbohydrate that fuels the cells) and provoke an outpouring of insulin. The excess insulin compels the body to burn carbohydrate, leaving the fat to accumulate in our bodies. The deranged insulin levels can also lead to diabetes and heart disease. By simply choosing Basmati rice over other varieties, or substituting a sweet potato for an ordinary potato, or buying sourdough bread or bread made with whole-wheat, stone-ground (coarser) flour rather than white flour, we can smooth out the glucose spikes and enjoy better health.

This concept of "glycemic index" (GI) is indeed revolutionary. Each food is rated on a scale of 0 to 100, with pure glucose (as in corn syrup) set at 100. Anything with a GI value of 70 or more is a High-GI food; Intermediate-GI foods range from 56-69, and Low-GI foods have scores from 0 to 55. These values are derived by testing actual foods on actual volunteers, whose blood glucose levels are measured periodically over a couple of hours after they have eaten the food. Choosing low-GI foods virtually guarantees that we are eating foods with a low energy density and a high capacity to satisfy our appetites. We feel fuller on less calories, and the feeling of satisfaction lasts longer. The authors describe a South African study in which volunteers ate the same number of calories from carbohydrate, protein and fat, with the only difference being that one group got low-GI and the other got High-GI carbohydrates. After 12 weeks the low-GI group had lost an average of 20 pounds, versus 16 pounds for the high-GI group. Again, the ONLY difference was in the nature of the carbohydrates.

Works and Makes Sense--If You Read the Details
Reviewer: Larry Wall 01-15-2004
In the very few weeks I've used this approach I've already lost 13 pounds with no discomfort whatsoever and a fair amount of "cheating" (actually there is no cheating in this approach. If you pig out on a particular food at one time you simply adjust your eating plan accordingly for the next day or so and proceed. Forget the guilt). If you want to take it slow and easy, just remember to throw in some veggies with every meal, and try to have a low GI fruit with every meal as well (and horrors!! another contradiction!! Bananas are both "good" and "bad." Young bananas that are still very slightly green have a tested low GI value; older bananas with a lot of black spots on them have developed their sugars and now have a high GI value. Focus on eating slightly green bananas and forget the paranoia about them). The whole process is about learning which foods have low GI values and which foods have high GI values, and of thowing in some low GI foods whenever it seems appropriate and convenient, remembering that meats, poultry, fish and dairy are essentially "no GI" foods and including them in their lean incarnations as much as possible.

HEY!,
Reviewer: Julia Toronto, Ontario Canada 05-12-2005
I love this way of eating just because I feel GREAT. I'm not tired all of the time, no foggy thinking, no particular cravings (and I'm the icecream, chocolate, cheese and bread queen) and I can still have all of these things - what they're teaching you is that everything should be eaten in moderation - and that's much easier to follow when your blood glucose levels are on an even keel.

For people who can't discern one message from another
Reviewer: eventual stardom Shelbyville, TN 04-02-2005
There are sweet potatoes...then there are regular potatoes...read on from there. Secondly, I think some are mistaking GI with GL. YOU, following these giudelines, should be more concerned with the Glycemic Load. This is the ration of food consumed at a sitting considering the rest of the nutrient profile...and it's glycemic index. An apple by itself has a medium GI. If you eat 17 apples....you do the math. Pay close attention to the reading. They specify, I promise. Other things...

1) Insulin is released by the pancreas when you have too much sugar in your blood (blood glucose). Your pancreas works as an internal control system. You got too much sugar in the blood, your pancreas freaks, releases insulin. This hormone increases the uptake of of glucose AND free fatty acids. It also helps in protein synthesis. The sugar in your blood is jammed into your muscles AND your fat cells (adipose). That's why people should understand that exercising is a vital part of keeping a consistently healthy diet in check (and vice versa). If you're idle all day, odn't eat foods with a high GI...your insulin spikes, the sugar goes into your fat cells. That's converted to triglycerides (stored fat). That's what the one person was trying to state, when discussing the "raising of tryglycerides...".

The New Glucose Revolution
Reviewer: Mary Siever Lethbridge, AB Canada 07-16-2004
In the last 6.5 months I have lost 75 lbs, 51 1/4 inches, increased my energy and strength (along with exercise) and gone down 10 sizes. I don't count calories, I don't deny myself, I eat healthy food.

Changed my way of eating, and my body shape too!
Reviewer: Anonymous 03-03-2004
By eliminating/limiting foods high on the glycemic index and replacing them with foods lower on the glycemic index, I lost several inches from my waist and 10 lbs within 5 weeks. Four months later, I have continued to lost weight and inches at a lower and steady pace. The dietary changes I made became easy within a few weeks, and I don't feel like I am missing out on anything. I know that I can easily eat like this for the rest of my life.
I wish I could have discovered this a long time ago!

Works and Makes Sense--If You Read the Details
Reviewer: Larry Wall Frozen North 01-15-2004
The GI values specifically measure carbohydrates and their different effects--as measured in the lab-- on insulin response. Meats, fish and dairy are pretty much "no GI" foods (as are a large number of vegetables by the way), and the authors encourage us to eat them abundantly (but to tilt towards the lean side of the meats and to still make sure we don't overeat). The main idea with meats, cheeses and other high protein foods is that they are "calorically dense" and that you can easily overeat them, the more fat they contain the easier.

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