The G.I. diet was developed by Dr. David Jenkins – a professor at the University of Toronto. The diet was brought into the public domain by Rick Gallop who published a series of books.
At present obesity in both adults and children is growing: this comes as no surprise considering the types of foods that we eat. Supermarkets are full of super-sized bags of crisps, family-sized bars of chocolate, muffins, and cakes. Most foods are heavily processed; full of sugar, salt and preservatives.
The Traditional Plate
The traditional plate is made up of about 55% carbohydrates, 30% fats and 15% protein. The G.I. diet advocates that the same amount of carbohydrates should be consumed, but the amount of protein eaten increases to about 24%.
It’s not just the amounts of carbohydrates, proteins and fats that we eat that are important but the types of food: low G.I. foods are beneficial for health and help weight loss.
How Does It Work?
The G.I. diet is named so because of the Glycemic Index. The Glycemic Index measures how quickly food is digested and converted into glucose – the body’s energy. All foods are assigned a number within the index; the higher the number, the faster that particular food is digested.
So, for example:
- Sugar - 100
- Doughnut -76
- Apple - 38
- Low Fat Yoghurt - 33
As an example of a high-G.I. food, sugar is digested quickly; so consumption of a high G.I. meal will leave the individual feeling hungry again soon after.
The G.I. diet works on the premise that low G.I. foods are eaten: the lower the G.I. of the food, the better. The individual following the G.I. diet shouldn’t feel deprived or hungry between meals.
Unlike other diets, there are no ‘forbidden foods.’ The key is to try to eat low G.I. foods more often than high G.I. foods.
Sample Menu
A typical day following the G.I. diet might include:
- Muesli with semi-skimmed milk for breakfast.
- Fruit as a snack: an apple, banana, pear, plums or kiwi fruits are examples of suitable fruits. (Watermelon should be avoided as the high water content does not leave you feeling full.) Low fat yoghurts are another great snack.
- Tuna, Sweetcorn and light mayonnaise on granary/wholemeal bread for lunch.
- For dinner, grilled or steamed fish with salad or steamed vegetables is a light option.
Desserts are still on the menu! Pear Crumble or a low fat mousse are a healthier options that allow you to treat yourself.
References and Further Reading:
Gallop, R., The G.I. Diet Virgin Books: London, 2005
A list of high, medium and low G.I. foods
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