Glycemic Impact Diet
Principle of the diet
The glycemic index (GI) of a carbohydrate food is a measure of how rapidly glucose in the food is absorbed into the blood circulation (postprandial glycemia).
The glycemic index rankes carbohydrates according to their effect on blood glucose levels.
- High GI foods (>60) include ice cream, croissants, raisins and other dried fruit, bananas, carrots and watermelon.
- Moderate GI foods (45-60) include most types of pasta, baked beans, green peas, sweet potatoes, orange juice, blueberries and rice.
- Low GI foods (< 45) include beans, cruciferous vegetables and high-fiber, low-sugar cereals, low-fat unsweetened plain yogurt, grapefruit, apples and tomatoes.
The Glycemic Impact Diet is based upon choosing low GI carbs i.e. the carbs that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels. This is the secret to long-term health reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes and is the key to sustainable weight loss. The Glycemic Impact Diet™ (GI Diet) balances unrefined complex carbohydrates with lean protein and healthy fat to help you stabilize blood sugars and increase energy while losing weight.
The Glycemic Impact Diet is suitable for:
- Sugar addicts.
- Those with mood swings or irritability.
- Those who feel low on energy.
The Glycemic Impact Diet is Not suitable for:
- Those who prefer eating fewer meals and snacks each day.
- Those who want fast food choices on their plan.
Foods in The Glycemic Impact Diet:
- High Glycemic index carbohydrates are NOT allowed including Simple sugars like candy, cookies, cake.
- The Glycemic Impact Plan follows the “40:30:30″ ratio:
- 40% of calories from low Glycemic impact carbohydrates.
- 30% of calories from lean protein, including fish, chicken and occasionally lean beef and pork, with vegetarian options including soy protein; tofu and textured vegetable protein.
- 30% of calories are from healthy fats including nuts, fatty fish, avocado and olive oil.
Advantages of the Glycemic Impact Diet:
- The Glycemic Impact Plan allows you to limit simple sugars while increasing fiber intake to help achieve stable blood sugars and avoid hunger.
- This plan can also help you stay energetic even when you’re reducing calories to lose weight.
Side effects:
The Glycemic Impact meal plan is a generally healthy meal plan. If you have specific medical problems, you may wish to review your plan with a healthcare provider.
A Sample of Glycemic Impact Diet Meal Plan:
- Breakfast: Vegetable omelet with wheat bread and strawberries
- Lunch: Grilled cheese and tomato sandwich with salad and milk
- Afternoon Snack: Roast beef roll-ups with flatbread
- Dinner: Chicken Florentine with brown rice and fruit
- Late Night Snack: Yogurt with raspberries and almonds