• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Interesting article in the Telegraph

M

markd

Well-Known Member
Messages
220
Interesting article in today's Telegraph about the history of the low gi diet, which I hadn't realised has its roots in diabetes research, and not just weight loss.

The article is pretty scathing about the weightloss organisation's sudden coversion to the low GI cause too. It touches on the addictive nature of refined carbs and sugar, quite interesting overall.

Not sure if forum rules permit me to post the link, doubtless the mods can delete it if not permitted.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink ... eaded.html

Googling telegraph and weightwatchers will probably find it anyway, I suspect.

mark.
 
I find it very strange when I read on forums that the GI has nothing to do with diabetes, or the foods aren't tested on people with diabetes.
One blog on another UK diabetes forum says
1) GI testing is not performed on diabetics. Its performed on 10 non-diabetics and the results are used to look at the average effect - a GI is calculated from these results
Click to expand...
Well it's untrue.
As the article says the GI was founded on diabetes research and only later taken up by the mainstream. In fact even today, a lot of the GIs in the main Sydney data base are from research on people with diabetes. The International table of GI and GLwhich drew together tests from around the world actually has 2 lists, one based on people without impaired glucose metabolisms, but the othe includes GIs tested from people with glucose problems, and says what type of diabetes the subjects have (it also includes studies with small numbers)
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/conten ... leA2_1.pdf


The telegraph article is very scathing about weightwatchers. I've never used them but my daughter found the meetings motivating. After 3 pregnancies she had put on a lot of weight. She lost 5st with them in about 7 months.(although she did start running as well so I expect that helped)
 
Weight-watchers embracing the low-gi approach is no surprise and I can't believe its taken them this long to catch on!

Nigel
 
I think it was something like 3 months before I could say that my (fast acting) carb addiction was laid to rest after I started a lower (and slower) carb lifestyle.

Previously, I simply couldn't pass the bread isle in a supermarket without buying - now I enjoy the smell, but feel no compulsion to buy. I still have the odd bread product, but they no longer make me immediately crave another one.

I still eat quite a lot of bananas, melons and grapes, but they don't cause any significant spikes for me - baked potato, on the other hand, is probably my worst carb - a rare treat that will usually push me up to 5.7 - 6.0 after a couple of hours.

The shock of being diagnosed with a glycemic disorder (pre-/borderline diabetes) was enough to kick me into action without joining something like weightwatchers.

I'm a bit of a misanthropist in many ways and generally wouldn't care to be a member of any club that would have me - but I'm sure the social support that WW and others give can be very helpful for many people. Still seems an expensive way to follow a long established simple dietary regime, however.

mark
 
Back
Top