High Fiber Menus Throughout The Holidays With The Glycemic Index
By Stephanie Shank, Tue Jan 10th

And what do you want for Christmas this year, asks Fiberlady?GI? GI Joe? Sorry, but I cannot consciously support themilitary-industrial complex by purchasing idols of warmongersfor children to reenact their misplaced power. Okay, go ahead.Tell Santa.

The only GI that I can conscientiously promote is the GlycemicIndex otherwise known as the GI. Originally used to managediabetes, the theory behind the Glycemic Index is simply toreduce insulin-related problems by identifying and monitoringfoods that have the greatest effect on your blood sugar.

If you want to learn (it's as easy as buttering a carrot branmuffin), here's how it works. The Glycemic Index system ranksfoods from 0 (good) to 100 (not so good) according to the effecton blood sugar levels after eating. Low-GI foods (less than 55)produce a gradual rise in blood sugar that's easy on the body,keeping blood sugar levels fairly tame. Foods between 55 and 70are intermediate-GI foods. Foods with high-GI numbers (more than70) make blood sugar as well as insulin levels quickly surge.

A GI value tells you only how rapidly a particular carbohydrateturns into glucose. It doesn't tell you how much of thatcarbohydrate is in a serving of a particular food. Addingprotein and/or fat or increasing acidity may alter the GI of anygiven carbohydrate-laden food.

Here's a simple comparison. White bread (GI=70), not a highfiber food by any means, is digested almost immediately toglucose, causing blood sugar to spike rapidly. Brown rice(GI=59), however, is digested more slowly,

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causing a lower andmore subtle change in blood sugar. Once more. By eating a cup ofAll Bran cereal (GI=51), your blood sugar level will sustain youlonger than a cup of corn flakes (GI=83). The numbers say itall. Corn Flakes brings up your blood sugar faster than AllBran. When blood sugar rises and falls rapidly, the body isstimulated to eat again. What? Never during the holidays.

During the holiday season you need to be particularly aware of ahigh fiber diet of which many are low to intermediate-GI foods.Otherwise you will be seeking a serious weigh loss plan in thenew year from overeating refined and processed foods, i.e.cakes, pies, cookies.

To stave off the indulgences, eat low-GI foods such as beans,vegetables, fruits and certain whole-grains. These choices alsoeffect the amount of fat absorbed in the body, and less caloriesto burn off. You stay full and away from that beckoning buffet!Fiberlady reminds you that they don't call it the holiday spreadfor nothing.

High fiber foods are crucial when balancing a low glycemic diet.Your blood sugar will maintain a slow, even rate so you can easeyour way through holiday gatherings without too many ups anddowns. You really can't fumble this balancing act because highfiber foods provide the perfect safety net on the GlycemicIndex. It might be enough reason to bring GI Joe home for theholidays.

About the author:Stephanie Shank (a.k.a. Fiberlady) has studied good nutritionsince her days of mothering began 15 years ago which promptedher commitment to a high fiber lifestyle and the development ofher informative website High FiberHealth.