Rules

Both the GI and the GL work on the way our bodies digest and process carbohydrates and what effect this then has on our blood sugar levels. Foods with a high GI number - like cakes or potatoes - encourage the body to release insulin quickly, spiking blood sugar levels which give you a short burst of energy followed by a lull and food cravings. The sugar in the high GI food is converted quickly into glucose - which then if it isn't used is stored as fat. Low GI foods are better because they release sugar into the bloodstream slowly to give you a steady supply of energy, ultimately making it less likely you’ll store this as fat.

So why choose the GL over the GI? The GI index rates all food on the same scale which means that some healthy fruit and vegetables, such as carrots and watermelon, are considered high GI and are therefore forbidden. The GL index recognises that a small portion of carrots or watermelon will contain relatively few carbohydrates, less than is needed to give the body a sugar spike and a high GI rating. These foods therefore are allowed but only in portion sizes that won’t affect blood sugar levels. For some people the GL is a more realistic diet plan and easier to follow version of the GI diet.

The GL scale…

10 and under – low GL
11-19 – medium GL
20 plus – high GL

A typical day on the GL diet could include…

Breakfast: All-bran cereal (6) with semi-skimmed milk (3) and strawberries (1), one glass of unsweetened grapefruit juice (11).
Lunch: A tomato (2) and mozzarella salad (2) with a small fillet of smoked mackerel (0). Chocolate mousse (10).
Snack: Olives (1) with mixed nuts including cashew nuts (3) and peanuts (1).
Dinner: Thai green chicken curry with brown basmati rice (10) and an avocado and green bean salad (1). A small portion of pear crumble (6).

Pros

Instead of being a fad diet, this is a way of life and so a better way to loose weight and keep it off. You can eat as many low GI carbs as you like (as long as you stick to the portion sizes) and so shouldn’t feel an urge to snack. Plus it claims to take just seven days to see results.

Cons

Until you're familiar with the scale, both GI and GL can be complicated to follow.

Celeb Fans

Courtney Cox, Naomi Campbell, Jennifer Lopez

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