![[COLLAGE]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/may2009/collage_may09.jpg)
Our drink problem
‘How we drink and what we drink today is the result of major advances in food processing, distribution and aggressive marketing campaigns on the part of the beverage industry,’ says Prof Barry Popkin in his new book, The World Is Fat. ‘Throughout the world, from about 1990 on, the beverage industry has been successful in marketing the idea of always drinking: drink when you are active, drink when you are resting and relaxing, and drink when you go to a party. With functional beverages now hitting the marketplace you can also drink for extra energy, drink for better skin, drink for more vitamins, and drink for extra antioxidants. And all these drinks come with a bonus: calories.![[DRINKS]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/may2009/soda_cans175.jpg)
About the time of World War II, we Americans drank mostly water, tea, coffee, a limited amount of beer and hard alcohol, and whole milk, and our calorie intake from beverages was between 100–200 calories (420–840 kJ) a day. By 2002, we more than doubled our intake of caloric beverages, and the average American is now getting around 400 calories (840 kJ) a day from beverages. From 1965 to 2002, over two-thirds of this increase (and half our total calories from beverages) was due to fruit juices and soft drinks.
At the same time we are gulping down these calories, we aren’t cutting back on our food intake to compensate. The consensus among scientists from dozens of meta analyses, large scale and smaller epidemiological studies, clinical and animal work is that there is no dietary compensation when we consume a beverage with calories. This includes sugar-sweetened beverages and even fruit juice, lattes, heavily sweetened teas, energy drinks and vitamin waters (currently we don't know where milk and milk drinks stand). In other words, with these items being drunk instead of water, all the calories from these are added to our overall energy intake and food calories are not reduced. A large body of literature shows consumption of these beverages are linked to weight gain, abdominal obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Studies have been undertaken in all continents with similar results.
My favourite way to help people lose weight is to look at what they drink over the course of a typical day. It’s easy to cut out some Coke, Pepsi or Mountain Dew or to cut down to one beer or one glass of wine. These small reductions matter over time. If you have diabetes or if you’ve recently had a heart attack, for example – a shift to only noncaloric beverages will do it for many people. The top 40% of caloric beverage drinkers in the US consume over 760 calories (3,190 kJ) a day from beverages. Obviously cutting out some of these calories would result in immediate weightloss.’
– Barry Popkin
For more on why We Are What We Drink, check out: The World Is Fat.![[BOOK COVER]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/may2009/worldisfat150.jpg)
Why low GI foods make you feel full
Researchers at the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at King’s College London report that low GI meals increased the levels of GLP-1 gut hormone levels, leading to the suppression of appetite and the feeling of fullness in a paper presented at the annual society for endocrinology BES meeting in the UK in March 2009.
Dr Tony Leeds, and Reza Norouzy looked at the effects of a single low versus high GI meal on gut hormone levels in 12 healthy volunteers. Each participant ate an identical moderate GI meal for dinner, fasted overnight, and was given either a low GI (46) or high GI (66) meal for breakfast. Blood samples were then taken every 30 minutes for 150 minutes, and levels of the gut hormone GLP-1 and insulin measured. GLP-1 is a hormone produced by the gut that has been shown to cause a feeling of fullness and suppression of appetite. Volunteers who ate a low GI breakfast had 20% higher blood plasma levels of GLP-1 and 38% lower levels of insulin compared to those who had consumed a high GI breakfast.![[PORRIDGE]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/may2009/porridge240.jpg)
Researcher Dr Reza Norouzy said: ‘Our results suggest that low GI meals lead to a feeling of fullness because of increased levels of GLP-1 in the bloodstream. We now need to expand the findings of this preliminary study and look at the effects of low versus high GI meals in a larger group of people.’
– Kings College London press release.
Low GI diet halved number of women with gestational diabetes needing to use insulin
Women with gestational diabetes can halve their chances of needing insulin by following a low GI diet, according to a new Australian study. Sixty-three women (aged 18–40, all non smokers) followed either a low GI diet or a conventional high fibre (and higher GI) diet. Women on the low GI diet consumed foods such as whole grain pasta and breads, and unprocessed, high fibre breakfast cereals. The control group was advised to eat a high fibre, low sugar diet with no specific guidelines with respect to GI. Both diets met current dietary recommendations for pregnant women.
The results published in Diabetes Care, show that 29% of the women on the low GI diet required insulin, while 59% on the higher GI diet needed insulin. Of the 19 women in the control group who met the criteria for starting insulin, 9 were able to avoid insulin use by switching to a low GI diet.![[PREGNANT]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/may2009/gestational175.jpg)
Gestational diabetes is the type of diabetes that women can develop during pregnancy. In any pregnancy, some insulin resistance develops as a pregnant woman’s insulin needs are 2–3 times her normal needs. But, if you are overweight at the same time, it’s worse. And if your body can’t produce enough insulin to overcome the insulin resistance, your blood glucose levels increase above normal. If gestational diabetes is undetected and untreated, the baby is at risk of growing too big in the womb, which can make the birth difficult. The baby is also at risk of other complications and is more likely to be overweight as a child and develop health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes later in life.
About 5%, or one in every 20 pregnant women, will develop gestational diabetes, and those numbers are increasing. Most women can manage their gestational diabetes with healthy eating, exercise and regular blood glucose monitoring. Here are dietitian Kaye Foster-Powell's healthy eating tips for women with gestational diabetes.
![[JOY]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/may2009/joy175.jpg)
![[BURGER]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/may2009/hamburger250.jpg)
![[FOODWATCH]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/may2009/saxelby-site300.jpg)
Stevia to the rescue in the noncaloric beverage business ![[PIC]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2008/oct08/saxelby125.jpg)
Catherine Saxelby
Zero-calorie sweetener, stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) hit the headlines in the Wall Street Journal in December 2008 with the announcement that the FDA were approving two rebiana-based sweeteners (from rebaudioside A, a highly purified extract of stevia) as being safe for use as a general purpose sweetener in foods and beverages. Australia’s food regulator, FSANZ, had granted approval earlier in 2008.
Cargill is marketing its rebiana-based sweetener Truvia with Coca-Cola; Merisant is working with PepsiCo with their version, Purevia. Both have developed non-nutritive tabletop sweeteners from it.
In what they expect to be the first of many new low- and zero-calorie beverages sweetened with Truvia, Coca Cola has launched a reduced-calorie version of Sprite, called Sprite Green, in the US. Odwalla, also owned by Coke, has added two new reduced-calorie juice drinks to its product line – Mojito Mambo and Pomegranate Strawberry. Apparently not all flavours taste good sweetened with stevia. Citrus flavours taste the best – so we may not see Coke Zero with stevia.![[STEVIA]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/may2009/rebA250.jpg)
Rebaudioside A – stevia extract
Not to be outdone, Pepsi has three flavors of a stevia-sweetened zero-calorie SoBe Lifewater in Fuji Apple & Pear, Black and Blue Berry, and Yumberry Pomegranate with added vitamins as well. They’ve also just brought out an orange-juice drink called Trop50 with 50% less sugar and calories and the juice of freshly squeezed oranges.
Why the interest in stevia? It’s all part of a move away from aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet) and acesulphame K towards more ‘natural’ substitutes for sugar for diet drinks. Despite being cleared twice by food authorities, aspartame has been plagued by persistent internet rumours linking it to brain cancer and Alzheimer’s that refuse to go away. Trop50, for example, replaces Tropicana's previous Light 'n Healthy orange juice beverage that was made with an artificial sweetener.
Stevia and blood glucose Stevioside does not appear to affect blood glucose levels, good news for those with diabetes. The human body does not metabolise the sweet glycosides and they pass through and are eliminated, so the body does not obtain any kilojoules/calories. You’ll see it sold as a white powder, a liquid extract or as tablets for tea or coffee. It has a slight liquorice flavour. It works well in beverages or yoghurts but not in biscuits or muffins as it can’t duplicate sugar’s ability to add bulk and contribute to the golden-brown colour of baked goods.
So far, so good. If you’re after a non-kilojoule sweetener that’s more ‘natural’, stevia hits the spot. It will be interesting to see how well its safety remains over time and how consumers take to the taste of these new drinks.
Background on stevia Native to South America, the leaves of this semi-tropical shrub are around 30 times sweeter than cane sugar but without the kilojoules/calories. As a herb, the leaves can be used fresh or dried – less than 2 tablespoons of crushed dried leaves can replace a cup of sugar, although it’s hard to be specific as actual sweetness can vary. You can buy stevia leaf powder online from specialty spice merchants such as Herbies Spices (www.herbies.com.au). Ian Hemphill says ‘use sparingly as there is a bitter aftertaste if too much is added to food.’
Catherine Saxelby is an accredited dietitian and nutritionist and runs the Foodwatch Nutrition Centre. For more information on stevia and healthy eating, visit www.foodwatch.com.au.
American dietitian, Johanna Burani invites GI News readers to try recipes from her Italian kitchen (photographed by Sergio Burani).![[JOHANNA]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2008/sept08/joanna175.jpg)
Johanna Burani
Herbed fettuccine nests
Here is a terrific tasting pasta dish that is easy to make and just as easy to digest. The ingredients are few and unassuming, yet with careful attention given to their quality and freshness, this humble dish is fit for a king. Buon appetito! Serves 4
230 g (8 oz) 100% semolina fettuccine (or pappardelle) nests (8 nests)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 heaping tablespoon minced fresh sage
1½ teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste![[SPAG]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/may2009/pasta275.jpg)
![[AZMINA]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/may2009/govindji150.jpg)
![[VEG]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/may2009/mixed-vegetables235.jpg)
Myth: Heart attack is a men’s problem![[NICOLE]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2007/dec2007/nicole125.jpg)
Nicole Senior
Fact: Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women (in the US, Australia & the UK)
I always prick up my ears when a high-profile person dies from a heart attack. The list is very long, and not really surprising when you consider heart disease is the developed world’s biggest killer: singer Robert Palmer (1949 – 2003), McDonalds CEO Jim Cantalupo (1944 – 2004), US NBC political journalist Tim Russert (1950 – 2008), major league baseball pitcher Darryl Kile (1968 – 2002) and disc jockey Wolfman Jack ( 1939-1995 ). In Australia: mobile phone mogul ‘Crazy John’ Ilhan (1965-2007) and rock legend Billy Thorpe (1946-2007). Then there are those who’ve gone under the knife: former US president Bill Clinton, and TV personalities Larry King and David Letterman. Dick Cheney’s had four heart attacks. But hang on, these are all men. The only famous woman I could find online was Phyllis Diller who had a heart attack in 1999. This list would seem to suggest heart disease is something only men need worry about, but is this true?![[HEART ATTACK]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/may2009/woman-heart-attack200.jpg)
In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death in women (US, Australia & UK). While breast cancer is the oft-quoted baddie, four times as many women die of heart disease than breast cancer. Experts estimate that one in two women will die of heart disease or stroke, compared with one in 25 women who will die of breast cancer. Sixty percent more women in the US die of cardiovascular disease (heart attack and stroke) than all cancers combined. While both men and women have heart attacks, women are more likely to die from it: no second chance, no opportunity to change, no chance to say goodbye – just gone.
A recent survey revealed 70% of Australian women were unaware that heart disease is the main cause of death among females. “It is a common misconception that heart disease is a ‘male problem’, with women tending to dismiss their symptoms and not seek help until the condition becomes serious”, said Heart Foundation (Australia) CEO Dr Lyn Roberts. “But heart disease should not be underestimated. It is a real issue for all women and younger women should heed our warning and take action now to reduce their risk. Most women recognise that smoking and obesity are major heart disease risk factors along with saturated fat, lack of exercise and family history. Worryingly however new research suggests that there is a poor understanding of the dangers posed by high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.”
Heart disease tends to strike women at an older age because female hormones are protective until menopause. But afterwards this protection disappears. Menopause signals a biological change, but requires behavioural change to best maintain health and wellbeing. For many women, this involves looking after number one for a change, instead of always putting the needs of others first. A heart-healthy diet and regular exercise are more important than ever and the best known anti-ageing therapy as well.
In Australia, May 3-9 is Heart Week and marks the beginning of the Go Red for Women awareness campaign. Coincidentally, it’s also Mother’s Day around the same time (US and Australasia). If you’d like to spoil yourself (or your mum) with a healthy gift that keeps on giving, check out Nicole’s books at www.eattobeatcholesterol.com.au![[SUN]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2008/oct08/nicole_books300.jpg)
Vitamin D deficiency: a lack of sunlight or something else?
Vitamin D is a pro-hormone, which comes from sunlight, or artificial UV light exposure, as well as some types of foods (oily fish, some meat sources and fortified processed foods). Sources from sunlight however are more potent. And Australians have plenty of this. So it seems hardly likely that they would be suffering from a vitamin D deficiency. Yet that’s just what recent evidence shows. Surveys support the fact that up to half of the elderly may be vitamin D deficient, leading to problems of bone weakness.![[SUN]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/may2009/sunlight175.jpg)
Some experts have suggested that our skin cancer messages may have been too successful – that people aren’t getting the 20 minutes of sunlight exposure a day which is sufficient. Others say that sun creams may now be too effective. This latter idea has been dismissed because adequate UV light gets through sun cream with sufficient exposure. A more likely scenario is the rise of obesity and inactivity, which also cause Vitamin D deficiency. Perhaps, again, it’s the whole lifestyle that needs to be looked at.![[GARRY EGGER]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2007/dec2007/garry125.jpg)
Dr Garry Egger aka Prof Trim
For more information on weight loss for men, check out Professor Trim.
What’s the GI and GL of raw wheat bran. We have a brand here in the UK called Jordans Wheat Bran which is quite coarse.
If your raw wheat bran is the same as ours here in Australia, then this is a very low carbohydrate product that can’t have a GI or GL (it’s too low to test). This means it won't cause any rise in blood glucose levels. In fact, studies show that it will have a ‘second meal’ effect, which means it will lower the blood glucose response to the next meal.![[WHEAT BRAN]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/may2009/wheat-bran250.jpg)
Are products containing sucralose in the high GI range? If so, are Swerve, stevia, Truvia, or xylitol acceptable sugar substitutes?
By sucralose we assume you mean Splenda. Sucralose is a non nutritive sweetener and is hundreds of times sweeter than table sugar (sucrose), has no effect on blood glucose levels and does not provide any calories because it is not absorbed into the body. It contains no carbohydrate and does not have a GI. There's an excellent chapter on sugar and sweeteners in The New Glucose Revolution for Diabetes (The Diabetes and Pre-diabetes Handbook in Australia) by Prof Jennie Brand Miller et al PLUS a great ‘What sweetener is that?’ summary table. The information there should answer many of your questions about sugars and sweeteners of all kinds.
Email your curly question about carbs, the GI and blood glucose to: gicurlyquestions@gmail.com
‘We found the GI the most critical tool in managing our children’s diabetes.’ – Margie
'I have two type 1 diabetic children, one diagnosed 12 years ago at age three and the other in 2007 at age two. Thanks to Prof Jennie Brand-Miller and colleagues, my husband and I were able to use the GI in managing my three year old’s diabetes way back 12 years ago after diagnosis (and have done so ever since, and also with my latest diagnosed child) and we found it THE most critical tool in managing our child’s diabetes. It was truly a godsend. This was despite the GI at the time not being something that was widely recognised or recommended, and in fact even frowned upon by some old-style diabetic educators who preferred the complex carbohydrate and counting method.
However, we KNEW from first-hand experience exactly how very well it worked, studied the original little handbook til we could shop without it and then we fashioned our family diet around it generally. We loved the freedom it gave us in making dietary choices, particularly for a toddler, in addition to improving our understanding of diabetes, the relation of foods to blood glucose levels and of course ultimately achieving better blood glucose levels for our child! So we just did our thing without the guidance of the medical profession until such a time as the GI was eventually given the recognition it deserved. Which as Australians, we are proud of, as we know the international recognition and acclaim this research has achieved since.'![[TODDLER]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/may2009/toddler160.jpg)
‘Dear Professor Brand-Miller, I just want to thank you for your very sensible and helpful eating advice in The Low GI Diet’ – Frances
‘I have just finished the first 12-week weight-loss period during which I lost 10.5 kg (23 lbs). I am now no longer morbidly obese. I now intend to continue with a 3-month weight maintenance period before trying another period of weight loss. I am in my forties and have been obese for over 10 years.
Your book has really helped to re-educate me regarding my eating habits and attitude towards my health. I particularly liked the fact that whilst following the weight-loss program I did not become neurotic about what I could or could not eat, and I also felt that I was not embarking on some kind of self-punishment program. I now eat regularly and sensibly, I enjoy buying and preparing food and eating it and I enjoy a much more active life – swimming, walking and going to the gym. I do not feel as though I were on a diet that I am in a hurry to finish and return to “normal” eating habits – instead I feel like I now have a much happier and healthier relationship towards food and my body. I really am so happy that I picked up your book.’
LoGicane™: your questions answered![[ALAN]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/april2009/alan125.jpg)
Alan Barclay
The launch of the low GI sweetener LoGicane™ in Australia in March sparked immense interest from around the globe. A growing disenchantment with non-nutritive tabletop sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose, and the hypothesis that high fructose corn syrups are fuelling the obesity epidemic in the USA, are a couple of likely reasons for the high level of interest.
How does LoGicane™ compare with other tabletop sweeteners?
It is important to realise that it is a nutritive sweetener – it provides energy (kilojoules) and carbohydrate, as well as small amounts of minerals like potassium, calcium and magnesium, and other nutritive substances like polyphenols and antioxidants. Other nutritive sweeteners like honey and raw sugar also provide similar amounts of energy, carbohydrate and some of these other nutrients, but on average, they have a higher GI value. All other nutritive tabletop sweeteners are so highly refined that they only provide energy and carbohydrate, and with the notable exception of fructose, have a higher GI. Therefore, LoGicane™ is an overall better choice of nutritive tabletop sweetener.
However, like all nutritive sweeteners, it may contribute to weight gain, and will elevate blood glucose levels in people with diabetes, if consumed in excessive amounts. It is worth noting that total sugar consumption per head of population has been decreasing in Australia over the last 35 years, while rates of overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes have approximately trebled over the same period.![[LOGICANE]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/april2009/logicane150.jpg)
How does LoGicane™ compare with non-nutritive table top sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose?
As their name suggests, non-nutritive sweeteners provide essentially no nutrients (energy, carbohydrate, minerals, etc…) when consumed as directed. As such, they will not affect blood glucose levels, and in theory may aid in weight management. However, perhaps surprisingly, there is actually little evidence that they help with weight management for reasons that are as yet unclear. It is worth noting that aspartame and sucralose were introduced into the food supply in the early 1980’s and 90’s respectively, again coinciding with the global obesity and diabetes epidemic.
Is Logicane™ low GI due to added chemicals or sweeteners?
Logicane™ is low GI due to the polyphenols that occur naturally in molasses. The important GI lowering polyphenols in molasses are recovered using a membrane filtration process and this material is reincorporated back into washed raw sugar crystals to ensure the clinically “right” amount is captured in the final sugar product to ensure it is low GI.
Where can you buy it?
While LoGicane™ is currently only available in Australia and New Zealand supermarkets, Horizon Science are negotiating with major North American and European manufacturers, and expect the product will be available in these territories in the near future. For more information email: alan@gisymbol.com![[GI SYMBOL]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/jan2009/logo100.jpg){kind=logo}
Contact
Dr Alan W Barclay, PhD
CSO, Glycemic Index Ltd
Phone: +61 2 9785 1037
Mob: +61 (0)416 111 046
Fax: +61 2 9785 1037
Email: mailto:alan@gisymbol.com
Email: alan@gisymbol.com
Website: www.gisymbol.com.au
Lychees
Fresh lychees (B3 variety, Australian grown) GI 57
Serve size 8 lychees (about 100 g or 3 1/2 oz); Available carbs per serve 16 g; GL = 9
Nektar Sweet
Nektar Sweet™ GI 34
Serve size (1 teaspoon) 4 g; Available carbs per serve 4 g; GL = 1.4
This nutritive sweetener is a white powder-like sweetener. The ingredients are fructose, lactose, honey, maltodextrin and natural flavours. The product packaging says ‘replace table sugar about 1:1, adjust to taste’.
To have your product GI tested, contact an accredited GI testing laboratory
North America
Dr Alexandra Jenkins
Glycemic Index Laboratories
36 Lombard Street, Suite 100
Toronto, Ontario M5C 2X3 Canada
Phone +1 416 861 0506
Email info@gilabs.com
Web www.gilabs.com
Australia
Fiona Atkinson![[FIONA]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/may2009/fiona125.jpg)
Research Manager, Sydney University Glycemic Index Research Service (SUGiRS)
Human Nutrition Unit, School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences
Sydney University
NSW 2006 Australia
Phone + 61 2 9351 6018
Fax: + 61 2 9351 6022
Email sugirs@mmb.usyd.edu.au
Web www.glycemicindex.com
New Zealand
Dr Tracy Perry
The Glycemic Research Group, Dept of Human Nutrition
University of Otago
PO Box 56 Dunedin New Zealand
Phone +64 3 479 7508
Email tracy.perry@stonebow.otago.ac.nz
Web glycemicindex.otago.ac.nz
See The New Glucose Revolution on YouTube
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This website and all information, data, documents, pages and images it contains is copyright under the Copyright Act 1968 (Commonwealth of Australia) (as amended) and the copyright laws of all member countries of the Berne Union and the Universal Copyright Convention.
Copyright in the website and in material prepared by GI News is owned by GI News, Human Nutrition Unit, University of Sydney. Copyright in quotations, images from published works and photo libraries, and materials contributed by third parties including our regular contributors Alan Barclay, Johanna Burani, Susie Burrell, Garry Egger (Prof Trim), Kate Hemphill, Catherine Saxelby and Nicole Senior is owned by the respective authors or agencies, as credited.
GI News encourages the availability, dissemination and exchange of public information. You may include a link to GI News on your website. You may also copy, distribute, display, download and otherwise freely deal only with material owned by GI News, on the condition that you include the copyright notice “© GI News, Human Nutrition Unit, University of Sydney” on all uses and prominently credit the source as being GI News.
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![[COLLAGE]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/april2009/collage_april09.jpg)
Can cinnamon reduce the blood glucose rise after eating?
In recent years, lab research has suggested that CASSIA cinnamon, which contains around 5% of coumarin, may make body cells more sensitive to insulin. Small studies in healthy people and people with diabetes have also shown that this type of cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia to give it its proper botanical name) can reduce the blood glucose rise after eating. But the jury is still out – some results have been promising but it’s too early to say that cinnamon cassia definitely does have beneficial health effects for people with type 2 diabetes. A recent meta-analysis in Diabetes Care found no significant benefits of a cassia cinnamon supplement on either glycated haemoglobin (A1C) or fasting blood glucose. The authors do acknowledge that their meta analysis may have been underpowered. What’s needed is a well planned, well controlled, long-term clinical trial.![[QUINOA]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/april2009/quinoa225.jpg)
Fruity Quinoa Porridge with Cinnamon Cassia (Ian Hofstetter)
No study has shown any adverse effects of taking cassia cinnamon daily but there are no long term trials either. So, while it’s still too soon for anyone to recommend that people with diabetes rely on this spice to steady their blood glucose levels, there’s no reason not to add it to your armoury of tools for managing your blood glucose levels. There are a few provisos, however.
If you want to give cinnamon cassia a go, have a chat first with your GP, dietitian or diabetes educator and be a bit scientific about it, too. For example, why not have your HbA1c tested prior to starting? Then have it checked again after at least 6 months, while not changing any lifestyle or medication use if possible to see if there is a change (unless advised by your diabetes management team). And if you get some interesting results, we would love to hear about it. Make sure that you are using the right stuff. We wrote about the difference between cinnamon cassia (Cinnamomum cassia) that comes from China, Vietnam or Indonesia and 'true' cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) from Sri Lanka in August 2007 GI News. We know that McCormicks cinnamon is cinnamon cassia. You can also buy cinnamon cassia from Herbies Spices.
In many of the cinnamon (cassia) studies to date they have used supplements. Simply adding this wonderful culinary spice to food seems a smarter and simpler and tastier and probably cheaper option to us. We asked spice guru Ian Hemphill to suggest some simple ways to include it in your meals throughout the day.
BreakfastIf you want to know more about cinnamon (cassia), check out Ian’s Spice and Herb Bible (Spice Notes & Recipes in Australia) and try his to-die-for ‘Spiced Duck Breast with Cassia Glaze’. If you make it with the new LoGiCane™ sugar, it’ll be low GI too!
Add 1 teaspoon (that’s about 3 g) of cinnamon (cassia) to porridge (made with traditional oats of course) while it is cooking.
Sprinkle a teaspoon of cinnamon (cassia) over your muesli or granola.
Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (cassia) to a pancake batter and serve with berries.
Lunch
Mix 1 teaspoon of turmeric with 1 teaspoon of cumin and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (cassia) and a pinch of salt if you like. Sprinkle on chicken pieces, pan fry, slice and toss through a green salad.
Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon (cassia) while mashing a banana or add to a banana smoothie.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon cassia and 1/2 a teaspoon of ground star anise through approximately 250 g (9 oz) of stir-fried chicken.
Dinner
Make a tasty tagine by coating beef cubes with 2 teaspoons of paprika, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (cassia) before slow cooking.
Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (cassia) to apple pie or fruit compote.
Mix 1 teaspoon of turmeric with 1 teaspoon of cumin and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (cassia) and a pinch of salt and rub on to lamb cutlets before grilling or barbecuing.
Is it finally the end of fad diet wars?
It’s not the type of diet that makes a difference it’s cutting back on the calories that counts. This is the principal finding of a study in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine that compared four heart-healthy, weight-loss diets. Consisting of similar foods, the diets replaced saturated with unsaturated fat and were high in whole cereal grains, fruits and vegetables. All participants were encouraged to include at least 20 g of dietary fibre per day in their diet and low GI carb-rich foods were recommended.
All four diets were equally successful in promoting clinically meaningful weight loss and the maintenance of weight loss over the course of 2 years. The take-home message is that giving people who want to lose weight a reduced calorie diet that's specifically tailored to fit in with their personal and cultural food preferences is likely to be the best way to give them a real chance for long-term success.
The researchers randomly assigned 811 overweight adults who were very keen to lose weight to one of four diets with a 750 calorie reduction a day that emphasised different amounts of carbohydrates, fat, and protein. The participants were also asked to do 90 minutes of moderate exercise a week. ‘Among the 80% of participants who completed the trial, the average weight loss was 4 kg (8.8 lbs); 14 to 15% of the participants had a reduction of at least 10% of their initial body weight.’ All the diets reduced risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.![[SACKS]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/april2009/frank-sacks125.jpg)
Prof Frank Sacks
The study also showed that the participants who regularly attended counselling sessions lost more weight than those who didn’t. Lead author Prof. Frank Sacks said: ‘These findings suggest that continued contact with the participants may be more important than the micronutrient composition of their diets.’
The good news: If you want to lose weight, see a registered dietitian.
The bad news: It's unlikely that such science-based evidence from Harvard researchers will stop the flow of fad diet books, magazine stories or miracle weight-loss programs, pills and potions.
Helping kids beat the obesity gene
‘Although our genetic make-up does have an influence on our health, it’s certainly not the only defining factor. Those with high risk genes can, in some cases, resist their genetic lot if they alter their lifestyle in the right way – in this case, their diet,’ says lead author Dr Laura Johnson from University College London (UCL) talking about a new study published in March 2009 issue of the online journal PloS One.![[JOHNSON]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/april2009/laura-johnson110.jpg)
Dr Laura Johnson
Children who carry the FTO gene, strongly associated with obesity, could offset its effect by eating a low energy density diet. The UCL and University of Bristol researchers found that children with a more energy dense diet (more calories per bite) tended to have more fat mass three years later and also confirmed that those carrying the high risk gene had greater fat mass overall.
When the researchers looked at whether children with the FTO gene had a stronger reaction to an energy dense diet than children with a lower genetic risk they found that they did not. These results indicate that if a child with a high genetic risk eats a diet with fewer calories per bite, they may be able to offset the effect of the gene on weight gain and so stay a healthy weight.
Eating a diet rich in energy-dense foods increases the risk of obesity for adults, as they tend to eat the same amount of food, regardless of its energy density. That’s not true for kids, Johnson notes. When younger kids eat energy-dense foods, they generally eat less at the next meal. As they get older, though, they get more and more like adults. ‘This is an important finding because it provides evidence that … adopting a diet with more bulk and less energy per bite could help people avoid becoming obese regardless of their genetic risk. Obesity is not inevitable if your genes give you a higher risk because if you change the types of foods you eat this will help curb excessive weight gain.’
How? By replacing high-fat foods with low-fat foods and giving kids more fruits and vegetables. See January 2009 GI News for more on low energy density ‘feel full’ foods and February 2009 GI News for tips on ‘Changing the way we eat, drink and move.’
Carbohydrate withdrawal: is recognition the first step to recovery?
In February 2009 GI News, we reported on an article that explored the idea in that addiction could be an important factor causing the obesity epidemic. Lead writer Dr Simon Thornley claimed that although there’s no basis for this in the medical literature to date, it’s possible that obese persons may experience a withdrawal syndrome (after abstinence from high GI foods) with symptoms such as craving and low mood similar to those associated with other drug dependencies. In a recent letter to the NZ Medical Journal, Thornley reprints correspondence (with permission) from a 38-year-old woman from Wisconsin, USA.![[CUPCAKE]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/april2009/cupcake200.jpg)
“For the first 3 weeks I cut all processed sugar and flour from my diet and suffered mood swings with extreme tension and depression, even a sense of hopelessness at times, I had horrible stomach pains, all my joints and muscles throbbed, and I had the shakes constantly. I don't even know how to describe the horrible headaches that went along with all this. People who knew me started thinking I was hiding a drug problem. The worst physical symptoms have been gone for about 2 weeks now, and the cravings are finally starting to subside … I look at birthday cake today and all I see is myself curled up in the fetal position crying in bed … The worst part of the addiction lasted 3 weeks. The first 3 days were normal, but then on the fourth day the worst cravings began. All I could think about was ice cream, chocolate, and cheesecake. The cravings started to subside after the third week, but once I started feeling better I [thought] about food less. The shakes and the headaches really were the worst part!”
Thornley says: ‘Although this case does not prove our hypothesis, it may explain why obese people find it difficult to adhere to advice to reduce intake of refined carbohydrates. Her description is similar to an opiate withdrawal syndrome (craving, aches and pains and muscular spasm or twitching). The time course – worst in the first weeks and resolving with continued abstinence within 4 weeks – again concurs with a withdrawal syndrome. Further work may indicate if these symptoms can be reliably measured and mapped over time in obese subjects that limit their intake of high GI food.’
Lupin – dream ingredient or allergy nightmare?
Catherine Saxelby
I have to say right up front, lupin looks promising but the jury is still out. Here’s the story so far. Research from Western Australia published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a bread with 40% added lupin kernel flour lowered both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in 74 overweight men and women over 16 weeks. Compared to a standard white bread, the lupin-enriched bread dropped blood pressure by 3.0 and 0.6mm Hg respectively while their pulse pressure also decreased.
In a 2006 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study, researchers reported that eating lupin flour-enriched bread at breakfast resulted in higher ‘feel full’ (satiety) scores and a lower overall food intake (488 kJ less) at lunch than eating white bread.
It makes sense. Both protein and fibre are things dieters already utilise to help them keep hunger pangs away. It significantly reduces total food intake and surprisingly cuts down on their intake at the following meal.![[LUPIN]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/april2009/lupin222.jpg)
What is it? Lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) is a legume (bean), high in protein (over 40%) and fibre (around 30%), most of which is the soluble type. It’s also low in fat, which is mainly polyunsaturated with some omega-3, so it most closely resembles soy beans. In fact it’s been ear marked as the next major competitor to soy beans as a high protein ingredient in vegan sausages, noodles, breads, muffins or breakfast cereal.
The fat also is rich in lecithin, which is good for the heart. It contains natural antioxidants such as carotenoids (which account for its golden-yellow colour) and tocopherols which are converted into vitamin E.
What can it do for you? Eating foods contain lupin flour can help cut your food intake without going hungry thanks to the fibre and protein content. It is an excellent alternative to both wheat flour and soy products. It has a higher lysine content than cereals and is rich in the amino acid arginine which is a precursor of nitric oxide, a vasodilator in blood vessels. Like other legumes, it is gluten free and its starch is slowly digested, so as an ingredient it would help lower the GI of a food such as bread.
Lupin allergy is the downside. Major food manufacturers, however, are holding back from using lupin flour due to the likelihood of it provoking a severe allergic reaction like peanut (botanically a legume). It appears that people with peanut sensitivity may have cross-reactivity with lupin or the allergy may arise for no known reason.
Currently, food producers are not required to label lupin as a potential allergen unlike gluten or soy. Even though it’s not widely available, already two reports – in the Medical Journal of Australia and a case report in The Lancet (April 2005; no abstract) – describe four cases of anaphylaxis that can be traced back to hidden lupin. Immunologists suggest that allergic patients be tested for lupin sensitivity before eating it.
Where do you get it? At present, not many lupin-based products exist. In Australia, Bodhi’s Slimmers Choice bread is made with 40% lupin kernel flour. This was the bread used in both studies but it’s only available in Western Australia and some outlets in South Australia and Victoria. Website: www.bodhi.com.au.
‘Feel great – lose weight’ is the claim on the Lupin8 label. You add this yellow powder (made from a blend of lupin kernel flour, corn flour maize, oat bran, rice meal and psyllium husks) to food or cooking to reduce hunger pangs. It says it has a low GI on the label, but I haven’t seen any published test results, and there’s only 3 g carbs in a 9 g serving (about a tablespoon). You can buy it from pharmacies and health food shops in Australia and the manufacturer says it will be available in NZ and USA from March/April. Website: www.lupin8.com.au.
Want more information? The WA Department of Agriculture has a really excellent PDF on lupins generally and lupin research and background; and you can find out more about lupin flour at www.lupinflour.com.au.
Catherine Saxelby is an accredited dietitian and nutritionist and runs the Foodwatch Nutrition Centre. For more information onlupin and healthy eating, visit www.foodwatch.com.au.![[ZEST]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2008/august08/zest150.jpg)
American dietitian, Johanna Burani invites GI News readers to try recipes from her Italian kitchen (photographed by Sergio Burani).
Johanna Burani
Vanda’s baked frittata
Vanda is my good friend and a fabulous cook. She lives in Friuli, northern Italy, in a small town very close to mine. She espouses to the freshest ingredients in her cooking. Her dishes are simple, wholesome and usually picked directly from her vegetable garden. This recipe is a great example of her delicious home cooking.
Serves 4
2 medium zucchini (approx. 10 oz/300 g)
4 eggs
2 tablespoons sundried tomatoes, minced
55 g (2 oz) part skim ricotta
¼ cup (60 ml) fat free milk
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated cheese
1 tablespoon plain breadcrumbs![[FRITATTA]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/april2009/fritatta250.jpg)
![[JOANNA]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/april2009/joanna125.jpg)
Myth: Vegetarian diets are healthier
Nicole Senior
Fact: Vegetarian diets can lack essential nutrients
My latest book, Heart food (with Veronica Cuskelly) has a picture of mouth-watering steak on the front cover. A couple of people expressed surprise at this choice, and couldn’t believe meat was healthy. Of course a balanced diet including lean meat can be healthy and heart friendly, but meat often gets a bum rap – much of it deserved because our portions are too large and our meat choices too fatty. But is going meat-free the true path to wellness? Well, a vegetarian diet can have a few holes in it as well and lack key nutrients such as iron, zinc, B12 and omega-3 DHA. I thought I’d address a number of commonly held views about vegetarianism.
Vegetarians live longer: While it’s true the Seventh Day Adventist vegetarian community in Loma Linda California are one of the most long-lived in the world, under the cold light of science this can’t be fully explained by their vegetarian diet. This community also don’t drink alcohol, are physically active, and have strong religious faith and social connectedness. There are equally long-lived communities elsewhere in the world that do include animal foods in their diet, such as the people of the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica, Sardinia in Italy and the people of Okinawa in Japan . Interestingly, while they do eat meat, their diets are based on plant foods (as are heart-healthy diets today). The take-home message is, if you eat meat make sure you eat plenty of vegetables, exercise and pray!![[OLD]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/april2009/oldies225.jpg)
Sardinia Centenarians
Vegetarian dishes in restaurants are healthier options: In my experience, this is the exception rather than the rule. Unfortunately vegetarian dishes tend to be heavy on cheese, cream and pastry (e.g. vegetable quiche, bean nachos), and thus heavy on kilojoules (calories) and artery clogging saturated fat and salt. Unless the chef is clued up on matters vegetarian, you end up with a meat-free version of an existing dish (e.g. vegetable pasta) rather than a well-balanced meal with suitable meat-alternatives such as legumes and nuts. Teen girls please note: throwing the meat out of your burger does not make it a vegetarian meal! You need to research a restaurant guidebook or the web to find suitable vegan dishes (containing no animal products at all). More education about healthy meatless meals is needed.
There is enough iron in plant foods: I recently saw a bumper sticker on the back of a cattle farmer’s truck that said, “7 days without meat makes one weak”. Very clever, but is there any truth to it? Maybe when you consider plant foods such as whole grains, legumes and nuts contain non-haem (or non-heme) iron of which only 5% is absorbed. Added to this, vegetarian diets contain very high levels of phytates and oxalates that inhibit iron absorption. Eating vitamin-C rich foods can enhance the absorption of non-haem iron, but never reaches the bioavailability of haem iron. The haem-iron in meat, chicken, pork and fish is much better absorbed, and in a mixed meal the haem-iron enhances the non-haem iron absorption as well. Many vegetarians do fine without meat because their iron needs are lower, but children, teenagers, pregnant women and athletes need more and risk going short. Low iron can cause poor energy levels and fatigue, and delayed cognitive development in children.
Sure, meat-lovers would do well to take a leaf out of the vegetarian book by including more protective plant foods, but vegetarian diets have their hazards as well. The take-out message is that avowed carnivores and vegans are dietary extremes while health is so often found in the happy medium. Vive l'omnivore!
If you’re interested in having your steak and eating it, while still looking after your cholesterol and heart health, check out Nicole’s books at www.eattobeatcholesterol.com.au
Is there a difference between naturally occurring sugars and refined sugar?
We are often asked this. Not in GI terms. Naturally occurring sugars are those found in milk and other dairy products and fruits and vegetables, including their juices. Refined sugar means added sugar, table sugar, honey, maple syrup, or corn syrup. Both sources include varying amounts of sucrose, glucose, fructose and lactose. Some nutritionists make a distinction between them, because natural sugars are usually accompanied by micronutrients such as vitamin C.
The rate of digestion and absorption of naturally occurring sugars is no different, on average, from that of refined sugars. There is, however, wide variation within food groups, depending on the food. The GI of fruits varies, from 25 for grapefruit to 76 for watermelon. Similarly, among the foods containing refined sugar, some are low GI, some high. The GI of sweetened, low fat yoghurt is only 26 to 28, while a Mars Bar® has a GI of 62 (lower than bread).
Remember, a food’s GI alone doesn’t make it good or bad for you. The nutritional benefits of different foods are many and varied which is why we always suggest that you base your food choices on the overall nutritional content along with the amount of saturated fat, salt, fibre and of course, the GI value, which is why bread is a better option than a Mars Bar.![[SUGAR]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/april2009/sugar225.jpg)
Why do dietitians and nutritionists recommend starchy foods over sugary foods?
Sugar has an image problem that stems largely from research with rodents using unrealistic amounts of pure sugar. It’s also seen as a source of ‘empty kilojoules’ (energy without vitamins or minerals) and concentrated energy. But much of the criticism doesn’t stand up to actual
research findings.
Most starchy foods have the same energy density as sugary foods and even a soft drink has the same kilojoule (calorie) content per gram as an apple. Starchy foods, such as wholegrain cereals can be excellent sources of vitamins, minerals and fibre, but some pure forms of starch and modified starches are added to foods that are ‘empty kilojoules’.
So there really isn’t a big difference between sugars and starches, either in nutritional terms or in terms of the glycemic index. Our advice is to use sugar to your advantage by adding it to nutritious foods (such as a little sugar on porridge or a smear of jam on low GI bread) to make them taste even better.
Email your curly question about carbs, the GI and blood glucose to: gicurlyquestions@gmail.com
How much protein is enough?
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of a nutrient is an estimate of the minimum average dietary intake level that meets the nutrient requirements of nearly all (around 97% that is) healthy individuals. Based on this recommendation, the RDA for protein in the diet is 0.8 grams per kg of body weight per day. So a 100 kg (220 pound) man should be eating about 80 g (3 oz) of protein (about the amount in a good piece of steak) per day. Athletes on the other hand are advised to eat up to 3g per kg of body weight per day – around 300 g (11 oz) for a 100 kg man – because of their extra muscular needs.![[STEAK]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2009/april2009/steak225.jpg)
However, as pointed out in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the term “recommended dietary allowance” is often misleading as it is misinterpreted as being the “optimal” rather than the “minimal” dietary requirement. But protein recommendations for those wanting to lose weight have now been put at around 25% of total energy intake, so for a 10 man needing about 3,500 calories (14,700 kJ) per day, this would translate into a protein content of around 200 g (7 oz)/day, which is obviously more than the RDA, and closer to the athlete level. So who is right?
Because loss of body muscle during an energy restricted diet is counter-productive for good weight loss, the higher level (even up to 35% of intake from protein is more likely to be effective. Are there any risks at this level? Those with kidney problems or potential kidney problems do need to be managed differently, but for the others, there seems to be little risk. As hunter-gatherers, humans often took in as much as 30% of their diet as protein on a regular basis. Hence, it’s likely that we are attuned to a higher protein intake than is current. Of course the other point of concern is that the source of the protein should be lean meats or vegetable proteins. Higher fat varieties (e.g. such as feed-lot farmed animals) are likely to reduce the benefits by increasing the fat (and hence energy) content of the diet.
Dr Garry Egger aka Prof Trim
For more information on weight loss for men, check out Professor Trim.
