The Skinny Kid

When a recent study showed no special weight loss benefit from low-glycemic diets relative to other diets, I said:

I’ve always been a believer in the “weight gain/loss = calories in - calories out” theory. Still, the concept of glycemic load has some intuitive appeal. For example, given the link between obesity and diabetes, and the need to control sugar absorption in the latter case, perhaps overweight people should pay attention to glycemic index even if they aren’t trying to lose weight.

As it turns out, not only was I on the right track with that question but other researchers were in the process of answering it.

Insidermedicine Video News : Low Glycemic Diet Lowers Cholesterol, Good for Weight Loss

Dieters who select a low-glycemic load diet my have more success at losing weight, than those following a low carbohydrate or low fat diet, say researchers in a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.Three popular diets have recently received much attention – low fat, low carbohydrate, and low glycemic load. However, there is still no consensus on which diet yields the best results. Glycemic load refers to the increase in blood sugar that occurs following the consumption of a carbohydrate. Foods low on the glycemic index, such as certain fruits, nuts, and vegetables, release glucose gradually into the blood stream. Foods high on the glycemic index, such as breads and pasta, provoke an immediate response in the blood sugar levels and tend to result in increased hunger and overeating.

For people with tendency for high insulin levels 30 minutes after eating, the low-glycemic diet produced a five times greater decrease in weight than the low-fat diet at 18 months. The low-glycemic diet was also more effective in reducing body fat and improving cholesterol and trigyceride levels, while the low-fat diet improved low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol.

Differences in insulin secretion among individuals may help predict the success of weight loss programs, and reducing glycemic load may be especially important for those who secrete insulin at a higher level.

Makes sense to me.

ScienceDaily: Tart Cherries Can Alter Factors Linked To Heart Disease And Diabetes, Animal Study Suggests

Tart cherries may be good for more than just making pie, according to new data from an animal study conducted by University of Michigan Health System researchers and presented recently at a major scientific meeting.

Tart cherries may be good for more than just making pie, according to new data from an animal study conducted by University of Michigan Health System researchers and presented recently at a major scientific meeting. (Credit: Photo by Brian Prechtel; Courtesy of USDA/Agricultural Research Service)
In a study involving rats, the researchers report that animals that received powdered tart cherries in their diet had lower total cholesterol, lower blood sugar, less fat storage in the liver, lower oxidative stress and increased production of a molecule that helps the body handle fat and sugar, compared with rats that didn’t receive cherries as part of an otherwise similar diet. All of the rats had a predisposition toward high cholesterol and pre-diabetes, but not obesity.

I have been getting some very tart freeze-dried cherries for my megamuffins recently. Wonder if they work?

The Tao of Health: Blood Sugar and Cancer

High blood sugar increases your risk of cancer? I guess I’m not too surprised, although this article seems to confirm it.The article above says, “By avoiding excessive fat and other dietary risk factors, and by getting regular exercise, you can decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes — and cancer.” The only problem with all this is that people would defend their right to drink a gallon or more of soft drinks per week a lot more vigorously than they defend their right to kill themselves eating trans fat, etc., so I don’t know how much good reports like these do. There are some people, however, who are glad to make healthy choices, and I suppose those people are glad to know that by limiting their sugar intake they are doing something positive for their lives.

Link to original article is at Tao of Health.

The Tao of Health: Blood Sugar and Cancer

High blood sugar increases your risk of cancer? I guess I’m not too surprised, although this article seems to confirm it.The article above says, “By avoiding excessive fat and other dietary risk factors, and by getting regular exercise, you can decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes — and cancer.” The only problem with all this is that people would defend their right to drink a gallon or more of soft drinks per week a lot more vigorously than they defend their right to kill themselves eating trans fat, etc., so I don’t know how much good reports like these do. There are some people, however, who are glad to make healthy choices, and I suppose those people are glad to know that by limiting their sugar intake they are doing something positive for their lives.

Link to original article is at Tao of Health.