Marilyn Cummings, Author
Managing Diabetes Using the Glycemic Index
Our guest speaker, Marilyn Cummings, told the story of how her husband was diagnosed with Type II diabetes, which launched them into months of research studying a more healthy way of eating. She then documented and compiled what she had learned into a ‘part research results, part recipe’ book which was published by Outskirts Press of Colorado in October, 2009. Her book is available online here.
What they found is that the Glycemic Index was essentially how food behaves in your body. There are foods that behave like sugar by rapidly breaking down during digestion and releasing higher amounts of glucose into your bloodstream, which are identified by a high GI number. And there are foods that do not behave like sugar by breaking down slowly during digestion and releasing glucose gradually into your bloodstream, which are identified by a low GI number.
Very low > 30 }
Low 31-55 } Glycemic Index
Medium 56-75 } Scale
High >75 }
These numbers cannot be ‘calculated’, but are derived from a testing facility in Sydney, Australia. The food values can be found in the book entitled “The New Glucose Revolution shopper’s Guide to GI Values” or online at www.glycemicindex.com
They derived the following 7 rules to live by:
1. Stay away from most white starchy foods.
2. Eat SOME carbohydrates at every meal, don’t skip meals.
3. Include 7-10 fruits and vegetables in your daily diet.
4. Eat lots of proteins.
5. Try to include an acidic food with every meal.
6. Change your snacks to things like dried fruits, nuts and crackers and cheese.
7. Purge your food stock.
The most helpful references were:
The Idiots guide to Glycemic Index Weight Loss
The GL Diet for Dummies.
Marilyn discussed the difference between whole grain and white/wheat flour. Whole grain has the bran and germ intact which takes longer for your body to process, thus making it a lower GI food. Finding the yellow “whole grain” logo on the package is a sure sign that you are eating a whole grain food.
She also talked about how pasta, if cooked al dente, can be a low GI food, but if cooked to mush or refrigerated and reheated, will behave like a high GI food.
She also discussed the acidic foods that will lower the GI of the foods you are eating it with by 30%. This happens because acidic foods slow down the speed in which your stomach empties, reducing glucose levels. These include vinegar, lemon, pickles, green olives, horseradish, marinated vegetables, sauerkraut, salsa & vinaigrette dressings. Surprisingly, it also includes sourdough bread because the natural fermentation of starch by a yeast starter culture produces the right acids. One surprise, is that cinnamon is also an acidic food.
Marilyn displayed 3 recipes in which she showed the original ingredients, and then showed the recipe with substituted ingredients. One example was the Lasagna recipe from her book:
What they found is that the Glycemic Index was essentially how food behaves in your body. There are foods that behave like sugar by rapidly breaking down during digestion and releasing higher amounts of glucose into your bloodstream, which are identified by a high GI number. And there are foods that do not behave like sugar by breaking down slowly during digestion and releasing glucose gradually into your bloodstream, which are identified by a low GI number.
Very low > 30 }
Low 31-55 } Glycemic Index
Medium 56-75 } Scale
High >75 }
These numbers cannot be ‘calculated’, but are derived from a testing facility in Sydney, Australia. The food values can be found in the book entitled “The New Glucose Revolution shopper’s Guide to GI Values” or online at www.glycemicindex.com
They derived the following 7 rules to live by:
1. Stay away from most white starchy foods.
2. Eat SOME carbohydrates at every meal, don’t skip meals.
3. Include 7-10 fruits and vegetables in your daily diet.
4. Eat lots of proteins.
5. Try to include an acidic food with every meal.
6. Change your snacks to things like dried fruits, nuts and crackers and cheese.
7. Purge your food stock.
The most helpful references were:
The Idiots guide to Glycemic Index Weight Loss
The GL Diet for Dummies.
Marilyn discussed the difference between whole grain and white/wheat flour. Whole grain has the bran and germ intact which takes longer for your body to process, thus making it a lower GI food. Finding the yellow “whole grain” logo on the package is a sure sign that you are eating a whole grain food.
She also talked about how pasta, if cooked al dente, can be a low GI food, but if cooked to mush or refrigerated and reheated, will behave like a high GI food.
She also discussed the acidic foods that will lower the GI of the foods you are eating it with by 30%. This happens because acidic foods slow down the speed in which your stomach empties, reducing glucose levels. These include vinegar, lemon, pickles, green olives, horseradish, marinated vegetables, sauerkraut, salsa & vinaigrette dressings. Surprisingly, it also includes sourdough bread because the natural fermentation of starch by a yeast starter culture produces the right acids. One surprise, is that cinnamon is also an acidic food.
Marilyn displayed 3 recipes in which she showed the original ingredients, and then showed the recipe with substituted ingredients. One example was the Lasagna recipe from her book:
Original Recipe:
Ingredients: 3 Lasagna Noodles 1/3 jar Ragu Spaghetti Sauce 1/3 lb ground beef 4 oz. Ricotta Cheese 1/2 Egg 3/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella cheese Shredded Parmesan Cheese |
Recipe with substitutions:
Ingredients: 3 Dreamfields Low GI Lasagna Noodles 1/3 jar Ragu Light “No Sugar Added” Spaghetti Sauce 1/3 lb ground beef 4 oz. Ricotta Cheese 1/8 cup Egg beaters 3/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella cheese Shredded Parmesan Cheese |
The last thing Marilyn discussed was a set of restaurant rules that make eating out easy. Such things as substituting your white potato with a baked yam or an extra helping of grilled veggies, no fried foods, cut the rice and flour tortillas at a Mexican food restaurant, and choosing whole grain breads and buns at a sandwich shop or deli will make your restaurant experience low GI as well.