GI Symbol News

1)   World Scientific Experts agree low GI should be a public health priority

2)   New Low GI & Diabetes Management Brochure

3)   Glycemic Index Foundation joins GS1 GoScan

4)   Australian Pear Month marks official start of pear season

5)   Low GI snacks prevent you from wanting to snack all the time by making you feel fuller for longer

6)   Low GI recipe guidelines

7)   The Low GI Shoppers Guide 2013 out now

8)   Low GI Christmas swap ideas

9)   High GI/GL diets increase risk of Coronary Heart Disease events

10)   Excess Weight Gain in Pregnancy now linked to childhood obesity

11)   High GL diets may lead to excessive pregnancy weight gain

12)   Research into the Glycemic Index of rice

13)   New study shows Low GI diet best for weight maintenance

14)   New Low GI Diet book- The Bump to Baby Diet

15)   New Frequently Asked Question section

16)   New research - low GI is key to weight loss

17)   Why focusing on low GI instead of sugar intake is better?

18)   Eat Smart, Be Smart

19)   Low GI diets reduce risk of breast cancer

20)   Nutrition by Numbers




1)   World Scientific Experts agree low GI should be a public health priority

The world’s top nutrition scientists are calling on governments and regulators to place a public health priority on low GI diets based on the overwhelming evidence of their health benefits.

At a summit in Italy, leading scientists including Australia’s Professor Jennie Brand-Miller and Dr Alan Barclay, reviewed the latest scientific evidence to develop an international consensus on the role of GI and its health implications.

The consensus stated: “There is convincing evidence from a large body of research that low glycemic index/glycemic load (GI/GL) diets reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease, help control blood glucose in people with diabetes, and may also help with weight management.”

Participating scientist and Chairman of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health Dr Walter Willett said, “Given essentially conclusive evidence that high GI/GL diets contribute to risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, reduction in GI and GL should be a public health priority.”

The group also recommended inclusion of glycemic index and glycemic load in national dietary guidelines and food composition tables, and that packaging labels and symbols on low-GI foods should be considered.

Australia’s GI Symbol program was showcased as a global pioneer and highlighted as a leading example of consumer education that could be adopted by other countries.

Professor Brand-Miller said Australia was leading the world in educating consumers on the health benefits of a low GI diet and the strength of the scientific consensus reinforced the importance of these dietary messages.

 “There is no doubt of the benefits a low GI diet has in reducing the risk of type II diabetes and heart disease, and its importance for weight management.  The challenge now is to educate people on how to adopt a low GI diet, how to make simple swaps that could improve their health and make it easy for shoppers to identify low GI foods by using the GI Symbol.

“We will see a ripple effect from this summit with a greater international focus on low GI foods at a public health level, which will in turn drive consumer demand for easily identified low GI foods.” 

For a full copy of the consensus statement from International Scientific Consensus Summit on Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load and Glycemic Response, click here

For interviews of the scientists who spoke at the Summit: www.youtube.com/user/GlycemicIndexSummit


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2)   New Low GI & Diabetes Management Brochure

A healthy low Glycemic Index (GI) diet has been proven to help with the prevention and management of diabetes (Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes) This brochure provides an explanation on the GI of foods, 4 easy steps to managing blood glucose levels, low GI swap ideas, a diabetes diet check list and some guidance on exchange values. Making it easy for diabetic patients to make healthy choices and manage their BGLs.


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3)   Glycemic Index Foundation joins GS1 GoScan

GS1 GoScanTM is the first whole-of-industry endorsed iPhone app that will provide consumers with authorised and trusted nutrition, dietary and allergen information directly from the food and beverage manufacturer.

Simply scan the product bar code, key in the bar code number or browse by product description, brand or category and you will instantly receive product information to help you make more informed food choices for your dietary and lifestyle requirements including:

  • Allergen information
  • Ingredient lists
  • Nutritional content and Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) information
  • Dietary information (such as Kosher, Halal, vegan, organic)
  • Preparation, usage and storage instructions
  • Country of origin
  • Product descriptions and images
  • Certification logos from the National Heart Foundation, Glycemic Index Foundation, Healthy Kids Association and Coeliac Australia.

You can also personalise the GS1 GoScan settings to receive alerts based on your specific allergens or dietary requirements.  GS1 GoScan makes use of iOS accessibility options and provides voice over facilities, enabling the visually impaired to access product label information more easily.

Available for free download in the App store 21st March 2013

For more information or to register for updates on the GS1 GoScan app, visit www.goscan.com.au


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4)   Australian Pear Month marks official start of pear season

As new season pears hit supermarket shelves in March, Australian pear growers are calling on food lovers and home cooks to try new ways of cooking pears during Australian Pear Month 2013.

Australian Pear Month marks the official start of the pear season. Chefs across Australia will be embracing the pear to showcase the versatility of this amazing fruit by putting a pear dish on their menu. More than 175 restaurants and cooking schools will feature pears this month. Restaurants range from New South Wales’ prestigious Café Sydney to Victoria’s Vivace; from Brisbane’s Spring Food & Wine to Windy Point in the Adelaide foothills and C Restaurant in Perth.

Participating restaurants and cooking schools will be listed throughout March on the Australian Pears Facebook page at www.facebook.com/australianpears.

According to Jimmy Kalafatis, a second generation pear grower, pear lovers can expect a bumper crop this year.“The fruit this year is particularly sweet due to the slightly dryer weather conditions we’ve experienced this summer compared to previous years. The pears are also a lot cleaner and look great. Right now we’re harvesting really juicy sweet Williams and Packham’s pears,” says Kalafatis who is the Managing Director of Kalafatis Fresh Farm in Shepparton, Victoria.

Australian Pear Month encourages people to enjoy pears more often and try new ways to cook with them. Pears are often associated with sweet recipes but they are actually perfect for a number of savoury recipes such as salads and tarts,” Kalafatis says.

Mouth-watering combinations, including Caramelised Onion and Pear Tart, Raw Pear and Pancetta Salad and Pear Upside-down Cakes, are just some of the ways to serve up this adaptable fruit.

The first varieties of pears to hit shelves and fruit bowls are Williams Bon Cherétien, Packham’s Triumph, Beurré Bose and Red Sensation. Williams are known as the golden pear as the turn a glorious yellow when ripe. In contrast Packhams stay green as they ripen. All four types of pear are all suitable for snacking, baking, poaching and salads.

Pear lovers who visit Australian Pear Month restaurants and cooking schools during March are invited to vote for their local eatery’s pear dish on the Australian Pears Facebook page.  The restaurant or cooking school with the most votes wins the culinary title of Australian Pear Month Restaurant of the Year 2013 and Australian Pear Month Cooking School of the Year 2013. Entrants go in the running to win a dinner for two.

Visit the Australian Pears Facebook page at www.facebook.com/australianpears for more information and inspiring pear recipes, and to cast a vote on the Australian Pear Month Restaurant or Cooking School of the Year 2013.

Pears are a healthy snack rich in fibre, which can help lower cholesterol. According to the Glycemic Index, pears are low GI (41*) to offer longer-lasting energy.

Selection, Handling and Storage

  • To check if a pear is ripe, simply check the neck. When ready to eat, the flesh around the neck will give when pressed gently.
  • Pears soften best naturally in the fruit bowl. To speed the ripening process, place the pears in a brown paper bag with a banana – the natural gases the banana emits will hasten the ripening of the pear.
  • When pears are ripe, store in the fridge to keep them fresh.
  • If pears become extra soft, simply pop them into a soup or smoothie for added richness.


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5)   Low GI snacks prevent you from wanting to snack all the time by making you feel fuller for longer

Low GI foods are broken down slowly and keep blood glucose levels stable and therefore maintain energy levels. The sustaining power of a low GI diet allows you to trickle glucose into your system over a longer period of time, and have a more stable energy level, rather than peaks and troughs of energy throughout the day. Including mostly low GI foods in each meal and especially when snacking assists busy people (kids) to keep themselves free of the burden of poor concentration, and energy lows.

Research has also highlighted how a low GI breakfast choice increases and sustains children’s concentration levels during school. Another reason to get the family involved in low GI eating.

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a measure of the effect of carbohydrate foods (sugars and starches) on our blood glucose levels. Choosing low GI carbohydrates – the ones that are slowly digested and absorbed – is the secret to long-term health and the key to managing energy levels



Snack Ideas:

Lunch Box

After school

10 dried apricot halves

Glass of reduced fat milk or banana smoothie

Canned fruit in natural juice

Low fat plain or fruit yoghurt sprinkled with Morning Sun Muesli

Uncle Toby’s™ Crunchy and Chewy muesli bar

MILO with reduced fat milk or Nestlé low GI hot chocolate complete mix

Morning Sun™ Muesli – eat dry for a morning snack (pack in a snap-lock bag). Add a few extra pieces of dried fruit.

Fresh fruit – apple, grapes, pear or banana. Cut into chunks and make fruit kebabs.

Fresh fruit – apple, grapes , pear or banana

 Wholegrain crackers with reduced fat cheese and cherry tomatoes

Mini can baked beans. Pack a small spoon or fork.

Smoothie made with reduced fat milk, fresh fruit such as mango or canned peaches and reduced fat yoghurt.

Slice of Burgen™ Tip Top 9 Grain™ Bread spread with a little jam, honey, peanut butter or vegemite

 Hummus with carrot sticks and a few wholegrain crackers

Mission foods low GI White Corn Tortilla with Salsa

Small serve of vermicelli noodles

Burgen™ Fruit & Muesli bread spread with  cream cheese

Toasted low GI bread such as Tip Top 9 Grain™ with melted reduced fat cheese

 

 


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6)   Low GI recipe guidelines

Here at the GI Foundation we have developed some guidelines to help you develop low GI meals. Simply follow these suggestions to help make each meal a low GI one. To view these click here.


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7)   The Low GI Shoppers Guide 2013 out now

Studies have shown that a Low GI diet is the most sustainable and effective way to lose weight and keep it off. The Low GI Diet Shopper’s Guide has been compiled by bestselling nutritionists Professor Jennie Brand-Miller and Kaye Foster-Powell, and it will revolutionise the way you shop and eat.

Fully updated to include the latest GI Values and GI symbol program participants for 2013, the GI tables – the comprehensive lists of foods and their GI values – are the key to unlocking the fantastic health benefits of a low GI diet. This revised edition includes all the very latest GI values in an easy-to-use format.

This handy pocket-size guide also makes shopping easy with helpful hints for navigating the supermarket aisles and grocery lists to help you choose the right low GI foods. There's also a guide to gluten-free low GI foods and the best low GI foods to choose when eating out. This is the best place to go for GI values.

To purchase the new book click here


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8)   Low GI Christmas swap ideas

With the silly season upon us, you do not have to forsake all of your holiday favourites to avoid the battle of the bulge. Simply keep in mind the basic principles of swapping rich and fatty high GI foods for healthy low GI alternatives.

Please find below some ideas to help celebrate the festive season the low GI way. We have also included some of the recipes for you to try at home..

Main course: 

• Roast turkey breast, roast ham, roast sweet potato, parsnips, carrots, sweet corn and Coles Carisma Low GI potatoes

• Stuffing made with Bürgen low GI bread or traditional oats, or

Honey and oregano roasted leg of lamb with vegetable roasties, or

• Any seafood (avoid deep fried or battered varieties) 

Side salad: 

Blu Gourmet pearl couscous salad with vegetables and cashew nuts and sesame dressing, or

Potato salad made with Coles Carisma potatoes or any other salad combination - just avoid the creamy, fatty dressings

Dessert:

• Pavlova with light whipped cream or low fat yoghurt, sliced strawberries, bananas, grapes and passionfruit, or

• Trifle with sponge finger biscuits, diet jelly, low fat custard with strawberries and blueberries on top and 99% fat free fromage frais, or

Vanilla pannacotta with strawberry salsa, or

• Try Christmas shaped ginger nut biscuits .

 

We wish you and your family a very happy Festive season




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9)   High GI/GL diets increase risk of Coronary Heart Disease events

A new study recently published in the Journal of American Heart Association "Associations of Glycemic Index and Load With Coronary Heart Disease Events: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohorts" by Mirrahimi et al shows that a reduction in the glycemic index and glycemic load of a person's diet may favorably affect CHD outcomes (mainly in women). Further studies are required to determine the effect of the glycemic index and load on CHD risk in men.

To read more click here


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10)   Excess Weight Gain in Pregnancy now linked to childhood obesity

AUSTRALIA’S LEADING GI RESEARCHER WEIGHS IN ON OVERWEIGHT MUMS-TO-BE DEBATE

‘Watch your diet; your child’s health depends on it’

World renowned Glycemic Index (GI) Researcher, Sydney-based Jennie Brand Miller, has sent a strong message to Australian women considering pregnancy following the release of new evidence from the American Diabetes Association [1]. The research proves once and for all that women who are overweight or obese at the start of their pregnancy are more likely to deliver large babies prone to a life of health issues than healthy-weighted women. The top level research also found that gaining excess weight during pregnancy also contributed to having a large baby.

“This new research adds an important jigsaw piece and makes the overall findings rock solid; a mother’s weight gain at the time of conception and during pregnancy will not only profoundly influence the infant’s birth weight and future risk of becoming overweight, it will also put them at a greater risk of developing metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes later in life,” said Prof. Jennie Brand Miller from the University of Sydney. “This is particularly relevant for Australian women, as birth weights have steadily increased[3] leading to one in five children being overweight by the time they reach 2-3 years of age.

“While there are further studies currently underway in Australia that will determine the best diet during pregnancy, reducing the GI of your diet is still one of the safest and most effective ways of ensuring the baby grows at the optimum rate without laying down excessive body fat. Glucose is the primary fuel that drives all aspects of a baby’s growth. If the glucose levels are too high the baby will grow too fast and be born with excessive amounts of body fat, giving it a tendency to become obese later in life.

“Few of us appreciate the extent to which we can influence our child’s future health even before they are conceived,” added Prof. Brand Miller.

The American Diabetes Association study backs up a recent study published in the American Heart Association Journal [2] that showed children born to overweight women are more likely to become adults prone to obesity and illness. This study analysed links between the mothers’ excess weight gain around the time of pregnancy and future risk factors of conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease in their children three decades later.

In addition to controlling weight gain and boosting nutrient levels throughout pregnancy, a healthy low GI diet will help manage blood glucose levels and reduce the chances of developing diabetes in pregnancy (gestational diabetes), or having a complicated pregnancy.

A low GI diet can also assist those having trouble falling pregnant. It does this by controlling insulin resistance, which affects approximately 1 in 5 women.

 

References:

[1] Black et al, The Relative Contribution of Prepregnancy Overweight and Obesity, Gestational Weight Gain, and IADPSG-Defined Gestational Diabetes Mellitus to Fetal Overgrowth, Diabetes Care, August 2012

[2] Circulation-American Heart Association Journal: May 2012 Hochner H, Friedlander Y, Calderon-Margalit R et al. Associations of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain with adult offspring cardiometabolic risk factors/clinical perspective : The Jerusalem perinatal family follow-up study. Circulation, February 17 2012, 2012;125:1381-1389 . 

[3] Hadfield et al, Are babies getting bigger? An analysis of birth weight trends in New South Wales, 1990–2005, Med J Aust 2009;190:312


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11)   High GL diets may lead to excessive pregnancy weight gain

Women consuming a high glycemic load (GL) diet may be more likely to gain excessive weight during pregnancy and retain that weight post-pregnancy, according to a recent study.

The GL is defined as the glycemic index (GI) multiplied by the amount of carbohydrates in a food, divided by 100. For a more detailed explanation see http://www.glycemicindex.com/faqsList.php

In this new study, researchers used dietary data from the Danish National Birth Cohort, which included 47,003 pregnant women. The women were categorized into five different groups, from the lowest GL diet to the highest GL diet.

The group with the highest GL intake gained the most weight during pregnancy. The highest GL group also had babies that were, on average, 36 grams heavier than the babies of the lowest GL group. Furthermore, the women consuming the highest GL diet retained 1.3 kilograms more weight after pregnancy than the women consuming the lowest GL intake.

There are a number of reasons to consume a low GI (GL) diet before, after and during pregnancy

Reference

  1. Knudsen, VK et al. Maternal dietary glycaemic load during pregnancy and gestational weight gain, birth weight and postpartum weight retention: a study within the Danish National Birth Cohort. Br J Nutr. 2012 Aug 21:1-8. View Abstract

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12)   Research into the Glycemic Index of rice

Research analysing 235 types of rice from around the world has found its glycemic index (GI) varies from one type of rice to another with most varieties scoring a low to medium GI.The study conducted by a research team from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and CSIRO's Food Futures Flagship found that the GI of rice ranges from a low of 48 to a high of 92, with an average of 64, and that the GI of rice depends on the type of rice consumed. This is good news for those who enjoy rice as part of a balanced diet.

Journal Reference:
 1.M. A. Fitzgerald, S. Rahman, A. P. Resurreccion, J. Concepcion, V. D. Daygon, S. S. Dipti, K. A. Kabir, B. Klingner, M. K. Morell, A. R. Bird. Identification of a Major Genetic Determinant of Glycaemic Index in Rice. Rice, 2011; 4 (2): 66 DOI: 10.1007/s12284-011-9073-z http://www.springerlink.com/content/7575464537377873

 


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13)   New study shows Low GI diet best for weight maintenance

A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association by Ebbeling CB, Swain JF, Feldman HA, et al. Effects of dietary composition on energy expenditure during weight-loss maintenance. JAMA 2012; 307:2627-2634. (http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1199154) has shown that following a low GI diet may be advantageous for weight-loss maintenance and cardiovascular disease prevention rather than a low fat and a low carb diet..

The research has shown the fight against fat isn’t about how many kilojoules we eat, but the foods those kilojoules come from.  That’s right – quality is far more important than quantity.  The study found a low GI diet based on healthy carbohydrates was proven to be better than a low-fat or low-carbohydrate diet at keeping the weight off. Fad diets and celebrity weight loss ambassadors come and go, but this scientifically backed study is the best news yet for those searching for a real solution that works - the low GI diet.

The study saw 23 people rotated through three diets to see which worked best at maintaining weight loss; low fat, low carb and low GI. Participants in the study had all of their food prepared for them, and their food intake was monitored.

According to Australian Prof. Jennie Brand-Miller, a leading global GI researcher, “The answer to long-lasting weight loss and weight maintenance is a rational approach focusing on the concept that not all calories are created equal,” said Prof. Jennie Brand-Miller.  “This study has once again proven the quality of the carbohydrates we eat is important and could affect how many kilojoules we can burn off. In simple terms, this difference could equate to 30-60 min of walking.

Those following a low GI (glycemic index) diet, focusing on low GI carbohydrates,  fish, fruit, vegetables, nuts and whole grains, also had improved cholesterol levels and other important markers that lower the risks of developing heart disease and diabetes.


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14)   New Low GI Diet book- The Bump to Baby Diet

The Bump to Baby Diet provides practical advice for mums-to-be on how eating a low-GI diet can help you enjoy a healthy pregnancy, avoid gestational diabetes and give your baby the best start in life. 

The Low GI team of experts are back with advice on how to optimise your diet – pre-conception, during pregnancy and once your baby has been born to ensure a healthy baby and a healthy mum. Studies have shown that being overweight when pregnant can increase your risk of gestational diabetes and can also lead to health problems for your child, including childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes.

For more information go to www.bumptobabydiet.com


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15)   New Frequently Asked Question section

We have added a new section covering Frequently Asked Questions. The section will answer questions around the Glycemic Index, Carbohydrates, the GI Symbol Program and more... Go to our resource area to see what questions are commonly asked.

 


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16)   New research - low GI is key to weight loss

A new clinical trial 1 in humans has found people who followed a moderate fructose (sugar) lower GI diet lost 50% more weight over a six-week period than people who were on a strict low fructose diet with a higher GI.  This is the first time two diets with the same amount of calories have compared weight loss based on their low versus higher fructose content. The results were published in the peer reviewed scientific journal Metabolism.

The study of over 100 overweight adults showed the moderate fructose diet helped each person to lose 1.4kgs more than those who consumed the low fructose diet. The authors state one of the key reasons why was ‘patients on the very low fructose diet had a higher glycemic index and glycemic load’. The authors concluded the moderate fructose diet offered the additional benefit of being more sustainable.

“This new study once again confirms a healthy low GI diet is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Low fructose diets are hard to maintain and unnecessary.” says Dr Alan Barclay, Chief Scientific Officer at the Glycemic Index Foundation and Head of Research at the Australian Diabetes Council. The evidence is excessive calories not fructose makes people gain weight, according to a recent systematic review2.  “These studies provide additional support for the evidence healthy low GI diets are the best for long term weight management. To maintain a healthy weight, it’s simply a matter of watching your calorie intake and swapping rich, over-processed high GI foods for healthy low GI alternatives,” says Dr Barclay.

References

(1)  Madero M, Arriaga JC, Jalal D, Rivard C, McFann K, Pérez-Méndez O, Vázquez A,  Ruiz A, Lanaspa MA, Jimenez CR, Johnson RJ, Lozada LG. The effect of two energy-restricted diets, a low-fructose diet versus a moderate natural fructose diet, on weight loss and metabolic syndrome parameters: a randomized controlled trial. Metabolism. 2011 Nov;60(11):1551-9.

(2) Sievenpiper J; de Souza R; Mirrahimi Arash,; Yu M; Carleton A; Beyene J; Chiavaroli L; Di Buono M; Jenkins A L; Leiter L;Wolever T; Kendall C;  Jenkins D. Effect of Fructose on body weight in controlled feeding trials: a systematic review and meta-analysis.  Ann Intern Med. 2012;156:291-304

 


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17)   Why focusing on low GI instead of sugar intake is better?

The Glycemic Index Foundation believes it is more important to focus on the total carbohydrates content of a food rather than sugar alone.

The Glycemic Index (or GI) is simply a measure of how quickly a carbohydrate food raises blood glucose levels. For most of us,carbohydrates (both sugars and starches) are the most important source of energy for our bodies. Low GI carbohydrates – those that are slowly digested and absorbed – cause a much lower and slower rise in blood glucose and insulin levels, helping us to burn more fat and avoid weight gain over the longer term.

It is a common mis-understanding that all sugars have a high GI and all starches have a low GI. In fact, many sugar-containing foods also have a low GI. Examples include most fresh, dried and canned fruits, low fat flavoured milk drinks and yoghurts. Many starchy foods have a high GI including highly refined white flour and white flour breads, potatoes (except Carisma), Jasmine rice, rice crackers, corn chips and many crunchy breakfast cereals (puffed rice, flaked corn and wheat).

Whilst excessive energy intake (kilojoules) from sugar containing foods and drinks should be avoided, consumers should consider more than sugar content alone when making food choices. It is important to consider the total amount of carbohydrate,its GI rating and the overall nutritional quality of a food for long term health outcomes.

 


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18)   Eat Smart, Be Smart

Aussie kids urged to change diet to increase academic success

The latest research1 to be released on the subject that links low GI and academic performance has given Aussie parents the strongest reason yet to alter thei­r children’s diet.  Research on 60 students undertaken by three of the UK’s leading academic institutions, shows that a low GI/higher carbohydrate breakfast helped students do maths tasks more quickly and accurately and improved attentiveness. 

Over a period of weeks, each student was given four different breakfast combinations and subjected to a total of seven tests during the morning.  The results were tallied and the students who had eaten a low GI/higher carbohydrate breakfast were shown to excel in the four hardest tests examined.

Research has shown our brains run only on glucose and have essentially no reserves, so it is absolutely essential that a constant supply of glucose is provided to our brains from our blood2. Students should kick start their day with a healthy low GI breakfast to ensure they are able to perform at their personal best. Choosing low GI carbohydrates – the ones that are slowly digested and absorbed – is the secret to long-term health and the key to concentration.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, contributing substantially to daily nutrient intake and energy needs,” said Dr Alan Barclay, Chief Scientific Officer here at the Glycemic Index Foundation. “For children and teens, eating a low GI breakfast has been associated with learning and better school performance. It provides a more constant level of blood glucose compared with the fluctuating glycemic response to a high GI breakfast, resulting in a smaller decline in concentration.”

8 easy and healthy low GI breakfasts

  • Fruit bread (e.g., Burgen Fruit and Muesli) with a teaspoon of margarine and a little of your favourite spread (eg, jam/marmalade)
  • Wholegrain, low GI breakfast cereals (e.g., Kellogg’s Sustain or Guardian) with reduced or low fat milk and fruit
  • Natural muesli (e.g., Morning Sun) with reduced or low fat milk (e.g., Dairy Farmers Skim)
  • Low GI bread (e.g. Tip Top 9 Grain) with a teaspoon of margarine and your favourite spread (jam/marmalade/vegemite/peanut butter/etc…)
  • Low GI bread with baked beans
  • Low GI bread with margarine and a poached or non-stick pan
    fried egg
  • Fresh, canned or dried fruit
  • Plain or diet yoghurt with fruit

 

Reference List

1. Micha R, Rogers PJ, Nelson M. The glycaemic potency of breakfast and cognitive function in school children. Eur J Clin Nutr 2010 Sep;64(9):948-57.

2. Bourre JM. Effects of nutrients (in food) on the structure and function of the nervous system: update on dietary requirements for brain. Part 2 : macronutrients. J Nutr Health Aging 2006 Sep;10(5):386-99.


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19)   Low GI diets reduce risk of breast cancer

New research links high GI diets to breast cancer

A recently published review of scientific evidence 1 reports that consuming a high GI diet (GI 60) for five years or more may increase the risk of breast cancer by 8% compared with a low GI diet (GI 45).  With the average Australian diet consisting of far too many high GI foods, this is a major cause for concern.  Current Australian data indicates 1 in 9 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 85, with the disease accounting for around 1 in 4 cases of all cancers in women.   

While there are a large number of uncontrollable risk factors for breast cancer such as genetics, menopause and family history, there are also a number of lifestyle-related risk factors that you can change. Factors which increase the risk of developing breast cancer include:

  • Excessive alcohol consumption
  • High-fat diets
  • High processed meat consumption
  • Being overweight or obese.  

Australia’s leading GI researcher, Professor Jennie Brand-Miller from the University of Sydney, believes a low GI diet reduces the risk of breast cancer for two reasons.  “Consuming a low GI diet reduces both glucose and insulin levels, helping us to burn more fat and avoid weight gain over the longer term.  Insulin is a hormone that drives cell growth and multiplication. If you have a mutated cell, then it grows faster and bigger under the influence of high insulin.

“Secondly, some breast cancer cells positively thrive on oestrogen. Body fat manufactures and releases oestrogen which can aid the spread of breast cancer. Overweight women are more likely to have breast cancer for this reason.”

 A low GI diet reduces accumulation of body fat and insulin levels thus reducing the risk of many health problems including:

  •  Breast cancer
  • Heart disease and stroke
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Other lifestyle related diseases.

 

Reference List:

1 Dong JY , Qin LQ, Dietary glycemic index, glycemic load, and risk of breast cancer: meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Breast
Cancer Research and Treatment, 2011.




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20)   Nutrition by Numbers

Nutrition by Numbers (reporter Sarah-Jane Collins)

"No one was convinced blood sugar levels made a difference to people who weren’t diabetic. Jennie Brand-Miller proved it — while raising two children and struggling with a hearing problem...."

Read more about Prof Jennie Brand Miller and her achievements in the Global Mail article  http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/nutrition-by-numbers/104/


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