Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Diet seesaw swings back to carbohydrates: "The most effective diet for weight loss and cardiovascular health is a high carbohydrate plan based on low glycaemic index (GI) foods, especially for women, say Australian researchers. The world's first 12-week trial of its kind compared the relative effects on weight loss and cardiovascular risk of low GI and high-protein diets. The theory behind low GI diets is that rapidly digested, high GI carbohydrates cause fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin levels, contributing to hunger and preventing the breakdown of fat. Foods with a low GI include breakfast cereals based on oats, barley and bran, wholegrain and sour dough breads and Basmati or Doongara rice. Foods with a high GI include potatoes and white bread. The study by Professor Jennie Brand-Miller and Joanna McMillan-Price of the University of Sydney Human Nutrition Unit, showed that there was no one diet to fit all solutions, although both high protein and low GI diets would help people shed fat. However, the trial did show that a diet containing low GI carbohydrate significantly reduces the risk of heart disease."

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