The GI diet: all you need to know

Relax! Carbs are not the enemy

When do you know that a food fad has worked its way into the national consciousness? Is it when pasta manufacturers grumble that sales have plummeted, or when you and your friends compete to see who can eat the smallest amount of carbohydrates?

Thanks to the Atkins Diet, carbs have become a dirty word. But the truth is that dietary messages - telling us particular foods are ‘bad' or ‘good' - have more to do with our anxiety about the way we look than with good nutrition. At Good Housekeeping we believe it's time to stop demonising certain foods and seeing others as our weight-loss salvation. That's why we commissioned Judith Wills, one of the UK's leading diet and nutrition experts, to devise a healthy eating plan including all the major food groups. This plan has been designed to help you lose weight without feeling hungry, and - unlike extreme diets - it also has substantial health benefits.

Are all carbs the same?

We usually think of carbohydrates as ‘white' foods - bread, pasta, potatoes - and processed foods - cakes and biscuits. But this food group also includes whole grains, beans, pulses, and fruit and vegetables. These healthy carbohydrates are a key source of fibre and essential B vitamins and minerals. Processed carbs have fewer nutrients and are quickly digested and it's this idea - how fast carbohydrates are broken down- that's the basis of both the glycaemic index (GI) and our healthy eating plan.

How can the glycaemic index help you lose weight?

The glycaemic index rates carbohydrates according to how rapidly they raise your blood sugar levels. Foods with a high GI rating, which are usually highly processed, are broken down fast and set off a chain reaction. Your blood sugar levels shoot up and your body produces a surge of insulin to bring it back down. Your blood sugar levels then fall sharply, your body senses you're low on sugar, so you start feeling hungry again very quickly.

If you're trying to lose weight, choosing foods with a low GI means that your body digests them at a slow, steady rate so you feel full for much longer. The GI way of eating was originally devised to help diabetics control their blood sugar levels and it can actually help prevent diabetes and heart disease.

Read more on the GI diet...

How to follow the GI diet

Get your seven-day GI diet meal plan

See the list of what to eat on the GI diet, plus low GI recipes

Golden rules for success on the GI diet

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