GI News—March 2009

• Low GI diet significantly helps improve blood glucose control
• ‘Maybe it is time to start using the GI more’ says ADA spokesperson
• Manage your budget and blood glucose with a low GI diet
• Why weekends can be the worst enemy of weight loss
• Johanna Burani’s flourless chocolate hazelnut cake
• Is flaxseed oil as good as fish oil?

In this issue of GI News, we report on the recent Cochrane systematic review which finds that a low GI diet significantly helps people with diabetes to improve blood glucose control. Cochrane reviews are rather like the Gold Standard of evidence-based medical practice. Commenting on this review, American Dietetic Association spokesperson, Angela Ginn-Meadow, a certified diabetes educator at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Baltimore says: ‘Maybe it is time to start using this tool [the glycemic index] more than we currently use it’. Since childhood obesity and long-term obesity are also strong risk factors, keeping weight down is also important in diabetes prevention and management. ‘Using glycemic index as a goal really helps, because people with diabetes can feel hungrier and using glycemic index helps with satiety,’ Ginn-Meadow said. ‘Using glycemic index as a tool could be one thing people can do to stay satisfied longer.’

Good eating, good health and good reading.

GI News Editor: Philippa Sandall
Web Design and Management: Scott Dickinson, PhD