GI Food

[chef renu]

Hello everyone

are you aware of the low GI Carbs ?

do you know that you can actually lose and control weight, diabetes,can reduce blood cholestrol levels by chosing low GI diet?

the low GI carbs reduce hunger and keeps you fuller for longer as the your body take longer to absorb the carbohydrates.

we can share some practical tips for better diet based on GI Carb food

thanks

culinary regards

chef renu

[Dana]

I have been reading about the Montignac Method, which is low GI. Very interesting. For two weeks, I've followed this pretty closely and have lost about 6 pounds. It's so easy to follow, and I am not hungry all the time. - The best part about it is Cheese!!!!! There is a long thread on low carb diets somewhere. Maybe some enterprising searcher can find it for us.

[Dave Hatfield]

I've been on Montignac , mostly, for nearly 15 years. It works!

It's only when I fall off the wagon, so to speak, mostly in the states where there are sooo many simple carbs around that I gain weight.

In France its just not a problem. We eat lots of meat protien, complex carb vegetables and cheese. Very few simple carbs. ( unfortunately this means we have to avoid croissants, pain au raison & bageuttes.- most of the time anyway.)

The French eat this way which may be why french women stay slim.

Go for it. As far as I'm concerned this is the best way of eating I've ever come across. Its healthy & sustainable over time.

[scott123]

How popular is low GI/Montignac in France?

Here in the states, interest in this type of diet has pretty much plummeted in the last year or so. Late 2004/Early 2005 was the peak and it's been downhill ever since.

From what I can tell, we're at rock bottom. The lack of interest has nothing to do with it's effectiveness. It's a combination of two things.

1. A backlash against innovative thought.

2. A fickle public that tries on diets like a new pair of jeans

The numbers may never go back to 2004/2005, but they will rise from here. As long as the diet works, people will follow it.

[Dave Hatfield]

How popular is low GI/Montignac in France?

Here in the states, interest in this type of diet has pretty much plummeted in the last year or so. Late 2004/Early 2005 was the peak and it's been downhill ever since.

From what I can tell, we're at rock bottom. The lack of interest has nothing to do with it's effectiveness. It's a combination of two things.

1. A backlash against innovative thought.

2. A fickle public that tries on diets like a new pair of jeans

The numbers may never go back to 2004/2005, but they will rise from here. As long as the diet works, people will follow it.

←

I can't really tell you just how popular Montignac is in France. The French are not nearly as "faddy" (is that a word?) about their diets and its not a subject that comes up when we talk to our friends.

Also, the GI thing is so close to a normal French diet that they don't have to do much to be on it.

Its interesting that where we live in the South West the local diet features lots of GI, but also lots of fats (in fact a great cookbook on the regional cusine is called "Goose Fat & Garlic") and, of course, wine. The life expectancy around here is just about the highest in the Western world. So much for the latest fad.

So much for the latest nutritionist's ideas. IF we followed that stuff we'd all starve. So, as I said in my previous post just more or less follow Montignac , live well & ENJOY a long life.

[scott123]

How popular is low GI/Montignac in France?

Here in the states, interest in this type of diet has pretty much plummeted in the last year or so. Late 2004/Early 2005 was the peak and it's been downhill ever since.

From what I can tell, we're at rock bottom. The lack of interest has nothing to do with it's effectiveness. It's a combination of two things.

1. A backlash against innovative thought.

2. A fickle public that tries on diets like a new pair of jeans

The numbers may never go back to 2004/2005, but they will rise from here. As long as the diet works, people will follow it.

←

I can't really tell you just how popular Montignac is in France. The French are not nearly as "faddy" (is that a word?) about their diets and its not a subject that comes up when we talk to our friends.

Also, the GI thing is so close to a normal French diet that they don't have to do much to be on it.

Its interesting that where we live in the South West the local diet features lots of GI, but also lots of fats (in fact a great cookbook on the regional cusine is called "Goose Fat & Garlic") and, of course, wine. The life expectancy around here is just about the highest in the Western world. So much for the latest fad.

So much for the latest nutritionist's ideas. IF we followed that stuff we'd all starve. So, as I said in my previous post just more or less follow Montignac , live well & ENJOY a long life.

←

Ah, yes... there's no backlash against innovation because, for the French, low GI is so close to the status quo. That makes perfect sense. Believing that butter/saturated fat can be good for you can get you labeled as a heretic on this side of the ocean, but over there, these things probably never fell out of favor.

[Dave Hatfield]

Believing that butter/saturated fat can be good for you can get you labeled as a heretic on this side of the ocean, but over there, these things probably never fell out of favor.

The French don't eat that much butter. Only rarely do they use it on bread. Butter based sauces & sauteeing are for special meals not everyday.

They don't use much saturated fat; they use olive oil (lots of studies on the benefits of that) and goose or duck fat. (again, a 'good' fat.). They prefer their meats very lean and eat a lot of chicken, pork, duck, very lean sausage and offal. Beef is very lean in fact too much so for my taste. Lamb is very popular, but not eaten in large quantities due to cost.

They do eat a lot more cheese than in the USA, but again not in large amounts at one time & almost always as part of a meal. Also, they normally don't eat bread with their cheese (the exception being strong blue cheeses which are normally eaten with bread & perhaps a bit of butter.)

Desserts are a treat and, again, not always eaten & when eaten usually in small portions. Fruit is probably the most common dessert.

I think another factor in French slimness & health is the fact that whenever & wherever possible lunch is the main meal of the day. In our area most shops close for 2 hours at lunchtime. People have a proper meal & time to digest it then go back to work. Dinner is a much smaller & simpler meal. Here I'm talking about in the country & outside the large cities, not Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, Lille & so forth. Many local restaurants do much more trade at lunch than at dinner.

I could go on, but suffice it say that its different & that it seems to work for the French.