Low-GI diets ‘may not promote weight loss’

Those embarking on a low-GI diet with the aim of shedding a few pounds may want to think again, as scientific evidence is yet to prove that it causes weight loss, a diet expert has claimed.

The glycaemic index (GI) ranks foods in how quickly sugar (glucose) is released into the bloodstream after eating.

Foods that have lower GI’s are absorbed more slowly and, the theory goes, provide energy for longer, preventing feelings of hunger.

Sara Stanner, the Telegraph’s diet expert, explained that one of the failings of this diet is that it is difficult to determine the GI of meals and some food that has a low GI may have high levels of fat and calories.

“If you are trying to lose weight, opt for lower calorie, low-GI snacks such as low-fat yogurts, dried apricots and low GI fruits – cherries, grapefruit, apples, pears, peaches, oranges, grapes [and] kiwi,” she writes in the newspaper.

Yvonne Bishop-Weston, a nutritionist at pregnancy and ovulation test manufacturers First Response, recommends that couples hoping to conceive should lose weight and eat eight portions of fruit and veg a day.

Have you ever tried a low-GI diet?