Here you go. You want to know what to do and how it works, well read below. Then read all the scientific stuff that explains how it works.
EXAMPLE MEAL PLAN AND GUIDELINES TO SUCCESS
1.
TRY AND EAT ORGANIC
2.
TRY AND COOK ALL YOUR OWN FOOD AND AVOID
PROCESSED FOODS
3.
THERE SHOULD NEVER BE ANY REASON TO EAT FAST
FOOD (EXCEPT ON CHEAT DAY)
4.
TRY COOKING IN BULK ON YOUR DAY OFF SO YOU
AREN’T RUSHED FOR DINNER
5.
ALWAYS KEEP YOUR FRIDGE STOCKED – YOUR WORST
ENEMY IS HUNGER
6. 6 DAYS ON 1 DAY OFF – CHEAT DAY IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS !!!
7.
ALCOHOL SHOULD ONLY BE CONSUMED ON YOUR CHEAT
DAY. ALCOHOL IS EMPTY CALORIES WITH NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE – EXCPET INEBRIATION.
;)
8.
TAKE A MULTI VITAMIN TAILORED TO YOUR AGE,
GENDER AND BODY TYPE. I TAKE AN ORGANIC WOMEN’S MUTLI VITAMIN FROM NEW CHAPTER
(I PREFER ORGANIC, BUY THEM ON AMAZON THEY ARE CHEAP – MY VITAMINS ARE $80 AT
THE HEALTH STORE BUT ONLY $30 ON AMAZON!!!) TAKE FISH OIL SUPPLEMENTS. AND, VITAMIN
B12 FOR ENERGY. SAM’S ALSO OFFERES SUPPLEMENTS AT A GREAT PRICE.
9.
STRESS IS THE ENEMY TO WEIGHT LOSS. TRY
RELAXATION TECHNIQUES. DEEP BREATHING. YOGA. LONG WALKS. ETC.
10.
EXERCISE AT YOUR LEVEL. ON THIS EATING YOU ARE
NOT REQUIRED TO EXERCISE TO LOSE WEIGHT, BUT OF COURSE THE MORE YOU DO EXERCISE
THE BETTER, PLUS EXERCISE IS GOOD FOR LOWERING YOUR INSULIN LEVELS.
11.
THE FIRST MONTH YOU MAY WANT TO KEEP A FOOD
JOURNAL TO TRACK WHAT YOU ARE ACTUALY EATING.
12.
GET CHECKED OUT BY YOUR DOCTOR FIRST. CHECK YOUR
BLOOD AND HORMONE LEVELS. CHECK YOUR THYROID. RULE OUT ANYTHING SUCH AS
DIABETES, PCOS, LOW TESTOSTERONE, METABOLIC SYNDROME, THYROID DISEASE, ETC.
13.
IF YOU CHEAT, DON’T FREAK OUT, JUST START OVER
THE NEXT DAY. JUST KEEP STARTING OVER UNTIL EATING THIS WAY BECOMES A HABIT.
BEFORE YOU KNOW IT YOUR CRAVINGS FOR UNHEALTHY FOOD WILL GO AWAY, YOU WILL LOSE
WEIGHT AND FEEL GREAT !
BREAKFAST
EGGS, OATMEAL, GREEK YOGURT, WHOLE FRUIT, TURKEY SAUSAGE
SNACKS
NUTS – IN MODERATION, WHOLE FRUIT, SUGAR FREE PUDDING AND
JELLO, UNSWEETENED APPLE SAUCE, A TABLESPOON OF PEANUT BUTTER, CHEESE AND
TRISCUITS
LUNCH
SALAD WITH LEAN PROTEIN SUCH AS CHICKEN, LEAN STEAK OR FISH,
A SANDWHICH WITH WHOLE GRAIN BREAD AT LEAST 2-4 GRAMS OF FIBER LEAN LUNCH MEAT
AND REGULAR CHEESE NOT PROCESSED FAKE CHEESE , SOUPS
DINNER
LEAN MEAT, COMPLES CARBOHYDRATE AND VEGITABLE. EXPAMPLE
GRILLED SALMON WITH WILD RICE AND PEAS. GRILLED CHICKEN WITH A SWEET POTATO AND
BROCCOLI. LEAN STEAK WITH MASHED POTATOS AND CORN. LEAN BRISCUIT, PINTO BEANS AND GREEN BEANS.
DRINKS
WATER.WATER.WATER. UN SWEET TEA. GREEN TEA. ALMOND OR RICE
MILK. (REGULAR MILK IS BAD – IT IS FILLED WITH HORMONES THEY FEED THE COWS THAT
ARE PASSED ON TO YOU WHICH CAUSE A SLEW OF HEALTH ISSUES) DIET SODA. COFFEE
WITH CREAMER – NO FANCY FRAPPACINOS OR CAPPACINOS. HERBAL TEA.
To check the glycemic index of a food go to …
Your goal is to eat as low of glycemic foods as possible.
Of course portion control is essential, but you should eat until
you are full.
Educate yourself on how the food you eat effects your insulin
and weight loss.
It is more than just weight loss, it is energy, well being,
hormone function and disease prevention and control.
What is the glycemic index?The glycemic index,
or GI, measures how a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood glucose. Foods
are ranked based on how they compare to a reference food– either glucose or
white bread. A food with a high GI raises blood glucose more than a food with a
medium or low GI.
Meal planning with the GI involves choosing foods that have a
low or medium GI. If eating a food with a high GI, you can combine it with low
GI foods to help balance the meal. Examples of carbohydrate-containing foods
with a low GI include dried beans and legumes (like kidney beans and lentils),
all non-starchy vegetables and some starchy vegetables, most fruit, and many
whole grain breads and cereals (like barley, whole wheat bread, rye bread, and
all-bran cereal). Meats and fats don’t have a GI because they do not contain
carbohydrate.
What affects the GI of a food?
Fat and fiber tend to lower the GI of a food. As a general rule,
the more cooked or processed a food, the higher the GI; however, this is not
always true.
Below are a few specific examples of other factors that can
affect the GI of a food:
- Ripeness
and storage time – the more ripe a fruit or vegetable is, the higher the
GI
- Processing
– juice has a higher GI than whole fruit; mashed potato has a higher GI
than a whole baked potato, stone ground whole wheat bread has a lower GI
than whole wheat bread.
- Cooking
method: how long a food is cooked (al dente pasta has a lower GI than
soft-cooked pasta)
- Variety:
converted long-grain white rice has a lower GI than brown rice but short-grain
white rice has a higher GI than brown rice.
Other things to consider if using the GI:
- The
GI value represents the type of carbohydrate in a food but says nothing
about the amount of carbohydrate typically eaten. Portion sizes are still
relevant for managing blood glucose and for losing or maintaining weight.
- The
GI of a food is different when eaten alone than it is when combined with
other foods. When eating a high GI food, you can combine it with other low
GI foods to balance out the effect on blood glucose levels.
- Many
nutritious foods have a higher GI than foods with little nutritional
value. For example, oatmeal has a higher GI than chocolate. Use of the GI
needs to be balanced with basic nutrition principles of variety for
healthful foods and moderation of foods with few nutrients.
Is the GI a better tool than carbohydrate counting?
There is no one diet or meal plan that works for everyone with
diabetes. The important thing is to follow a meal plan that is tailored to
personal preferences and lifestyle and helps achieve goals for blood glucose,
cholesterol and triglycerides levels, blood pressure, and weight management.
Research shows that both the amount and the type of carbohydrate
in food affect blood glucose levels. Studies also show that the total amount of
carbohydrate in food, in general, is a stronger predictor of blood glucose
response than the GI.
Based on the research, for most people with diabetes, the first
tool for managing blood glucose is some type of carbohydrate counting.
Balancing total carbohydrate intake with physical activity and diabetes pills
or insulin is key to managing blood glucose levels.
Because the type of carbohydrate does have an affect on blood
glucose, using the GI may be helpful in "fine-tuning" blood glucose
management. In other words, combined with carbohydrate counting, it may provide
an additional benefit for achieving blood glucose goals for individuals who can
and want to put extra effort into monitoring their food choices.
The Glycemic Index of Foods
The GI is a ranking of foods based on how quickly they raise
blood glucose levels. The reference foods, white bread or glucose, have a GI of
100.
Low GI Foods (55 or less)
- 100%
stone-ground whole wheat or pumpernickel bread
- Oatmeal
(rolled or steel-cut), oat bran, muesli
- Pasta,
converted rice, barley, bulgar
- Sweet
potato, corn, yam, lima/butter beans, peas, legumes and lentils
- Most
fruits, non-starchy vegetables and carrots
Medium GI (56-69)
- Whole
wheat, rye and pita bread
- Quick
oats
- Brown,
wild or basmati rice, couscous
High GI (70 or more)
- White
bread or bagel
- Corn
flakes, puffed rice, bran flakes, instant oatmeal
- Shortgrain
white rice, rice pasta, macaroni and cheese from mix
- Russet
potato, pumpkin
- Pretzels,
rice cakes, popcorn, saltine crackers
- melons
and pineapple
What is the Glycemic Index?
The Glycemic Index is a numerical Index
that ranks carbohydrates based on their rate of glycemic response (i.e. their
conversion to glucose within the human body). Glycemic Index uses a scale of 0
to 100, with higher values given to foods that cause the most rapid rise in
blood sugar. Pure glucose serves as a reference point, and is given a Glycemic
Index (GI) of 100.
Glycemic Index values are determined
experimentally by feeding human test subjects a fixed portion of the food
(after an overnight fast), and subsequently extracting and measuring samples of
their blood at specific intervals of time. The earliest known work on the
Glycemic Index was done by Dr. David Jenkins and associates at St. Michael's
Hospital in Toronto, Canada. More recently, an effort to expand the Glycemic
Index has been made by Jennie Brand-Miller and her associates at the Human
Nutrition Unit of the University of Sydney in Sydney, Australia.
The Glycemic Index Yields Some
Surprises
Nutritionists used to believe that all simple sugars digested quickly and
caused a rapid rise in blood sugar, and that the opposite was true for
"complex carbohydrates". But that's not always the case. While many
sweet and sugary foods do have high GI's, some starchy foods like potatoes or
white bread score even higher than honey or table sugar (sucrose)!
Why is the Glycemic Index Important?
Your body performs best when your blood
sugar is kept relatively constant. If your blood sugar drops too low, you
become lethargic and/or experience increased hunger. And if it goes too high,
your brain signals your pancreas to secrete more insulin. Insulin brings your
blood sugar back down, but primarily by converting the excess sugar to stored
fat. Also, the greater the rate of increase in your blood sugar, the more
chance that your body will release an excess amount of insulin, and drive your
blood sugar back down too low.
Therefore, when you eat foods that
cause a large and rapid glycemic response, you may feel an initial elevation in
energy and mood as your blood sugar rises, but this is followed by a cycle of
increased fat storage, lethargy, and more hunger!
Although increased fat storage may
sound bad enough, individuals with diabetes (diabetes mellitus, types 1 and 2)
have an even worse problem. Their bodies inability to secrete or process
insulin causes their blood sugar to rise too high, leading to a host of
additional medical problems.
The theory behind the Glycemic Index is
simply to minimize insulin-related problems by identifying and avoiding foods
that have the greatest effect on your blood sugar.
Should All High-GI Foods be Avoided?
For non-diabetics, there are times when a rapid increase in blood sugar (and
the corresponding increase in insulin) may be desirable. For example, after
strenuous physical activity, insulin also helps move glucose into muscle cells,
where it aids tissue repair. Because of this, some coaches and physical
trainers recommend high-GI foods (such as sports drinks) immediately after
exercise to speed recovery.
Also, it's not Glycemic Index alone
that leads to the increase in blood sugar. Equally important is the amount of
the food that you consume. The concept of Glycemic Index combined with total
intake is referred to as "Glycemic Load", and is addressed in the
next section...
Although most candy has a relatively high Glycemic Index, eating a
single piece of candy will result in a relatively small glycemic response.
Why? Well, simply because your body's glycemic response is dependent on both
the type AND the amount of carbohydrate consumed. This concept, known as
Glycemic Load, was first popularized in 1997 by Dr. Walter Willett and
associates at the Harvard School of Public Health. Glycemic Load is
calculated this way:
|
|
GL = GI/100 x Net Carbs
(Net Carbs are equal to the Total Carbohydrates minus Dietary Fiber)
|
Therefore,
you can control your glycemic response by consuming low-GI foods and/or by
restricting your intake of carbohydrates.
|
Glycemic Indexes and Glycemic Loads for Common Foods
|
GI and GL for Common Foods
|
|
Food
|
GI
|
Serving Size
|
Net Carbs
|
GL
|
|
Peanuts
|
14
|
4 oz
(113g)
|
15
|
2
|
|
Bean sprouts
|
25
|
1 cup
(104g)
|
4
|
1
|
|
Grapefruit
|
25
|
1/2
large (166g)
|
11
|
3
|
|
Pizza
|
30
|
2
slices (260g)
|
42
|
13
|
|
Lowfat
yogurt
|
33
|
1 cup
(245g)
|
47
|
16
|
|
Apples
|
38
|
1
medium (138g)
|
16
|
6
|
|
Spaghetti
|
42
|
1 cup
(140g)
|
38
|
16
|
|
Carrots
|
47
|
1
large (72g)
|
5
|
2
|
|
Oranges
|
48
|
1
medium (131g)
|
12
|
6
|
|
Bananas
|
52
|
1
large (136g)
|
27
|
14
|
|
Potato chips
|
54
|
4 oz
(114g)
|
55
|
30
|
|
Snickers Bar
|
55
|
1 bar
(113g)
|
64
|
35
|
|
Brown rice
|
55
|
1 cup
(195g)
|
42
|
23
|
|
Honey
|
55
|
1 tbsp
(21g)
|
17
|
9
|
|
Oatmeal
|
58
|
1 cup
(234g)
|
21
|
12
|
|
Ice cream
|
61
|
1 cup
(72g)
|
16
|
10
|
|
Macaroni and
cheese
|
64
|
1
serving (166g)
|
47
|
30
|
|
Raisins
|
64
|
1
small box (43g)
|
32
|
20
|
|
White rice
|
64
|
1 cup
(186g)
|
52
|
33
|
|
Sugar
(sucrose)
|
68
|
1 tbsp
(12g)
|
12
|
8
|
|
White bread
|
70
|
1
slice (30g)
|
14
|
10
|
|
Watermelon
|
72
|
1 cup
(154g)
|
11
|
8
|
|
Popcorn
|
72
|
2 cups
(16g)
|
10
|
7
|
|
Baked potato
|
85
|
1
medium (173g)
|
33
|
28
|
|
Glucose
|
100
|
(50g)
|
50
|
50
|
The table below shows values of the
Glycemic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) for a few common foods. GI's of 55
or below are considered low, and 70 or above are considered high. GL's of 10 or
below are considered low, and 20 or above are considered high.
Learning More
Additional information and values for Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load can be
found at www.glycemicindex.com.
Limitations of the Glycemic Index and
the Glycemic Load
Some proponents of the Glycemic Index
(including many diet books authors) would like you to believe that GI and GL
are all that matters when selecting which foods to eat. In reality, diet is a
more complex issue than that. ND agrees that the Glycemic Index is a marvelous
tool for ranking carbohydrates (and much better than the old "simple"
and "complex carbohydrate" designations). However, there are also
many limitations to GI and GL, which are explained in this section. Consider
this the warning that those diet book authors don't want you to hear...
- Scarcity of GI data
Although methods for determining Glycemic Index have been in existence for
more than 20 years, GI values have so far only been determined for about
5% of the foods in ND's database. Seemingly similar foods can have very
different GI values, so it's not always possible to estimate GI from
either food type or composition. This means that each food has to be
physically tested. GI testing requires human subjects, and is both
relatively expensive and time-consuming. The fact that only a very limited
number of researchers currently do GI testing compounds this problem. Food
manufacturers continue to introduce thousands of new foods each year.
Since GI testing is neither required nor common (at least in the U.S.),
this problem is likely to get worse rather than better.
(ND has derived a formula that can
estimate the Glycemic Load for untested foods, based on comparative analysis
with foods of similar composition. To learn more about this method, please see
ND's Estimated Glycemic Load page.)
- Wide variation in GI measurements
The above Glycemic Index table shows a single value of GI for each food.
In reality, though, the measurements are not so precise. Reported values
are generally averages of several tests. There's nothing wrong with that
methodology, but individual measurements can vary a significant amount.
For example, baked Russet potatoes have been tested with a GI as low as 56
and as high as 111! The GI for the same fruit has even been shown to
increase as the fruit ripens. This amount of variation adds a great deal
of uncertainty to GI calculations.
- GI values affected by preparation method
The Glycemic Index gets even trickier when you take into account the
changes in value that occur in response to differences in food
preparation. Generally, any significant food processing, such as grinding
or cooking, will elevate GI values for certain foods, because it makes
those food quicker and easier to digest. This type of change is even seen
with subtle alterations of the preparation, such as boiling pasta for 15
minutes instead of 10.
- GI values affected by combination with other
foods
While tests for Glycemic Index are usually done on individual foods, we
often consume those foods in combination with other foods. The addition of
other foods that contain fiber, protein, or fat will generally reduce the
Glycemic Index of the meal. The GI of this "mixed meal" can be
estimated by taking a weighted average of the GI's of the individual foods
in the meal. However, this averaging method may become less accurate as
the total percentage of carbohydrate decreases. Therefore, foods like
pizza often create a higher glycemic response than the simple weighted
average of the ingredient GI's would predict.
- Individual differences in glycemic response
The rate at which different people digest carbohydrates also varies, so
there are some individual differences in glycemic response from person to
person. In addition it has been shown that one person's glycemic response may
vary from one time of day to another. And finally, different people have
different insulin responses (i.e. produce different levels of insulin),
even with an identical glycemic response. This fact alone means that a
diabetic can not rely completely on the Glycemic Index without monitoring
his own blood sugar response. (This, of course, is a limitation of any
food index, and not a specific limitation of GI.)
- Reliance on GI and GL can lead to
overconsumption
It's important to remember that the Glycemic Index is only a rating of a
food's carbohydrate content. If you use GI and GL values as the sole
factor for determining your diet, you can easily end up overconsuming fat
and total Calories. See example below...
Example - How the Glycemic Index can
encourage overeating:
Apples have a GI of 38 (as shown in the table above), and a medium-size apple,
weighing 138 grams, contains 16 grams of net carbohydrates and provides a
Glycemic Load of 6. This is a low GL, and most would consider the apple to be a
very appropriate snack. But now look at peanuts. A 4-oz serving not only weighs
less than the apple, but has a much lower GI (14), and provides an even lower
GL of 2. Based on Glycemic Load alone, you would have to believe that the
peanuts were a better dietary choice than the apple. But if you take a look at
the Calories contained in these two foods, you'll see that the apple contains
approximately 72 Calories, while the peanuts contain more than 500! Those 400+
extra Calories are NOT going to help you lose weight.
Another Way to Control Blood Sugar
As you consider the strengths and
weaknesses of the Glycemic Index, it's important that you don't lose sight of
the original goal. What we are really trying to do is control blood sugar
levels. Is the consumption of low-GI foods the only way to do this? No, it is
not. As we mentioned before, your blood sugar can also be controlled simply by
limiting the total number of carbohydrates that you consume in any given meal.
In the following sections, we'll explore different ways to do just that...
Is Low-Carb the Answer?
One alternative to the low-GI diet is
the low-carbohydrate diet, which also centers on the concept of controlling
blood sugar levels, but does so by limiting total carbohydrate consumption.
Low-carb diets have become popular, partially because they are very successful
at doing this. As opposed to low-GI diets, they are also very easy to plan and
monitor, since carbohydrate counts are known for all foods.
However, low-carb diets are not without
their own difficulties, which can include:
- Deficiency of essential nutrients
If your low-carb diet restricts the amount of fruits and vegetables that
you eat, you may not be consuming enough Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Dietary
Fiber, which are much more abundant in plant-based foods. It's also likely
that you are consuming less carotenoids (such as Alpha Carotene, Beta
Carotene, Beta Cryptoxanthin, and Lycopene). Although no daily values have
been established for carotenoids, they are known to be powerful
anti-oxidants, and may be necessary for optimal health. It's possible to
supplement these missing nutrients, but there are also many phytochemicals
present in plant-based foods that we are just beginning to learn about.
Many of these phytochemicals are believed to have positive health
benefits, but very few of them are yet available in supplement form.
- Potential risks associated with high fat
consumption
Low-carb diets usually contain large amounts of fat, and numerous studies
suggest that higher consumption of fats (particularly saturated fats)
increases your risk of heart disease and other ailments. While no
definitive link has been established between low-carb diets and heart
disease, this is a topic that warrants additional study.
- Hypoglycemic effects of minimized carbohydrate
consumption
Your brain requires glucose to operate. In the absence of carbohydrates,
your body is forced to synthesize glucose from digested or stored fats.
This somewhat inefficient process results in lower than optimal blood
sugar levels, which can leave you feeling lethargic, unalert, and even
confused. This effect is most commonly experienced as you transition from
a "normal" diet to an ultra-low-carb diet, but can also reappear
at times when your body is under increased stress. The decrease in mental
alertness, while not harmful in of itself, is a potentially dangerous side
effect. (e.g. It can be less safe to operate a car if you aren't fully
alert.)
- Boredom or cravings resulting from the
elimination of carbohydrate-rich foods
We all derive pleasure from the taste of different foods. Any diet that
greatly or completely restricts our selection of foods, can lead to
increased cravings for the eliminated foods or boredom with the allowable
food selections. This, of course, is not a problem specific to low-carb
diets, but affects all diets that limit the range of foods that you
consume.
- Added expense of special foods
To overcome the boredom of the low-carb diet, you can turn to the new
low-carb versions of foods that are now being offered in many health food
and grocery stores. It's now even possible to find low-carb versions of
pancakes and bagels! Unfortunately, though, the elevated cost of some of
these specialty food items can add considerably to your food bill.
- Incompatibility with vegetarian lifestyle
If you consider yourself a vegetarian, you'll find that it's very
difficult to follow a low-carb diet, since nearly all low-carb meal plans
focus on the consumption of meats and other animal-based foods.
What About Satiety?
A different way to limit carbohydrate
consumption is simply to limit the total number of Calories that you consume
for each meal. This can be a very effective method for controlling blood sugar
and losing body fat. Unfortunately, there's one BIG problem associated with
this method - increased hunger! But what if you could eat less, and not be
hungry? Is that possible?
A few years ago, a group of researchers
from the University of Sydney in Sydney, Australia performed an interesting
study in which they compared the satiating effects of different foods. These
researchers, lead by Suzanna Holt, include some of the same individuals that
pioneered much of the work on the Glycemic Index. The result of their study,
"The Satiety Index of Common Foods", was published in the European
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, September 1995. In this study, the researchers
fed human test subjects fixed-Calorie portions of thirty-eight different foods,
and then recorded the subjects' perceived hunger following each feeding.
The results of this study clearly
indicated that certain foods are much better than others for satisfying hunger.
The researchers used white bread as their reference point, and arbitrarily
assigned it a "Satiety Index" of 100. Foods that did a better job of
satisfying hunger were given proportionately higher values, and foods that were
less satisfying were assigned lower values. Among the most satisfying foods
they tested were plain boiled potatoes, raw fruits, fish, and lean meats.
Subjects that consumed the prescribed portion of these foods were less likely
to feel hungry immediately afterward. Foods that did the poorest job of
satisfying hunger included croissants, donuts, candy bars, and peanuts.
An important outcome of this study
Because of the limited size of the Satiety Index study, there's some
uncertainty in the accuracy of the values that were recorded for each food.
However, one very important general observation was made by the Satiety Index
researchers. They noted that a common feature was shared by the foods with the
highest Satiety Index values. All of these foods had high weight-to-Calorie
ratios. In other words, these foods contained a greater amount of bulk for each
Calorie. They helped make you feel full, literally by filling your stomach.
This suspected relation between bulk
and satiety may seem obvious and trivial, but it opens the door to a very
powerful theory - that it may be possible to predict satiety by knowing the
nutrient composition of the food! And if that is true, some form of the Satiety
Index could prove to be a more flexible tool for assessing diet than the
Glycemic Index.
Introducing the Fullness Factor™
ND mathematically modeled the Satiety
Index with a multivariate analysis that used nutrient profiles of the foods
tested in the previously mentioned Satiety Index study. As anticipated, there
was a good correlation between the Satiety Index values and each food's Caloric
density. There were also significant but lesser correlations between the index
and each food's levels of net carbohydrates, fat, dietary fiber, and protein.
From the mathematical model developed, ND was able to create an equation to
convert a food's nutrient profile into a predicted satiety index, which we call
the Fullness Factor™.
The Fullness Factor has been normalized
so that all resultant values fall into a range of 0 to 5. The calculated
Fullness Factor for white bread is 1.8, so values above 1.8 indicate foods that
are likely to be more satiating than white bread, and values less than 1.8
indicate foods that are likely to be less satiating. A food's Fullness Factor
is independent of its serving size.
For more details about the Fullness
Factor, please see ND's Fullness Factor page. For an explanation of how to use
the Fullness Factor in your own diet, please see the last section on this page,
labeled "Putting the Fullness Factor to Work".
Potential Advantages of the Fullness Factor over the Glycemic
Index
The Fullness Factor is a calculated
rather than measured value, and has a few distinct advantages over the Glycemic
Index:
- Fullness Factors are instantly determinable
for ALL foods
Knowledge of the nutrient information contained on a standard nutrition
facts label is all that is required to determine the Fullness Factor. That
means that the Fullness Factor is supported for all foods in ND's
database, and also all new recipes. That makes it easy to use the Fullness
Factor in conjunction with any diet plan.
- High-FF foods may help reduce total Caloric
consumption
Consuming high-FF foods means satisfying your hunger with fewer total
Calories, which is the most direct route to weight loss.
- The Fullness Factor may also be helpful in
weight gaining diets
Individuals that have trouble maintaining or gaining weight can add additional
Calories to their diets by altering their food selections to include more
low-FF foods.
Potential Advantages of FF-based Diets over Low-Carb Diets
Diets based on the Fullness Factor have
some advantages over Low-Carb diets:
- FF-based diets may better encourage the
consumption of naturally healthy foods
Because many fruits, vegetables, and less processed foods have high
Fullness Factors, it may be easier to obtain essential nutrients when on
FF-based diets.
- FF-based diets offer a larger range of food
selections
No foods are off limits in FF-based diets. FF-based diets simply encourage
you to select the foods that cause you to fill up faster without as
many total Calories.
- FF-based diets can easily accommodate a
vegetarian lifestyle
While many meats are good choices for a high-FF diet, it's also relatively
easy to create a high-FF diet that doesn't contain animal-based foods.
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