Dolele

The scientific tide continues to turn against South Beach and other low-carb regimens that promise weight loss by steering dieters toward low-glycemic-index (low-GI) foods.

A new study published in the August American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found low-GI diets no better than high-GI ones in producing weight loss results. The glycemic index is the measure of how quickly sugars in foods enter the blood, and while the GI may be relevant for diabetics, some fad diets have misappropriated the GI as a gimmick to lend a pseudo-scientific patina to their weight loss claims.

With the new findings by Danish researchers, reality reclaims territory from fantasy-land, as we learn that low GI diets do NOT deliver on key claims of weight loss, appetite control or fat reduction. In a 10-week randomized trial, two groups of overweight women were put on low-fat diets -- one whose carbs came from the high end of the GI scale, the other drawing on low-GI carbs.

While both groups lost weight, the low-GI dieters had no discernable edge over their high-GI peers with regard to changes in body weight and composition. Nor did the low-GI Janes end up consuming fewer calories, suggesting no significant differences in satiety between the groups.

While the GI may be an important tool for those trying to lower their LDL ("bad") cholesterol, for the vast majority of folks worried about their weight, decreasing calories consumed and increasing calories burned continues to be the best bet for dropping pounds.]]