What’s so Good about the Glycemic Index?

In a charming old terrace house within Sydney University in late July, experts in the field of the Glycemic Index (GI) enlightened a full house of FMCA members and guests. Diane Temple reports.

The food was plentiful, there was time for networking and at the end of a very interesting evening everyone went away having learnt something new. And for those who missed out, the good news is that interest was at such a high level that there will be a follow-up next year.

Alan Barclay, CEO of Glycemic Index Ltd (you know, that little blue G sign you are seeing on more and more foods), began with the problems of excessive weight, obesity and diabetes in Australia. Sobering stuff: the percentage of men in Australia who are overweight is now 65% and for women it is around 55%.

Between two and three million Australians have pre-diabetes and more than 1.5 million people have diabetes. The numbers have increased by almost 300% in 10 years. And if you think you are not involved, your taxes support a person with diabetes to the tune of nearly $10,000 per year. Overweight and obesity, lack of exercise, too many kilojoules and a high GI diet have all contributed to the "diabesity" epidemic.

Professor Jennie Brand Miller, Professor of Human Nutrition, University of Sydney, went on to discuss more about the GI and why it is so valuable - low GI diets assist weight control and reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease. The types of fats and carbohydrates are more important than the actual amounts of fats and carbohydrates in the diet. It is more beneficial to good health to think in terms of low-GI diets rather than low-fat diets.

But consumers need help to identify nutritious low-GI foods.

Kaye Foster Powell, dietitian, related the GI to food and recipes. The GI only applies to carbohydrate foods. In recipes, these are sugars ,syrups, flours, grains potatoes, legumes, fruits, milk and yoghurt. The ingredients, how they are prepared and the accompaniments, influence the GI of recipes. Low GI menus and recipes include burghul, pearl barley, rolled oats, fruits like citrus, apple and pears, milk and yoghurt, apple juice, honey and maple syrup. Other ways to lower the GI include cooking foods like rice and potatoes, adding lemon juice or vinegar to ingredients and adding food containing soluble fibre such as oat bran.

Peter Howard, as usual, was a terrific speaker, all the more so because he was speaking honestly and poignantly about his own diabetes management. He has transformed himself from Sir Lunch-a-Lot to the Kumera King. His life has changed dramatically for the better and he is enjoying food, wine and life, all in good health. Catherine Saxelby, dietitian and food writer, was a great MC and smoothly coordinated the flow of events.

FMCA members are involved in a wide range of food activities, developing recipes for well - read publications, writing about food, producing and manufacturing food and cooking food for the public - and in marketing and promoting food in all its guises. How much responsibility do we bear in this epidemic? And do we have a role in its solution? This newsletter would welcome your thoughts.