This was the first clinical trial comparing the effects of glycemic index and high-protein diets on weight loss and cardiovascular risk.
The diets varied in target levels of carbohydrates, proteins, and glycemic load (i.e., glycemic index multiplied by the amount of carbohydrate, divided by 100) as follows:
Diet 1: carbohydrates comprise 55 percent of total energy intake, protein 15 percent of total energy intake, high glycemic load (127 g)
Diet 2: similar to diet 1 except a lower glycemic load (75g)
Diet 3: protein comprises 25 percent total energy intake (based on lean red meat), carbohydrate reduced to 45 percenttotal energy of intake, and high glycemic load (87 g)
Diet 4: Similar to diet 3, except low glycemic load (54 g).
Brand-Miller and her team report that the diets resulted in similar reductions in weight (4.2 percent to 6.2 percent of body weight), fat mass and waist circumference.
However, in the high-carbohydrate diets, lowering the glycemic load doubled the fat loss. The investigators also found that total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels increased with diet 3 and decreased in diet2.
In the short term findings suggest that dietary glycemic load, and not just overall energy intake, influences weight loss,
Foods with a low degree of starch gelatinization, such as pasta, and those containing a high level of viscous soluble fiber, such as wholegrain barley, oats, and rye, have slower rates of digestion and lower glycemic index values.
Without any drastic change in regular dietary habits, one can simply replace high glycemic index grains with low glycemic index grains and starchy vegetables with less starchy ones and cut down on softdrinks, that are often poor in nutrients yet high in glycemic load.
