The low GI diet is one of the latest diets to gain popularity.  It was developed during the 1980’s by a professor studying nutrition, when he noticed that some foods impact greatly on the blood sugar levels within the body.  This in turn lead to the creation of the glycemic index which ranked foods as to how it impacted on the blood sugar levels due to the amount of glucose it contained.  This ranking system ranges between 0-100, with 100 being glucose and a marker to compare against.  This scale is then divided into three groups so people know if the food has a low, medium or high GI. 

Low levels of glucose in the blood stimulates the appetite and makes you want to eat, so that the body’s glucose levels are stabilised enabling it to produce energy for the brain and the body.  Eating foods with a low GI will release glucose slowly into the blood steam making you feel fuller for longer unlike foods with a high GI which enter and exit the blood stream quickly making you hungry sooner.  This is why the low GI diet works as it keeps your appetite under control, providing you with nutrients the body needs.  You will also notice that meats do not appear on the glycemic index so you can eat this without affecting the diet.

The low GI foods range is between 0-55 and should be preferred to other foods which contain higher amounts of glucose.  Low GI foods contain foods like peanuts, plain yogurts, kidney beans, butter beans, milk, apples, oranges, tomatoes, whole wheat.

Medium GI foods are scaled between 56-69 and can be included in the diet, however they should only be used in small amounts if you want to achieve weight loss.  Medium GI foods include boiled potatoes, pitta bread, basmati rice, soft drinks, lifesavers, pineapple, raisins, beetroot and oatmeal.

High GI foods are ranked between 70-100 should be avoided and replaced with foods from a lower group.  It contains foods which are high in glucose like white bread, cheerio’s, potato chips, pretzels, cornflakes, jelly beans and waffles.

This diet has a good base and includes many foods which can provide you with most of the nutrients that you require.  However the foods have been tested individually not in combination with other foods, so it is not known how the different types of starch, proteins and fats  inhibit or promote the amount of glucose which is absorbed and utilised from the food.  Many nutritionists appreciate the use of this diet however people should still be trying to reduce the amount of fats and processed foods from the diet if they want to achieve lasting weight loss.

Ingredients:

• 1 packet spring roll pastry, approximately 20 sheets
• 1 Chinese cabbage, trim off thick stems from leaves
• 750gm ocean trout fillet, slice into approximately 9cm lengths, 2cm wide
• 50gm pickled ginger
• 2 bunches fresh asparagus, cut into 9cm lengths
• ½ bunch fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 egg white, for glaze

Method:

1. Place one sheet of spring roll pastry on a dry flat surface.
2. Place one trimmed leaf of Chinese cabbage on top of pastry sheet, ensuring bottom corner is covered.
3. Place fish, asparagus, coriander, picked ginger in corner of pastry sheet making sure cabbage leaf is under the filling.
4. Fold pastry from bottom corner over filling and continue rolling until halfway up pastry sheet. Then fold left side of pastry over, then right side of pastry over. Continue rolling until pastry is finished and the roll is sealed.
5. Place spring rolls on a baking tray and lightly brush with egg whites.
6. Bake in a 200^oC preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes with the fan on.