Glycemic load diet
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Be aware: this is only the goal of this diet, not necessarily its outcome. Results vary from person to person. Consult your doctor or dietician before starting this (or any other) diet.
When you follow the Glycemic load diet you choose your food and drinks based on the Glycemic load the products have. By doing so, you avoid, according to the inventors, that your blood sugar level rises sharply (or 'peaks', so to say). The idea here is that, because products with a low Glycemic load cause your blood sugar level to rise slower and for longer, you will be less likely to feel hungry and therefore eat less.
On the homepage you can compare the Glycemic load diet with other diets.
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If a product contains carbohydrates (think of sugars, starch or fibres) it should have a Glycemic index value (GI value). The GI value indicates the extent to which the product makes your blood sugar rise and is mainly based on the type of carbohydrates in the product.
The composition of the product (besides carbohydrates) also has an influence on the GI value. This is because it partly determines how quickly the carbohydrates can be absorbed. The method of preparing the food, like cooking, baking or frying, also influences this value.
The GI value says nothing about how healthy a product is. Nor can it predict how much your blood sugar level will rise, as individual differences are very large (e.g. because your digestion works differently, faster or slower, than someone else's).
You can look up the GI value of a product here.
Apart from the GI value, it is important how much of a product you eat. This is where the Glycemic load value, the GL value, comes into play. This value takes into account how many carbohydrates you ultimately consume.
The GL value is determined by multiplying the number of carbohydrates in a product (or per 100g serving, for example) by the GI value and dividing it by 100. So: Carb count x GI value / 100.
A GL value of 10 or lower is considered a low load, while a value of 20 or higher is considered a high load. So eating a dish with a high GL value would cause your blood sugar to rise more than a dish with a low GL value.
You can calculate the GL value of a product here.
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If you follow the Glycemic load diet you only watch the carbohydrates in products. You do not take proteins or fats into account, for example. Besides, the GL value doesn't say anything about how healthy a product is.
Consult your doctor or dietician before starting this (or any) diet, especially if you have diabetes.
Several books have been written on this diet. Below some examples:
Examples of other diets that use the glycemic index are the Montignac diet and the GI diet.
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As you see fit
For a full-fledged diet, it is important to take into account the amount of protein, saturated fat and calories in a day, in addition to the glycaemic load. What makes this diet better than the low GI diet is that now you do take into account the amount that you eat of a product which allows a product with a fairly high GI to still have a low GI burden.
With the professional help of a dietitian it should be easier to reach your goals. Please contact a dietician in your area or talk to a doctor before starting any diet.
Please take note that most diets do not have a scientific basis.
Consult your doctor or dietician before starting a diet, especially if you have a chronic condition like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, lung disease or kidney disease.
If you think you might have an eating disorder (like anorexia or bulimia), it is important to look for professional help. Contact your (house) doctor or find help elsewhere. Here you can find a list of several websites that can provide (online) help. These sites also provide information for people that know someone with an eating disorder.