Montignac 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.
The Montignac Diet was created by Michel Montignac. The diet is one of the first diets to use the glycemic index. The idea is that you avoid products with a high GI value. You do this to avoid strong increases (or 'spikes') in your blood sugar level.
On the homepage you can compare this diet with other diets.
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This index indicates how much your blood sugar level rises after eating products with carbohydrates in them. It is important to know that the GI value of a product cannot predict the blood sugar rise of one person. The individual differences are too big for this.
Besides the index, the amount and type of carbohydrates in a product is considered. A product can contain few carbohydrates with a high GI value. The type of carbohydrate is therefore 'bad', but the quantity is low, which means the glycemic load is low. Conversely, a product has a high 'glycemic load' if it contains many carbohydrates with a low GI value.
According to Montignac, 'good carbs' are carbohydrates with a GI index below 50. 'Bad carbs' are carbohydrates with a GI index above 50. 'Bad carbs' are, for example, found in sweets, potatoes, rice and white bread.
When on this diet, you are not allowed to combine carbohydrates with fats in a meal. This can be difficult, because many 'normal' meals often contain both fats and carbohydrates (think of a sandwich with sausage). Montignac states that combining bad carbs and fats is bad for your weight.
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Typical Montignac diet dishes contain proteins and carbohydrates or proteins and fats. Carbohydrates and fats should not be combined. When you have eaten carbohydrates, you should wait at least 3 hours before eating fats, and vice versa. Carbohydrates should be 'good carbs' (see 'Good and bad carbs' above) and fats should be as much as possible unsaturated fats. According to the Montignac diet, it is best to get your proteins mainly from, for instance, fish and legumes.
With the Montignac Diet you don't have to count calories and you are allowed to eat as many calories as you want, as long as the meals fit the rules of the diet. Read more on how many calories per day is considered normal here.
The Montignac diet consists of 2 phases. The 'weight loss' phase and the 'stabilisation and prevention' phase.
The length of this phase depends on how much weight you want to lose or what your dietary goals are. The phase is mainly about eating carbohydrates with a GI value of 50 or less and the goal is to prevent sharp increases in blood sugar levels.
This phase starts when you have reached your target weight. You continue to choose foods based on the GI value. In this phase you can occasionally use a product with a high GI value in your dish.
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Several books have been written about the Montignac diet. Below a short list of some examples.
Additionally, there are several cookbooks available.
Similar diets to the Montignac diet are the South Beach diet, the GI diet, the Low-GI diet and the Slow Carb diet. Read more about other low-carb diets here.
Consult your doctor or dietician before starting this (or any) diet, especially if you have kidney problems.
This page has been checked, and warnings have been added by, Jolande, dietician. Read more here.
Did you notice a mistake on this page? Please let us know.
As you see fit
A healthy person does not need to separate carbohydrates from fats. The body can handle this just fine. The large amount of protein in this diet can cause long-term damage to the kidneys, which have to filter all this. In addition, portion sizes are not taken into account, which can also affect the amount of carbohydrates taken at each meal time.
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.