Glycemic Load Diet

The Glycemic Load Diet

The Glycemic Load Diet, by Rob Thompson, MD is a refinement of earlier low-carbohydrate diets, and aims to reduce the glycemic load in the diet - the impact on blood glucose levels of a serving of a given food, as indentified in the Glycemic Index.

The increased consumption of starchy carbohydrates, particularly wheat, is held to blame for the obesity problem. Also, the claim is made that insulin resistance (said to be present in 22% of the population) would be less evident if starchy carbs like rice, potatoes and bread were reduced. Insulin regulates glucose consumption in the body, mainly the muscles. If these become insensitive to insulin (called insulin resistance) then weight-gain results. Refined carbs are the major source of glucose in the diet. For example, it is suggested that no more than a quarter-serving of these foods be consumed at one sitting, alongside cutting out drinks and juices with added sugar.

The Glycemic Load Diet also requires 30-40 minutes of walking every other day, with the objective of activating ’slow-twitch muscle’ to improve the insulin resistant condition.

Glycemic index/Glycemic load

The glycemic index measures the effect on blood glucose of a given amount of carbohydrate from a particular food source, in comparison to the same amount of carbohydrate in white bread as the standard (set at 100).

The glycemic load corrects that figure for serving size or amount consumed, and it this glycemic load which forms the basis of the Glycemic Load Diet. The advice given is that the total glycemic load in foods consumed each day should be under 500.

Examples of the glycemic load of common baked goods, breads and breakfast cereals.

This list is taken from the Glycemic Load Table in Dr. Thompson’s website as quoted in his book The Glycemic Load Diet.

As such it uses a different formula than other measures of Glycemic Load such as the University of Sydney.

Food Item	Description	Glycemic Index	Typical American Serving	Glycemic Load
White bread	30 grams-1/2″ slice	100	1-1/16oz	100
Baked Goods:
Oatmeal cookie	1 medium	77	1oz	102
Apple muffin-sugarless	2-1/2″ diameter	69	2-1/2oz	107
Cookie: average all types	1 medium size	84	1oz	114
Croissant	1 Medium size	96	1-1/2oz	127
Crumpet	1 Medium size	69	2oz	148
Bran muffin	2-1/2″ diameter	85	2oz	149
Pastry	Average serving	84	2oz	149
Chocolate cake	1 slice (4″X4″X1″)	54	3oz	154
Vanilla Wafers	4 wafers	110	1oz	159
Graham cracker	1 rectangle	106	1oz	159
Blueberry muffin	2-1/2″ diameter	84	2oz	169
Pita bread	1 medium size	82	2oz	189
Carrot cake	1 square (3″X3″X1-1/2″)	88	2oz	199
Carrot muffin	2-1/2″ diameter	88	2oz	199
Waffle	7″ diameter	109	2-1/2oz	203
Doughnut	1 Medium size	108	2oz	205
Cup Cake	2-1/2″ diameter	104	1-1/2oz	213
Angel food cake	1 slice (4′X4″X1″)	95	2oz	216
English Muffin	1 medium size	109	2oz	224
Pound Cake	1 slice (4″X4″X1″)	77	3oz	241
Corn muffin	2-1/2″ diameter	146	2oz	299
Pancake	5″ diameter	96	2-1/2oz	346
Breads and Rolls:
Tortilla (wheat)	1 medium size	43	1-3/8oz	64
Pizza crust	1 slice	43	3.5oz	70
Tortilla (corn)	1 medium size	74	1-1/4oz	87
White Bread	1 slice-1/2″ thick	100	1oz	107
Whole meal rye bread	3/8″ slice	97	2oz	114
Sourdough bread	3/8″ slice	77	1-1/2oz	114
Oat bran bread	3/8″ slice	68	1-1/2oz	128
Whole Wheat Bread	1 slice-1/2″ thick	101	1-1/2oz	129
Light rye bread	3/8″ slice	97	1-1/2oz	142
Banana Bread-sugarless	1 slice (4″X4″X1″)	79	3oz	170
80% whole-kernel oat bread	3/8″ slice	93	1-1/2oz	170
Pita bread	8″ diameter	82	2oz	189
Hamburger Bun	Top & bottom-5″diameter	87	2-1/2oz	213
80% whole-kernel wheat bread	3/8″ slice	74	2.25oz	213
French Bread	1 slice-1/2″ thick	136	2oz	284
Bagel	1 Medium size	103	3-1/3oz	340
Breakfast Cereals:
All Bran	1/2 cup	54	1oz	85
Muesli	1 cup	69	1oz	95
Special K	1cup	98	1oz	133
Cheerios	1 cup	106	1oz	142
Shredded Wheat	1 cup	107	1oz	142
Grapenuts	1 cup	102	1oz	142
Puffed Wheat	1 cup	105	1oz	151
Instant Oatmeal (cooked)	1 cup	94	8oz	154
Cream of Wheat-cooked	1 cup	94	8oz	154
Total	1 cup	109	1oz	161
Corn Flakes	1 cup	116	1oz	199
Rice Crispies	1 cup	117	1oz	208
Rice Chex	1 cup	127	1oz	218
Raisin Bran	1 cup	87	2oz	227

See Also

The book The Glycemic Load Diet (available at Amazon) contains about 80 pages of recipes. There are no meal plans as such.