GLYCAEMIC INDEX TABLE

CARBOHYDRATES with			CARBOHYDRATES with low
high glycaemic Index			glycaemic index
(bad carbohydrates)			(good carbohydrates)
	110		Wholemeal bread or bread with bran
Glucose	100		Wholegrain rice
Baked potatoes	95		Peas
Very white bread	95		Wholegrain cereals without sugar
Mashed potatoes	90		Oat flakes
Honey	90		Fresh fruit juice (without sugar)
Carrots	85		Wholemeal rye bread
Cornflakes, popcorn	85		Wholewheat pasta
Sugar (sucrose)	75		Red kidney beans
White bread	70		Dried peas
Refined cereals with Sugar	70		100 % stoneground wholemeal bread
Chocolate bars	70		Milk products
Boiled potatoes	70		Dried beans
Biscuits	70		Lentils
Corn (maize)	70		Chickpeas
White rice	70		100 % stoneground wholewheat pasta
Brown bread	65		Fresh fruit
Beetroot	65		Fruit preserve (without sugar)
Bananas	60		Dark chocolate (over 60 % cocoa)
Jam	55		Fructose
Non-wholewheat pasta	55		Soya Green vegetables, tomatoes, lemon, mushrooms

So, for simplicity's sake, I propose to place carbohydrates in one of two categories: "good carbohydrates" (with a low glycaemic index) and "bad carbohydrates" (with a high glycaemic index). This is the distinction which, as you will discover in the following chapters, will enable you to pinpoint, among other things, the reasons why you may be overweight.

Bad Carbohydrates

These are all the carbohydrates whose absorption leads to a large rise in blood glucose. This applies to table sugar in whatever form (on its own or combined with other food stuffs, as in cakes). The classification also covers all processed carbohydrates, such as white flour and white rice, and also alcohol (particularly spirits), as well as potatoes and corn (maize).

Good Carbohydrates

Unlike the carbohydrates mentioned above, "good carbohydrates" are those which are only partly absorbed by the body, and which therefore produce a much smaller rise in blood glucose level. They include whole cereals (unrefined flour, for example), wholegrain rice and some starchy foods, such as lentils and broad beans. Most importantly, they also include most fruits, and all the vegetables which are classified as fibre (leeks, turnips, lettuce, green beans, etc.) and which all contain a small quantity of glucose.

LIPIDS (or FATS)

Lipids, or fats, have complex molecules. They are divided into two broad categories, according to their origin:
— Lipids of animal origin : thewEIQHTnLOSS RESEARCH^m, etc.
— Lipids of vegetable origin: these include peanut oil, margarine, etc.
Saturated fatty acids, found in meat, cooked meats and pates, eggs and dairy products (milk, butter, cheese, cream).

— Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids; these are the fats that remain liquid at room temperature (sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, olive oil), though some can be solidified by hydrogenation (as in margarine manufacture). Also included in this category are all fish oils.

Lipids are necessary in the diet. They contain a number of vitamins (A,D,E,K), as well as essential fatty acids (linoleic acid and linolenic acid), and are needed for the synthesis of various hormones. Only cold pressed virgin oils can be guaranteed to retain their essential fatty acids.

When lipids are mixed with bad carbohydrates, their absorption by the body is interfered with and, as a result, a high proportion of the energy the lipids provide is stored as body fat.

As a general rule, we eat too much fat. Fried foods, doughnuts, unnecessary sauces and the use of too much fat in cooking have crept into our eating habits; a lighter diet, avoiding excessive use of fats, need be no less delicious.

Some of the lipids are the villains in the cholesterol story, but here again, there are two types of cholesterol,"good"and"bad". The aim should be to keep the total cholesterol level as low as possible, with "good" cholesterol accounting for as much as possible of the total. What needs to be understood is that not all lipids lead to an increase in"bad"cholesterol. In fact, some of them even tend to lower the"bad" cholesterol level significantly. To give a complete picture, it is necessary to divide fats into three further categories :

Fats which raise cholesterol These are the saturated fats found in meat, butter, cooked meats, cheese, lard and milk products.

Fats which have very little effect on cholesterol These are the ones found in shellfish, eggs and skinless poultry.

Fats which lower cholesterol

These are the vegetable oils : olive oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, etc.

As for fish oils, they play no real part in cholesterol metabolism, but help prevent cardiovascular disease by bringing down the level of triglycerides and helping avoid thromboses. We ought therefore to consume oily fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herrings, sardines). The weight-loss Method that I am suggesting depends in part on choosing between "good" and "bad" carbohydrates. In the same way, choices have to be made between "good" and "bad" lipids, especially if you tend to have a high cholesterol level or simply want to protect yourself permanently from the risk of it, with a view to avoiding cardiovascular disease. Avoiding excessive consumption of saturated fats is an essential part of the Method.