Helping you feel satisfied after weight loss surgery – the Low GI approach

There are two key ingredients in helping you to feel satisfied after eating:

1. High fibre, low glycemic index carbohydrate-containing foods

2. Protein-containing foods.

This post will demystify the glycemic index, or GI. Protein will be the focus of a later post.

The GI is a measure of the effect that different carbohydrate-containing foods have on blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. It describes the way our body digests and absorbs these foods. Carbohydrate-containing foods include:

- breads, cereals, rice, pasta and noodles

- starchy vegetables including potato, sweet potato and corn

- legumes including baked beans, kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils

- fruits and fruit juices

- milks, yoghurts, custards and ice cream

- any food containing flour or sugar.

Some carbohydrate-containing foods are broken down and absorbed quickly, so they raise our blood glucose level faster and higher. These are high GI foods. Other carbohydrate-containing foods are digested and absorbed more gradually, causing a slower, longer lasting rise in blood glucose levels. These are low GI foods. Low GI foods keep us feeling satisfied for longer after eating.

Often people experience a 'honeymoon' period following weight loss surgery, where weight loss seems automatic. Unfortunately this may not last forever and weight regain can occur with all surgeries. Maximising the satisfaction you get from the food you eat is crucial to keep losing weight and maintain that lost weight. A lower GI eating pattern also helps us feel satisfied for longer after eating, which can help with losing weight. For example, if you eat high GI foods at your meals, you are likely to become hungry sooner after the meal than if you eat low GI foods. This can make you more likely to snack and if you have not planned for this, you may be forced to grab something from the biscuit barrel or vending machine.

Appetite control is not the only benefit of a lower GI diet. Research has shown that people eating a lower GI diet can reduce their average blood glucose levels, which is particularly important for people with diabetes. Lower GI foods are often also higher in fibre. A high fibre diet helps prevent constipation, decreases the risk of heart disease as soluble fibres can help remove cholesterol from the body and helps protect against bowel cancer, haemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis.

Foods are classified as low, moderate or high GI.

To follow a low GI diet, try to choose one low GI food at each meal. Eat high GI foods in small amounts, or less often.

Low GI

• wholegrain/multigrain breads
  
• soy and linseed bread
  
• fruit loaf/raisin bread
  
• pearl barley
  
• pasta (white or wholemeal)
  
• Doongara® Clever Rice®
  
• Mahatma® rice
  
• fresh rice noodles
  
• semolina
  
• porridge
  
• All-Bran® (all varieties)
  
• Guardian®
  
• Sustain®
  
• rice or oat bran
  
• Ryvita® Pumpkin Seeds & Oats
  
• Ryvita® Sunflower Seeds & Oats
  
• Arnott’s® Snack Right®
  
• apple
  
• apricot
  
• banana
  
• grapes
  
• orange
  
• peach
  
• pear
  
• kiwi fruit
  
• mango
  
• plum
  
• prunes
  
• dried apricot
  
• dried apple
  
• milk or soy milk
  
• yoghurt
  
• Fruche®
  
• custard
  
• low fat ice cream
  
• sweet corn
  
• Carisma® potatoes
  
• lentils
  
• chick peas
  
• split peas
  
• kidney, soya, baked beans
  

Moderate GI

• wholemeal bread
  
• crumpets
  
• pita bread
  
• rye bread
  
• Basmati rice
  
• wild rice
  
• dried rice noodles
  
• cous cous
  
• popcorn
  
• Weetbix®
  
• Vita-brits®
  
• natural muesli
  
• Mini-wheats® (plain)
  
• Just Right®
  
• Special K®
  
• Ryvita® original
  
• shredded wheatmeal
  
• milk arrowroot biscuits
  
• digestives
  
• rockmelon
  
• pineapple
  
• cherries
  
• sultanas
  
• raisins
  
• dried fig
  
• fresh paw paw
  
• sweet potato
  
• broad beans
  

High GI

• white bread
  
• bagels
  
• baguettes
  
• English muffins
  
• Jasmine rice
  
• Rice Bubbles®
  
• Sultana Bran®
  
• cornflakes
  
• bran flakes
  
• puffed wheat
  
• Coco Pops®
  
• Mini-wheats® (fruit)
  
• water crackers
  
• rice cakes
  
• rice crackers
  
• Corn Thins®
  
• Sao®
  
• morning coffee biscuits
  
• watermelon
  
• most other potatoes
  

Go to www.glycemicindex.com for further information.

Sally Johnston

Accredited Practising Dietitian/Accredited Nutritionist

Your Bariatric Dietitian