Eds. Note: This eye-opening article was sent to us by the sports nutrition company Maximuscle after they tested the glycemic index of several popular meal-replacement products. If you’re confused about the glycemic index (GI) or which carbohydrates are better to help you achieve the perfect physique, this is a MUST READ.

Yours in training,

Zef Eisenberg

Recently, supermarkets like Tescos have jumped on the GI bandwagon, putting GI labels on their foods to help people (in a summary) know at a glance which foods are better or worse to eat if you’re trying to lose weight. GI diet books have topped the best-seller lists, and this has led to some companies trying to exploit this research to trap unsuspecting customers.

Unfortunately there will always be some brands in the bodybuilding market that make up their own research to sell their products, or are so lacking in technical expertise that they just don’t understand the research at all. One of the best scams to date is a company selling their so-called 'super advanced' meal replacement that uses Barley extract as a low GI carbohydrate, as opposed to the industry-standard maltodextrin.

They claim that any brand using maltodextrin has a super high GI and is useless for bodybuilders, or those looking to achieve a lean and toned physique. They stick their double page adverts in Flex & Muscle & Fitness, with graphs and tables listing the GI of organic barley and maltodextrin to convince the customer that their product is superior. Their marketing spin is that all sugars are the latest evil in your quest to achieve a lean and muscular physique.

But, they are wrong, as you will find out…
Chances are you’ve heard of the glycemic index. It’s been touted in many diet books as the safest, healthiest way to lose weight. Some sports nutrition manufacturers also claim that weight gainers with a low glycemic index, rather than those containing maltodextrin, will help you avoid gaining fat when you’re trying to bulk up and build muscle.

You’re about to learn why both of these claims are false. Here’s a no-nonsense guide to the glycemic index and what it really means for you.

The glycemic index was originally developed to establish the type of foods that were best for people suffering from diabetes! Many ‘popular’ diet books now recommend it as a way to make weight loss faster and easier. It’s used to rank different types of carbohydrate (such as pasta, rice, or cereal) according to their effect on blood sugar levels. Foods with a high glycemic index lead to a bigger change in blood sugar levels over a 2-3 hour period than foods with a low glycemic index [1]. However, some of the assumptions and experimental methods used to develop the glycemic index means that it has a limited practical value in real life.

Here’s the main problem with the GI…
To establish the glycemic index of a food, researchers use a portion size containing 50 grams of carbohydrate. The problem is that a Snickers bar, for example, contains roughly 37 grams of carbohydrate. A typical serving of cooked carrots, on the other hand, has only eight grams of carbohydrate. Yet the glycemic index of both foods is roughly the same. Using GI values, this would lead you to think that a serving of carrots has the same nutritional value, or is as bad for you, as a Snickers bar.

Another problem with the glycemic index is that it doesn’t take into account real-life eating habits. People don’t just eat portions of rice or pasta on their own. Instead, they eat meals, often flavoured with oils and sauces, or combined with protein, fruit, or vegetables. Many sports nutrition products contain a combination of whey proteins, essential fatty acids (EFA’s), medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), maltodextrin, and other ingredients. The product then has a different glycemic index, as the various macronutrients affect the rate of digestion.

Is the glycemic load more accurate?
To help clear up some of the confusion, Harvard researchers have coined the term glycemic load. Despite the fact that the glycemic index of both foods is virtually identical, the glycemic load of the Snickers bar is four times higher than the cooked carrots. In other words, the glycemic load is a lot more important than the glycemic index. This sounds more sensible, but it’s not the only problem…

The glycemic response to any given food varies considerably from one person to another, from one time to another, and from one study to another. It’s almost impossible to work out how any given food at any given time is going to behave in your body, unless you take blood sugar readings before and after eating [3].

The latest research to test the effect of the glycemic index - published in the October 2005 issue of the Journal of Nutrition - shows that it has no effect on weight loss [8].

Researchers from the University of Minnesota tested whether reducing the glycemic index of a diet already low in calories would have any further benefit. All of the diets - high glycemic index, low glycemic index or high fat - provided the same number of calories.

After 12 weeks, weight changes from baseline (–9.3kg for the high glycemic index diet, –9.9kg for the low glycemic index diet, and –8.4kg for the high fat diet) were significant but not different among groups.

The only time the glycemic index does help weight loss is when it leads to a drop in calorie intake. Most fruits and vegetables have a low glycemic load. So, when you eat fewer foods with a high glycemic index (e.g. cookies, cakes, biscuits and starchy carbohydrates like pasta or rice) and more foods with a low glycemic index (e.g. fruits and vegetables), you end up eating fewer calories. Hence, you lose weight.

But, it doesn’t take a genius to realise that eating sweets cakes and cookies isn’t going to help you lose weight. In essence, the glycemic index is a complicated way of saying, "eat more fruit and vegetables." This is something your mum has probably been telling you for years.

Meal replacements put to the test…
As mentioned earlier, most sports nutrition products contain a blend of different nutrients that will affect the glycemic index of any given meal. Considering the glycemic index of only one of these nutrients - without taking into account the rest - tells you absolutely nothing about how that product is going to behave in your body.

To eliminate this confusion, we’ve actually tested the glycemic index of several popular meal-replacements (glucose reference value of 100) using the highly accurate in-vitro method developed by Dr. Klaus Englyst from the Dunn Nutritional Laboratory in Cambridge [7].

Product Lot Number Manufacturer Glycemic Index

Promax Diet LE0306 Maximuscle 5.6
Progain LE0310 Maximuscle 53.5
Promax LE0080 Maximuscle 3
Cyclone LE0365 Maximuscle 47.6
Promax Meal 37814 Maximuscle 12.2
Reflex Progen 002 Reflex Nutrition 30.4
Product A Dec03Jun053B Brand A 22.6
Product B 02250301 Brand B 10.1
Product C 02190302 Brand B 25.3
Product D 973 Brand C 25.6
Product E 3115BEXP Brand D 37.8

Despite claims by many companies that their meal replacements are “low glycemic,” (even though some products contain either maltodextrin alone or a blend of barley and oats) we found the test results to be very different! Reflex, for example, write proudly about the low glycemic index “super food” called Activated Barley that’s used in Progen. Yet, the glycemic index of Progen is higher than that of Promax Meal, a high-quality meal replacement that contains maltodextrin, which is a carbohydrate they slag off continuously in their adverts. It is a shame that some companies don’t understand glycemic index research, or if they do, are purposely pulling the wool over your eyes to give their products a false advantage.

Our research department was commissioned to look into the potential of using activated barley or barley extract rather than maltodextrin in meal replacement products. In trials, we found the taste to be very poor, the mixing was not as good, the shelf-life was inferior (the increase in fat content led to a faster rate of oxidation) and the GI of the meal replacement product was not significantly lower. Worse of all you would have to charge the customers far more, for a meal replacement product with no added benefit.

We’ve also had the Maximuscle range of nutrition bars tested using the same in-vitro method. The results are shown in the table below:

Product Lot Number Manufacturer Glycemic Index

viper Extreme bar VAA26 Maximuscle 49.3
Cyclone bar MXY226 Maximuscle 10.6
Promax Meal bar (chocolate) MXC337 Maximuscle 11.3
Promax Meal bar (chocolate orange) MX0146 Maximuscle 12.5
Promax Diet bar MX0007 Maximuscle 12.1

As you can see, all the bars (with the exception of viper Extreme bars, an energy bar) have a very low glycemic index. With a glycemic index of 49.3, viper Extreme bars rank as “moderate” on the glycemic index, which is good for a sustained energy bar.

Can high glycemic foods be beneficial?
There are times when eating carbohydrates with a high glycemic index is beneficial. Studies show that glycogen replacement is 30% higher in athletes fed high glycemic index foods after intense exercise [4]. Glycogen is the name given to carbohydrate stored in your muscles. More glycogen means you have more energy to push yourself hard in the gym.

If you want to increase muscle repair and growth, it is best to choose a supplement that combines high glycemic carbohydrates with amino acids or protein. Supplements with this combination of nutrients are proven to be much more effective at increasing muscle repair and formation than supplements containing only low GI carbohydrates [6]. Don’t be fooled by the marketing hype that you should only be consuming low glycemic index muscle builders!

This doesn’t mean you should be eating high glycemic foods throughout the day. But it does show you how few of the sports nutrition brands out there understand the science of building muscle and the role that high glycemic carbohydrates can play. This is a big shame considering that some companies are basing their whole product on false glycemic index claims, especially the ones that market barley extract and slag off maltodextrin!

There’s nothing wrong with following a low glycemic index diet. Foods with a low glycemic index tend to be rich in fibre, and contain many important minerals and vitamins.

However, following a low glycemic index diet rigidly can make planning your meals a lot more complicated and time-consuming than it needs to be. If you’re focusing only on low glycemic foods, you may find that you suffer from high levels of flatulence or you deny your body the carbohydrates it needs before or after an intense workout, which are essential for maximum energy.

The easy way to control blood sugar…
The good news is that keeping your blood sugar levels under control is a lot easier than you might think. Here’s my check list…

1. Include protein, fresh fruit, or vegetables in as many of your meals as you can.
2. At breakfast, for example, rather than filling your bowl with cereal, cut the serving size in half, and replace some of the cereal with fruit such as blueberries or strawberries. Then, use Promax mixed with low-fat milk, soya milk or water to increase the protein content of your breakfast.
3. For a snack, instead of having an apple or banana on its own, have a Promax Meal shake or bar too. The extra protein and fibre will help to stabilise blood sugar levels, give you energy and keep your hunger under control.
4. For lunch, add grapes and sliced apples to chicken salad, or tomatoes, radishes and bell peppers to a beef salad. Tomatoes, onion, grated carrots and dark green lettuce can also be added to sandwiches. At dinner, top grilled chicken or fish with salsa, and add vegetables to pasta or pizza.

Low glycemic carbohydrates (fruit, vegetables and high fibre foods) are only one piece of the jigsaw. Lean protein, natural essential fats and the correct use of supplements also form the foundation of a healthy diet for anyone wanting to lose fat and build muscle.

One of the biggest challenges many people face when trying to get in shape is being bombarded with new information. This often leaves you feeling clueless and confused about what to do. In many cases, people just don’t bother and give up. They try so many different techniques but forget the simple basics that actually work and have done for years. Focus on these important points to ensure you build the physique of your dreams:

1. Train hard for around 45 minutes, 3 times per week.
2. Stick to a simple carbohydrate policy. Eat small portions of carbs (such as vegetables, wholemeal pasta, brown rice, etc.) preferably with a source of lean protein (such as chicken), during the day.
3. Muscle-building products (such as Cyclone) or weight-gainers (Progain) are perfect for use during the day and after exercise.
4. Try and get at least 8 hours sleep per night.
5. Cut down on your stress levels, alcohol and partying.

References
1. Jenkins, D.J., Kendall , C.W., Augustin, L.S., Franceschi, S., Hamidi, M., Marchie, A., Jenkins, A.L., & Axelsen, M. (2002). Glycemic index: overview of implications in health and disease. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 76, 266S-273S
2. Schenk, S., Davidson, C.J., Zderic, T.W., Byerley, L.O., & Coyle, E.F. (2003). Different glycemic indexes of breakfast cereals are not due to glucose entry into blood but to glucose removal by tissue. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 78, 742-748

3. Pi-Sunyer, F.X. (2002). Glycemic index and disease. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 76, 290S-298S
4. Burke, L.M., Collier, G.R., & Hargreaves, M. (1993). Muscle glycogen storage after prolonged exercise: effect of the glycemic index of carbohydrate feeding. Journal of Applied Physiology, 75, 1019-1023
5. Sugiyama, M., Tang, A.C., Wakaki, Y., & Koyama, W. (2003). Glycemic index of single and mixed meal foods among common Japanese foods with white rice as a reference food. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 57, 743-752
6. Suzuki (2003) Glycemic carbohydrates consumed with amino acids or protein right after exercise enhance muscle formation. Nutrition Reviews, 61, S88-S94
7. Englyst KN, Englyst HN, Hudson GJ, Cole TJ, Cummings JH. (1999). Rapidly available glucose in foods: an in vitro measurement that reflects the glycemic response. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 69, 448-454
8. Raatz SK, Torkelson CJ, Redmon JB, Reck KP, Kwong CA , Swanson JE, Liu C, Thomas W, Bantle JP. (2005). Reduced glycemic index and glycemic load diets do not increase the effects of energy restriction on weight loss and insulin sensitivity in obese men and women. Journal of Nutrition, 135, 2387-2391

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