This GI lark.. WHY is a jacket spud 'red light'??!

[SleepyJess]

I am only reading the book at the moment... (I have to think about these things long and hard. .. which is why I am still a stone and a half overweight!!). but can someone in the know explain to me why a jacket spud is bad? I understand the gist.. but baked potatoes are low fat, high fibre AND they fill you up! Isn't this GOOD? And yet they are red light!!

Only boiled new spuds are 'allowed'.. what is one supposed to do when they are out of season?

Is anyone doing this plan? Any comments please?

SJ x

I think it is because they "burn" quickly (ie. release energy over a fairly short period of time) and therefore you get hungry again quicker. Sweet potato is supposed to be better.

Sweet potato is allowed? I have't got to that bit yet!

But I find jacket potatoes really filling!! (One of the few things that do fill me up for a few hours)

they are bad in GI world cos they digest very quickly into sugar which hits your blood stream and so breaks all the GI Rules... you can still eat them in moderation if you put it with a low GI topping such as cheese or ratouillle but really would be bettwer without them...

if you really like them, then go on a calorie controlled diet instead of GI ...

I don't like calorie controlled diets either...

Yes, bonyms right, it's to do with the way the body breaks different foods down - new potatoes are "waxier", than old potatoes (used for baking), so we digest them slower, keeping our blodd sugar more stable for longer and we're less likely to feel so hungry.

I was amazed at all this when I first read about GI - I had no idea that there was such a difference between potatoes! Also, things like water melon are (I think) a red light food - I thought I could just munch my way through as much of that as I liked before.

I'll try to find the super duper science explanation for it to post later - can't find it at the mo. HTH a bit though!

Yes thanks Puff and others... it's just hard to un-learn that something like the humble jacket spud can be anything but healthy and 'good for dieters'.. it's not that I'm crasy about them. I do like them though.. but then I like FOOD!!!! ALL of it! Puff how have you found it in general? Are you still on it? Are you HUNGRY???!!

Wozzer says you can have jackets so long as they are topped with low GI food. As an alternative Baked sweet pots are lovely. I have been making sweet pot 'oven chips' too - cut into wedges, put into a poly bag with a teaspoon of olive oil, salt and pepper and shake. arrange on tray and bake for ? 10-15 mins in hot oven

I'm still on it SJ and it's still really good - no, don't tend to get hungry. I always did with diets that allowed me jacket spuds and the like - now I know why!

I don't count calories at all. I do always measure portions of certain carbs eg basmati rice, new potatoes. I avoid bread (have had a few slip ups).

What I would say, is it's not a diet for mega fast results, ie losing 5 lbs a week or whatever. That said, I've been back on it 4 days since putting on 5lbs whilst on hols in Spain, and I've lose 4lbs already. The important bit for me is that it's been sustainable and easy to get back to if I've been on hols etc.