I am reading the South Beach book and recently got to the part about glycemic index. They give a list of a few common foods and their GI.

Is the GI supposed to be the lower the better? Because I am looking at it and instant rice has a GI of 65 while brown and wild rice have a GI of 79 and 81 respectively.

The lower the number, the longer your blood sugar will take to rise and fall. It just doesn't make sense to me that the processed rice would cause the rise and fall to be slower, hence lessening binges and cravings. Its like I might as well have my minute rice, I like it better anyways....in a later phase of course.

Can someone help me out on this one? Thanks

Not absolutely sure on this one but I think it's because the minute rice is more processed. Dr A suggests the least processed whole grains possible.
Anybody else got an opinion?
Is there anyone who subscribed to the SBD official website who can check this out?

I subscribe to the website. I'll have a look and see if I can find anything.

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Okay, from what I understand the reason we should be eating brown or wild rice as opposed to white or instant is that the added fibre in the brown/wild rice slows down the body's ability to access the sugars in the rice. It may have a similar glycemic index to white rice, but it has a lower carb density.

Dr. Agatston uses the analogy of drinking alcohol on an empty stomach and a full stomach. If you drink on an empty stomach you get drunk much quicker than if you were drinking on a full stomach. Likewise, if you eat white rice the body processes it quicker because it doesn't have to separate the starch from the fibre and it is quickly turned into glucose-blood sugar, and causes an equally sharp rise in insulin. Of course, the affter-effect is a sharp drop, and the craving for more results.

Bottom line - eat the higher fibre alternative carb!

Brown rice offers more fiber though does it not?

Yes, smartypants. That's why we should eat the brown rather than the white. Even though the GI isn't much different, the fibre in the brown rice is the key to how our bodies process it.

Thanks so much, Wildfire. In other words, the GI isn't everything to consider. We need to choose the higher fiber alternatives where possible.

Thanks so much everyone! I was in the mindset that the GI was figured by how fast your body converts it to sugar, and that the fiber content was already included in that. The way Dr. A wrote it in the book, for me, reading late at night saw it that way. "The foods with the lower number will cause your blood sugar to rise then fall more slowly than the foods with higher numbers will. Numerous studies have also shown that low glycemic foods satisfy your hunger longer and minimize your food cravings better."

I do understand I need to pick the more nutritious foods but I just figured minute rice would have a really high GI since I can eat it and be hungry again very soon. So thank you all so much, now I know not to rely on that bit of information alone.

THINK OF THE FIBER!!!!!

I guess thinking of the fiber is kind of like Weight Watchers...back when I was on it, we could have a fairly high calorie and fat item if it had a lot of fiber. Same idea, somewhat, I suppose.

My mom recently found something on glycemic index and glycemic load. Interesting stuff. Does anyone else know anything about glycemic load?

Okay, I'm back and found a website that explains glycemic load. This explains the whole brown vs. white rice/fiber debate. It says that glycemic index does not take the fiber into account whereas glycemic load does. Check it out:
http://www.drmirkin.com/nutrition/9566.html