WEEK 2
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LOW-GLYCEMIC-IMPACT EATING 101
THIS WILL BE THE LAST PROGRAM
YOU WILL EVER NEED
READING LABELS
HOW TO READ LABELS
"It is not about what foods you cannot eat,
but what you CAN eat with TLS Weight
Management Solution, Choosing the best food
options begins with reading labels effectively."
THIS WILL BE THE LAST PROGRAM
YOU WILL EVER NEED !
HOW TO READ LABELS:
All labels have a uniform layout, Here are some tips on how to read each section:
SERVING SIZE:
• You don't need to weigh and measure your food, but try paying close
attention to serving sizes to ensure you only eat one serving
• For example:
° Do you eat just the recommended serving size of almond or nut butter?
° Have you ever eaten only Vi cup of cereal?
° Did you know that some companies alter serving sizes to market for
higher protein or lower fat?
° Do you use more than I -2 tablespoons of salad dressing when you
dress your salad?
CALORIES:
• A calorie is not a calorie, and TLS doesn't advocate counting calories. It is
the quality of foods you eat that are important for fat loss efforts.
• So when is it important to pay attention to calories?
° Did you know that one piece of cheesecake is typically about
1,400 calories?
° Did you know that a tuna grinder at a sandwich shop can have upwards
of 2,000 calories?
° Being aware of calories can help you navigate making healthier choices,
especially when you are eating out
FAT:
• A good rule of thumb is to stay under 5 grams of fat
• The exception is for healthy fats, such as olive oil and nuts, as a reasonable
excess amount of good fats is fine
• Refer to the NUTRITION chapter for a more in-depth look at fats
CHOLESTEROL
• Many people think eating low fat and low cholesterol will automatically
ensure that their own cholesterol levels will be managed.This, however;
is not the whole picture. Sugar and foods that break down to sugar; have
a large role in your body synthesizing cholesterol, which is whyTLS Weight
Management Solution can have positive effects on a person's blood
lipid profile.
SODIUM:
• Unless your healthcare provider has specifically put you on a salt restrict-
ed diet, it is important to know salt is not the enemy! Your body needs
a healthy amount of salt to help maintain the right balance of fluid in
your body, help transmit nerve impulses and help your muscles contract
and relax.
• With TLS Weight Management Solution, you are not eating processed foods,
so adding a serving size or less of salt to your food is okay (sea, kosher; or
Himalayan salts are recommended over iodized or processed salt)
• Foods with high sodium content are those which are canned, prepared
and processed foods
• Consumption of high-sodium foods can put you at risk of fluid retention,
kidney disease, high blood pressure or stroke
TOTAL CARBOHYDRATES:
• The total carbohydrates found in a food are broken into subcategories.
Once you learn how to calculate the net carbs of a food, you will have a
better picture of whether or not that food isTLS-friendly
° Fiber - the higher the fiber content, the slower that food will break
down, keeping you full longer Look for 5 or more grams
° Sugar - this will negatively affect your blood sugar Look for fewer
than 5 grams
° Added sugar - this element on nutrition labels will help you
discern whether there is naturally occurring sugar in a food (like
milk sugar in dairy products) or whether there are added grams
of sugar to sweeten food
° Sugar alcohols or glycerin - does not affect your blood sugar level,
but be aware that if eaten in large quantities, many people experience
gastrointestinal discomfort
° Other carbs - these may or may not have an effect on blood sugar
PROTEIN:
• Stick to your meal plan for suggested serving sizes of protein and see the
NUTRITION section of this health guide for more information on protein
• 15-25 grams of protein in any one sitting (for a meal or snack) is a
good target
• As a general rule, women should consume 4-6 ounces and men should
consume 6-8 ounces of protein for a meal. Both men and women should
have 2-3 ounces of protein with snacks.
• Though there is no need to count grams of protein, keep in mind that
some proteins (like eggs and dairy) tend to have fewer grams of protein
per serving than things like chicken or fish
° A general rule is there are 7 grams of protein per ounce in
cooked meats
CALCULATING NET CARBOHYDRATES
( How much of the total carbohydrate content will affect my blood sugar?)
Net Carbs = Total Carbs - Dietary Fiber - Sugar Alcohols
Look for 9 or fewer grams of net carbs if you are not already aware this is a low-GI food
LABEL READING TIPS
"Fat free" foods typically have a higher sugar content and often contain
artificial ingredients
Labels that read "fat free," "no fat", or "trans-fat free" actually still have Vi
gram or less per serving and can therefore be misleading
A food labeled as "lite" means that the food contains 4 of the calories or
Yi the fat of the original product, but doesn't mean that it is a low-fat food
or that it is healthy Organic or gluten-free foods (see nutrition and grain section) do not
automatically indicate a healthy low-GI food.
Low-fat foods are actually better for you than fat-free foods, usually
containing less sodium and fewer than 3 grams of fat per serving.
Reduced sodium is not the same as low sodium (< 140 mg of sodium per
serving) or no sodium (<5 mg per serving).The term reduced means that
the food has 25% less sodium than the original food. For example if a can of
soup had 1,000 milligrams of sodium, the reduced food would still be high
sodium with 750 milligrams of sodium. Eating fresh foods that are naturally
low in salt and deciding not to buy processed foods will help your body
stay in healthy balance.
Ingredients on labels are listed from highest quantity to lowest quantity
Look for small ingredient lists and ingredients you can pronounce!
There are multiple names for sugar (see below) — don't be fooled!
Sometimes there could be up to five types of sugars in one ingredient list
so that it doesn't appear as the first ingredient on the list!
The best foods are the ones that don't require a label! (e.g. lean, fresh
proteins and produce)
A WORD ABOUT ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
Using any kind of sweetener (artificial or low-GI), can impact your cravings
for carbohydrates or sweets, so be careful if you are trying to replace sugar
with sweeteners, even ones that have a minimal effect on your blood sugar
We want to change our taste for foods that are sweet and that can only be
done by reducing or eliminating sweets from our diet.
Some studies show that the introduction of sweeteners, even if calorie-free,
can yield an insulin response because it tricks the body Some research has
also shown that your body's ability to know it is satiated can be negatively
impacted from using artificial sweeteners.
Here is a quick guide to sweeteners, including our best picks. Just use them
in moderation.
RED LIGHT SWEETENERS
Avoid these for their potential detrimental health effects.
• Aspartame - (also branded as Nutrasweet® or Equal®); documentened
to exacerbate headaches and potentially can affect mood, anxiety,
hunger/satiety mechanism and more
• Saccharin - (also branded as Sweet n Low®); carcinogenic in larger
amounts
YELLOW LIGHT SWEETENERS
Should be used in moderation, they may not be top picks, but can work
well if baking or used in smaller amounts in foods like shakes or bars as a
better alternative to sugar
• Sucralose - (also branded as Splenda®); studies have demonstrated
safety with use despite rumors
• Whey Low®— derived from milk sugar fruit sugar and table sugar, but
lower glycemic impact
• Sugar alcohols - higher amounts may yield discomfort (gas pains or
gastrointestinal discomfort), but have virtually no effect on blood sugar
(xylitol - found in gum with dental benefit, sorbitol, maltitol, erythr'rtol)
GREEN LIGHT SWEETENERS
These sweeteners are derived from preferred sources and should not impact
your blood sugar negatively. Use in moderation.
• Monk fruit - derived from the actual monk fruit in Asia; found in
grocery stores in packets
• Stevia - derived from a Peruvian plant, this herb is up to 500 times as
sweet as sugar; so very little is needed
• LoQuat - not as widely seen in stores; also derived from Asian fruit
• Agave (if good quality) - pours like honey but if not processed, will be low
Gl; look for raw certified and organic with a low-GI seal
ALTERNATE NAMES FOR SUGAR
• Turbinado (raw sugar)
• Maft syrup, com syrup, brown rice syrup, sorghum syrup
• Barley malt
• Maftodextrin, dextrose
• Maple syrup
• Molasses
• Treacle
• Cane sugar or cane juice, fruit juice concentrate
• Glucose, sucrose, fructose, maltose, xylose
• Honey
• Lactose (milk sugar)