Raisins are the perfect pre-workout snack, reports a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. They taste better than commercial sports gels and have the same effect on performance. Raisins also help athletes meet their daily needs for vitamins, minerals, and fiber, says lead researcher Mark Kern, Ph.D. of San Diego State University.

Kern's research, gathered from a group of male and female cyclists, was designed to examine potential differences in metabolism and cycling performance after consumption of moderate glycemic raisins vs. a high glycemic sports gel. Through blood samples taken before and after exercise, performance was deemed no different between the raisin and gel trials. Minor differences in metabolism were detected.

The bottom line: Raisins appear to be a cost-effective source of carbohydrate for pre-exercise snacking in comparison to sports gels for short-term exercise sessions.

Source

Are you a consumer of high glycemic index (GI) foods? Probably you are -- most of us are at regular intervals. New research reports, however, that not only will you gain more weight from eating a diet rich in high glycemic foods, but there are risks to liver health as well.

The study involved mice of course, and the liver problems caused by overconsumption of high glycemic foods has already been termed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

White bread, potatoes and refined starches cause a rapid spike in blood sugar, which causes the problems. In fact, I'd go as far as saying everyone should cut out as many refined, white products as possible: bread, rice, potatoes, flour and anything else that contains refined (read: nutritionally worthless) grains and bleached flour products.

Source

I love this new news: So-called bad carbohydrates, breads and pastas, are not so bad. I understand this is merely the opinion of one man who did a study -- another study may demonstrate just the opposite -- but in the face of confusing nutrition information, I like to side with the point of view that most suits my desires. And I desire to not worry about carbs. So this is the perspective I'm backing.

University of Virginia professor Glenn Gaesser says eating bad carbs will not make you fat. "It's just nonsense," he says.

Eating sandwiches with white bread isn't going to kill you, says Gaessar. It won't lead to obesity either. It might even help you lose weight.

Source

If you serve your child a low-glycemic breakfast every morning, chances are he or she will not eat that many calories during the coming day, according to new research.

Can you say whole-grain oatmeal, organic cane sugar and perhaps a little yogurt? That is an example of a low-glycemic breakfast, and won't spike energy levels (and hunger pains) like refined-carb pancakes and biscuits (and many junk food cereals).

A quick and easy way to assure a low-glycemic breakfast is to have plenty of whole-grain hot and cold cereals stocked. It doesn't sound filling to many kids (it even may sound disgusting), but it is, by far, a better choice than pancakes, bacon and sausage.

Or, try whole-grain pancakes with fresh fruit on top. It goes over well, trust me!

Source

One of the latest diets to gain increasing popularity is the GI or Glycemic Index Diet. There has been lots of talk about the craze here at That's Fit and blogs have included Rigel Gregg's post on whether or not the diet actually works and Martha Edwards' discussion on GI Diet-worthy snacks.

So you've probably heard about the Glycemic Index by now but have you ever wondered what exactly it is? I knew that it had something to do with blood sugar levels but that was about it. Apparently the index ranks different carbohydrates based on the effect that they have on glucose levels in our blood. Foods with a low GI (bran cereal, and whole wheat and pumpernickel bread, for example) cause glucose levels to remain at a fairly constant level, which means that they give you energy steadily over a longer period of time.

High GI foods (such as white rice and breads, and sugary cereals) cause blood sugar to spike quickly and then fall, meaning you'll get a quick burst of energy but then end up feeling sleepy. Medium GI foods fall somewhere in the middle. Those who favor a diet of low GI foods say that, not only does it help with weight loss but that it decreases the risk of diabetes and heart disease. For more information on the Glycemic Index, take a look here.

Source

Different diets work for different people, but it may be about more than just personality type and food preferences. New research suggests that your biology may have a lot to do with having more success on some diets over others. In a study looking at individuals on low-glycemic-load diets, those who secreted more insulin naturally lost much more weight than those who secreted lower levels of insulin. But those same people who were so successful on the low-glycemic-load diet lost a lot less weight when on a low fat diet instead. But the lucky ones are the people who generally have less insulin in their systems, because they did equally well on both diets.

Although this study was obviously very limited regarding the diets it looked at compared to how many options are out there these days, it does take a little of the wind out of the sails on the "it's all your fault" ship. If you're having trouble, and you don't think willpower is an issue, have you considered that maybe you're just on the wrong diet for your biology?

Source

Dieting as a single person is rough. All the good recipes feed 4-6, and spending time with friends means hanging out and eating out on a regular basis. Convenience foods and the microwave are all that really get used in the kitchen, and the dining room table is only used to hold junk mail and pay bills.

Eating healthy is a real challenge, let alone eating healthy enough to lose weight. This article goes into some common faux pas made by single people when it comes to eating habits, and gives advice on how to change your routine and avoid falling into the same dieting "traps." Some of them seem useful, like ideas on what foods are high or low on the glycemic index. But I bet others, like sitting at the dining room table alone and lighting a candle for yourself, won't last more than a night or two for most people.

Source