The Good Carb Cookbook . Secrets of Eating Low on the Glycemic Index

This book gives a great explanantion of Glycemic ndex and helps you understand why it is important to eat low on the glycemic index. The pecan crusted chicken recipe is absolutely wonderful my whole family enjoyed it. If you are on the south beach diet make sure that you read the nutritional calues carefully. Not all of these recipes will work for the South Beach diet.

This is one of two books that I bought that was really good. I probably bought over 20 diet books for low carbohydrate diets. Most of them were very run of the mill. This one had some good recipes and I just thought was better than the others.

Although I initially looked into this book for the recipes, what I wound up liking the best about it was its clear, straight-forward, simple presentation of the principles associated with low-GI eating. Author Sandra Woodruff makes an excellent case for why diets that focus only on being low-fat or low-carb dont work. at the same time, she presents a strong argument for why low-GI eating is so effective. I found her GI lists for common foods to be amazingly helpful, from the condensed version that appears early within the text to the more detailed version offered as an appendix. Plus, the strategies for how to shift your own eating habits to a low-GI diet are invaluable. Woodruff offers food substitutions. sample breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas. and detailed guidelines for eating out at a variety of different types of restaurants.

The above information forms the first 1/3 of the book, with the remainder--as the title suggests--being devoted to recipes. This segment was less helpful to me only because I quickly became more interested in the basic guidelines for GI eating than in trying new recipes. However, I did make one of the recipes, the Blueberry Oat Bran Muffins (substituting raspberries for the blueberries), and I found them to be light and sweet. This was my first experience with trying Splenda for baking, and I know that I will continue using it in the future. If you are confused about GI eating and would like more information, I highly recommend this book, which will be extremely useful whether you actualy use the recipes or not.

Ive bought a bunch of cookbooks over the years, and most of them have these elaborate, over the top recipes that most people dont eat on a daily basis- but this one is wonderful. Just about every recipe in it uses normal ingredients, and are easy to prepare. I personally hate it when you spend 15 bucks+ on a cookbook, and all the recipes call for off the wall ingredients that you have practically have to order from another country. I highly recommend this book for someone like me who hates to go hunting for ingredients, and likes real food. (This review was originally posted back in late March 04, and as of June 04 I have still heavily relied on this cookbook and have lost 20 lbs. following a low GI diet. I still give this cookbook 5 stars.)

The first half of this book is an introduction to the nutritional principles behind meal plans including the glycemic index. It is clear, complete, and practical. The recipes in the second half are tasty, different enough to be interesting but not too exotic, and well-described. This book is a winner.

The first section of this book is an excellent introduction to using the glycemic index as it relates to insulin resistance and all the other carbohydrate and diet related issues which are so hot today. The second half of the book is an awful cookbook. The recipes which call for 95pct. fat free chop meat for instance betray a lack of knowledge of what makes food taste good. If I had the book in front of me I could site more examples but in general I was struck by the authors desire to offer both low calorie recipes along with ones that avoid foods high on the glycemic index without regard to the flavor of the end result. What you get is a pretty standard low calorie diet minus the baked potatoes and the breakfast cereal. My advise would be to read the first portion of the book and then use the information to modify recipes written by real cooks.

I bought this book and the Insulin Resistance Diet at the same time since I was recently diagnosed with this problem. I found this book much more helpful, exp the tables in back of book listing food items with fat, calories, GI rating, and Carb grams.
The recipes are easy and good. The Insulin Resistance Diet was more like a textbook with a good overview of insulin resistance, but it didnt go into much detail concerning the diet itself (other than balance of protein and carbs). Great book for me.

I was very disappointed with this cookbook. I was directed to it when I searched on South Beach Diet items. This cookbook has very simplistic recipes, many of which are high in refined carbs (.). It is not an appropriate companion for South Beach or Atkins Dieters. If you had very little knowledge about cooking and foods, you may find some of it helpful. There are better choices, though. (South Beach Diet Cookbook for one.)

As a person newly diagnosed with hyperinsulinemia (a.k.a. Metabolic Syndrome) my diet had to change drastically. And I mean DRASTICALLY. I was put on a low glycemic index diet and I started out eating celery and peanut butter - and being really surly to everyone around me - until I found this cookbook. It contains an overview of what eating complex carbs is all about, including information about the relationship between food and different disorders and conditions. It also discusses the glycemic index itself and provides a good list of common foods and their ratings. But the best part is the recipe section. On a low glycemic diet, my usual bagel or pancake or cereal or toast breakfasts were history. Sandwich for lunch Forget about it. This cookbook offered plenty of alternatives including a really good oatbran blueberry muffin recipe that I love. It also has terrific Beef Paprikash and Zesty Chili recipes that even impressed my food-snob father. I highly recommend this book.

I absolutely love this book. Not only does the author explain the GI index and eating well on a low fat, good carb diet, but her recipes are excelllent. I only cook from her book. Her recipes for Blueberry Oat-Bran Muffins, Tasty Tuna Spread, Country Bean Soup, Spinach and Pear Salad, Broccoli Couscous, Pecan Chicken, and Raspberry Parfaits are some of my favorites. Im all for easy to prep recipes and hers are easy and good for you too. In addition to the recipes, the chapter on Mastering Low-GI Cooking has been so helpful. The author goes into detail on the type of dairy products to eat, salad dressings, oils, and grains. This is one of my favorite books ever. And I have felt great since eating the good carb way.

In The Good Carb Cookbook, nutritionist Sandra Woodruff shares the secrets of eating low on the glycemic index with this collection of more than 200 delicious, kitchen cook friendly recipes incorporating the finest carbohydrate choices to control hunger while aiding weight loss, maintaining blood sugar levels, and improving overall health. From Spring Vegetable Omelet. Southwestern Pinto Bean Soup. Orzo Shrimp Salad. and Zucchini andamp. Mushroom Saute. to Broccoli-Macaroni Bake. Grilled Ginger Fish. Fabulous Fruit Trifle. and Frosted Grapes, The Good Carb Cookbook is a welcome and special diet friendly addition to any personal or family cookbook collection.

Ive always struggled with good eating habits until encountering this book. Of course I made the conscious decision to make a positive change in my life but this book helped pave the way. In addition to the many easy and tasty recipes, Ms. Woodruff plainly conveyed the science of food and its good andamp. bad effects on the human body. Given the current low-carb craze, I was pleased to learn that there are good carbs and eating right doesnt have to mean deprivation. Take it from someone who lived on a totally undisciplined diet and whose mantra is fat is flavor, the recipes in this book are pretty darn good and quick and easy to make. THANK YOU Ms. Woodruff for sharing your expertise and changing my life.

This is THE book to have if you are spinning your wheels like I was with what exactly to eat as a diabetic. I couldnt figure out why something raised my sugar if it didnt have any sugar at all in it. For example, a Snickers Bar doesnt raise the blood sugar level as much as a cup of split pea soup. Who knew It is all so very confusing and frustrating for a newbie diabetic. The Good Carb Cookbook has helped me to understand it all. I highly recommend this book to everyone. It has been worth its weight in gold to me, and Im sure it will be for you too.

I was first introduced to the glycemic index by my Weight Watchers leader. The symptoms she described which could result from a high-glycemic diet... cravings, followed by crashes, for example, were exactly the thing which had sabotaged my weight loss efforts in the past. Plus, my mother had many health problems associated with Type II diabetes, and I did not want to develop this disease later in life as she did.

I have become a great advocate of low-glycemic eating, and think Ms. Woodruffs book is one of the best out there. She explains the concept of low glycemic eating concisely yet thoroughly. The recipes are great and dont make you feel like you are dieting. I guarantee, once you become used to this way of eating, you will feel sick if you try to go back to eating junk (and who knew pretzel sticks werent the best choice... not me.).

To summarize, buy this book if you are interested in learning more about this type of diet. Believe me, it works.

Im so in love with this cookbook. Ive bought so many cookbooks that have maybe 3 or 4 recipes Id actually make, but not this one, I love them all. I saw a couple of reviews that claimed the recipes were bland, unoriginal, etc. They must be the kind of people who eat things like Pecan crusted grouper with vegetable creole or the many other fancy food healthy recipe cookbooks that have let me down before. Who eats that stuff My husband and I sure wouldnt. We LOVE this cookbook cuz its REAL food. Everyone who Ive served the Mexican Lasagna to wanted the recipe right away. We love the Slim Spaghetti Pie, Pot Roast with Sour Cream Gravy, Penne with Ham and Asparagus, Meatloaf, and so many more. Its real food. Real GOOD food.

Ive lost over 45 pounds in less than 6 months, and it just keeps going down. Ill never have to go on a diet again ... I tried following a low carb plan, but lost and regained the weight too often because giving up bread, cereal and pasta was not something I could do forever ... and once you go off low-carb plans the weight comes back FAST. I knew whatever I did this time had to be a lifestyle change that I could do from here on ... I can still have healthy low G.I. bread, cereal and pasta ... believe me, we eat lots of pasta. Who knew there was a low G.I. way to make Macaroni and Cheese This one has broccoli in it too and its wonderful. The Blueberry Oat Bran Muffins and Black Forrest Fudge Cake are so good. My hubby lost about 25 pounds, and Ive lost over 45 and it keeps coming off. This book is well used every day, and its holding up just fine.

I bought this book along with THE SOUTH BEACH DIET back in late August. Together, they have changed my life.
At 53, Ive struggled to some degree with my weight all of my adult life. I was successful on Weight Watchers for awhile, and still have many positive things to say about it. However, when WW changed their program, and the food pyramid changed to lower fat/higher carbohydrate, I began gaining again.
No one had ever actually said to me that sugar was bad. Oh yes, I knew that candy and cookies and ice cream were not good for me, but I had no idea how harmful relying primarily on refined carbohydrates could be.
I have broken my carbohydrate addiction, learned to limit my carbs to fresh fruits and whole grains, lost 16 pounds painlessly, and never felt better in my life.
If you love carbs and have trouble controlling your weight, these two books are for you.

As one who has climbed onto the low-GI bandwagon, this book is one of many that I have purchased to help. Using the South Beach Diet, 15 pounds have been shed and am on my way to about 8 more. Like others, the boredom and desire to find ingredients and recipes that help spice up the diet is a goal.

I am a cookbook collector, reader and user. This is truly one that I will seek for guidance and creativity.

What struck me immediately is the great and thorough sections about restaurant dining by overall tips for selection of a restaurant and then once there, what to order at various ethnic eateries which we all love. The insights like to order sauces on the side and ask questions about ingredients are insightful.

The section on mastering low-gi cooking is outstanding. Ingredient recommendations and alternatives are given in the hope that even us amateur gourmets might develop the cuisine that would allow us to modify our fav recipes to fit our new dietary needs. Some of this seems contradictory to South Beach advice, e.g. use of fruit juices. It must be said however in fairness to the author that this can be easily overcome with other alternatives. Again, principles to creativity.

The extensive recipe section which covers necessary categories like appetizers, salads, soups, etc. is attractive, creative, and provides needed great variety. Gravitate to such as. Quick Chicken Chili. Sunrise Smoothie. Buttermilk-Oat-Bran Pancakes. Bacon, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich. Cajun Grilled Tuna Salad. Cashew Crunch Turkey Salad. Chicken Breasts with Savory Apple Stuffing. Slow Simmered Pork Roast. Oat-Bran Pizza Crust. Very Blueberry Mousse.

This is just outstanding and one can turn and use this to ones health easily and reliably. Only one small wish that a Sources listing for certain ingredients were included for those in areas where finding such might not be found, or for those of internet age who might want to purchase that way.

This book has changed my entire approach to eating. It does an excellent job of explaining what foods make your blood sugar skyrocket, which quickly leads to a crash and more cravings, and what foods help you maintain a constant blood sugar level. By trying this approach I can honestly say that I have felt better than I have in years. I no longer feel tired all the time, have constant headaches or feel as moody. I have tried numerous diets in an effort to feel good and this is the only one that me and my family are completely happy with. My husband has said after every meal that he not only enjoyed the food, but doesnt feel tired or weighted down by the meal. It has certainly changed both our lives for the better and for that we are grateful. The recipes are some of the best Ive found and they never make you feel like youre on a diet.

This cookbook has changed my entire approach to eating. It has helped me understand why I still feel hungry after eating a very filling meal and why eating the bad carbs makes me unsatisfied and crave sweets. I have followed the recommended way of eating for a week and feel unbelievably good. I no longer have intense headaches before I go to bed or when I wake up. I no longer feel as tired or irritable. While the first part of the book does feel somewhat like a medical textbook, it is all valuable information and has helped me more than I can say. I have also really enjoyed the recipes. They certainly dont make you feel like you are on a restricted diet. My husband has said that a few of the meals are the best I have ever made. So, for many reasons I am grateful to have found this book.

One previous reviewer criticaly wrote that this is not a low carb cookbook. It should be noted that it does not pretend to be one. It is about lowering bad carbs while allowing good carbs. The books subtitle is Secrets of Eating Low on the Glycemic Index, and it does an outstanding job of explaining the nutritional logic for doing so. I lost 43 pounds and achieved a BMI of 22.4 using this principle as espoused in The South Beach Diet, but I was becomming bored with the limited recipes in that book. Then, The Good Carb Cookbook to the rescue. This book greatly enhanced my understanding of good carbs/bad carbs and provided recipes and wisdom for eating out that will allow me to keep the weight off while enjoying tasty and nutritious food. The recipes that I have tried so far are wonderfull tasting and easy to make. They utilize normal foods along with spices that the average person probably already has in the cupboard. There are many studies out now indicating that few people can stick with true low carb diets for the long term. This book reveals that one can enjoy health and weight benifits by eliminating bad carbs without trying to eleminate all carbs. I highly rcomend this book, this approach to weight and nutrition, and these recipes.

I just received The Good Carb Cookbook and started right in with three of the recipes. I made the Country Chicken Salad with canned chicken, apples and toasted pecans... VERY tasty. Also, the Tuna Spread with fat-free cream cheese and sour cream, celery, onions and black olives...VERY good. For supper I made the Citrus-Chicken....the spices and the sauce were THE BEST.. Everything looks so easy to prepare and what I have made so far has been wonderful. I am finding it hard to fit in all the calories I need for my healthy, desired weight since I am not eating the high calorie, BAD foods and sweets I normally eat. I am sure I will like this way of eating. Since I have just started I cant tell you about the weight loss yet.

I highly recommend this book for some really TASTY foods. You will not feel like you are on a weight loss diet. Good Luck.

The Good Carb Cookbook is an excellent guide for enhancing your health through carbohydrate control. It can benefit you if you have diabetes/insulin resistance, or weight or heart disease problems (hypertension, high cholesterol/triglycerides) which have not been resolved from a low fat diet. I personally feel that its also generally good diet advice for everyone, and have heard that Weight Watchers is now advising their customers about good and bad carbs.

The Good Carb Cookbook has two sections. The first explains that the carb kingdom is made of good carbs and bad carbs, and what the bad and good carbs do to your health. Woodruff then identifies which carbs are good vs. bad, then makes specific dietary recommendations which include proteins, carbs, fiber, and fat. Although not a really diet, there are ranges for how many calories and grams of nutrients you should be getting.

The book is concise yet packed with helpful tips and specific food suggestions for cooking and eating out. There is also a fairly complete glycemic index appendix (Glycemic index is a number which indicates about how much/fast, relative to other foods, that a specific food will affect your blood sugar). I would consider it a good basic to intermediate diet guide. For people who dont want to read more than one nutritional/diet book, this is a good choice.

In the second part of the book are recipes which should help you keep your blood sugar low by controlling your carb intake/reaction to carbs. I havent made a lot of the recipes yet, but of the few I have made, some (3 out of 5) are excellent. The ones that were not scrumptious tended to be simple ones that anybody could make (sandwiches, omeletes). it just needed to be put in the book as a suggestion of what you can eat without messing up your carbs intake.

Even though this is more of a cookbook than a dietary guideline (recipes are 2/3 of the book), the dietary information in here is worth the cover alone. Although you do have to count calories and grams at first, I dont think this is beyond the average persons understanding. For USD(...) you get information which will improve your health yet not get overcomplicated.

One previous reviewer criticaly wrote that this is not a low carb cookbook. It should be noted that it does not pretend to be one. It is about lowering bad carbs while allowing good carbs. The books subtitle is Secrets of Eating Low on the Glycemic Index, and it does an outstanding job of explaining the nutritional logic for doing so. I lost 43 pounds and achieved a BMI of 22.4 using this principle as espoused in The South Beach Diet, but I was becomming bored with the limited recipes in that book. Then, The Good Carb Cookbook to the rescue. This book greatly enhanced my understanding of good carbs/bad carbs and provided recipes and wisdom for eating out that will allow me to keep the weight off while enjoying tasty and nutritious food. The recipes that I have tried so far are wonderfull tasting and easy to make. They utilize normal foods along with spices that the average person probably already has in the cupboard. There are many studies out now indicating that few people can stick with true low carb diets for the long term. This book reveals that one can enjoy health and weight benifits by eliminating bad carbs without trying to eleminate all carbs. I highly rcomend this book, this approach to weight and nutrition, and these recipes.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. I wish I could give a copy to everyone I know. Not only are the recipes the most delicious healthy foods weve ever made, but Sandra Woodruff explains the nutritional and health reasons for eating good carbs in simple, easy-to-understand language. She emphasizes moderation. Her recipes are followed by nutritional information, including whether they are extremely low GI, low GI, or moderate GI.

The first third of the book is all information you need to know about why traditional fat-free eating isnt making people thinner or healthier, but fatter and unhealthier. For the past 20 years, the food industry has been touting fat-free this and fat-free that...eat pretzels, gummi bears, eat fat-free, and youll be fat-free. Its nonsense.

Woodruff explains how and why to eat low on the Glycemic Index. She gives you tons of ideas for low GI breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. She includes low GI options for eating out at nearly every possible type of restaurant- Italian, Indian, Thai- you name it. She also gives a few examples of real people, their situations, and how they changed their health by eating low GI. Not only does this book give you sound nutritional advice (the author is a Registered Dietician), but she also includes over 200 phenomenally delicious recipes.

Eat wholesome real foods, watch what kinds of fats you cook with, exercise, and you will lose weight. Most importantly, though- YOUR BODY WILL LOVE YOU. And your doctor will be thrilled. My husband, who was already exercising regularly, has lost 20 lbs in 6 weeks just by changing to eating low on the Glycemic Index- Good Carbs. I have also lost 20 pounds in 6 weeks by changing my diet and including exercise. Changing our diet has giving us so much more energy. We feel fantastic.

Do yourself a favor and pick up this book. I researched all the low-carb, no-carb, low-sugar, Zone, Busters, etc... books ... and decided after reading all the information and reviews, to purchase this one. I am so glad I did. You will be too. You owe yourself an energetic, long life. BUY THIS BOOK.

One bad carbohydrate cant spoil the whole batch, but studies show that too many of the wrong kinds can lead to a slew of nasty health conditions, including obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Sandra Woodruff, author of several bestsellers (including Secrets of Fat-Free Cooking and Secrets of Cooking for a Long Life) goes far beyond the realm of breads and pastas to offer a comprehensive look at nutrition, followed by a trove of carbo-smart recipes. Healthy eating, Woodruff asserts, requires keen attention to the glycemic index (GI), a ranking of foods based on their potential to raise blood sugar levels. By choosing foods that rank low on the GI, and balancing higher GI foods with protein, she says, individuals will achieve better overall health. While the first section reads a bit like a college text (heavy with charts, grams, and serving sizes, plus all the numbers associated with the glycemic index), Woodruff gracefully applies this knowledge to real-life scenarios. Her meal-planning and dining-out tips accommodate a wide variety of eating habits and cuisines, with ample hints for hearty eaters, snackers, sweet-tooth sufferers, and those who enjoy international fare. More than 200 recipes include options for vegetarians, meat-and-potato types, adventurous chefs, and keep-it-simple cooks, without calling attention to any such stereotype. Two minor beefs. teaspoon and tablespoon appear in their unabbreviated forms, potentially making for easy errors. also, a fancy typeface makes reading the ingredients somewhat tricky. --Liane Thomas

From Booklist
A host of Americans advocate low-carbohydrate diets. And within that group there are those who distinguish good and bad carbohydrates based on the impact of those molecules on blood-sugar levels. Sandra Woodruff provides people following this regimen with guidelines both for preparing their own food and for eating soundly in restaurants. The Good Carb Cookbook offers tables rating all manner of foods by their levels of good carbohydrates. Her recipes dont stint on flavor or even richness, as in her Pasta Shells and Crab Carbonara, and her practical advice on how to control ones food intake in restaurants is a boon. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved

Book Description
A complete guide and cookbook to selecting and using the best carbohydrates to lose weight, maintain blood sugar levels, and improve overall health.

Not all carbs are created equal. In fact, the latest dietary research shows that different carbohydrates have varying effects on the body, depending on the rate at which they raise blood sugar levels-also known as a foods glycemic index (GI). Choosing a balance of foods that are low on the GI will speed weight loss and control diabetes, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease.

In The Good Carb Cookbook, Sandra Woodruff demystifies the carbohydrate confusion by explaining the real differences among carbohydrates (baked potatoes are high on the index, while sweet potatoes are low), and shares her secrets for eating low on the index. The book includes an invaluable table with hundreds of common foods and their glycemic index rating. more than two hundred recipes to get people cooking and eating low on the index. and tips to modify high-glycemic family favorites with low-glycemic ingredients, lose weight, maintain blood sugar, and achieve optimal health.

About the Author
Sandra Woodruff, R.D., is the bestselling author of Secrets of Fat-Free Cooking, Secrets of Living Fat-Free, and The Best-Kept Secrets of Healthy Cooking. A registered dietitian with a masters degree in nutrition and food science, she is a nutritional consultant to numerous medical groups.