Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle
By Mariza Snyder, Lauren Clum & Anna V. Zulaica
Ulysses Press, 215 pages, $14.95
With cases of diabetes, heart disease and obesity on the rise, it is important for everyone to take a good look at how the foods we eat affect our bodies. Taking this into account, doctors Mariza Snyder and Lauren Clum, along with Chef Anna V. Zulaica, have created a cookbook based on the glycemic index. In brief, the glycemic index (GI) rates a food based on how quickly it is absorbed by the body after consumption and how it affects blood sugar levels. Diabetics already know how important it is to incorporate the GI into their diet, but did you know that anyone can use the GI as a tool when planning delicious, healthy meals? Whether you are familiar with it, or the concept is brand new, The Low-GI Slow Cooker guide and cookbook will change your eating habits and give you a chance to live a healthier, longer life.
In Section 1, the authors explain the ins and outs of the glycemic index in “user-friendly” terms. Readers will then learn how and why the body processes and needs carbohydrates. Finally, the authors point out the economic and nutritional benefits of using a slow-cooker in meal preparation. Section 2, the largest section of the book, features the low-GI slow cooker recipes. Choose from recipes divided into the following chapters: breakfast, soups, fish and poultry, red meat and pork, vegetarian dishes and desserts. Along with each recipe comes detailed nutritional information (serving size, GI, calories, fat, saturated fat, carbs, fiber and protein). This is good news for readers trying to keep track of other nutritional stats in addition to GI numbers.
Check out the authors’ helpful tips on grocery shopping. For example, follow the 80/20 rule – 80% of the items in your shopping cart should be whole foods and produce (i.e. fruits, vegetables, healthy meats, dairy, nuts and legumes) and the other 20% can be (but don’t have to be!) packaged foods that are minimally processed. A chart listing the GI numbers for each recipe’s ingredients is a resource readers will consult time after time. With recipes like French Toast Casserole, Smoky Pork Tacos, Vegetable Frittata, Chicken Sausage and Kale Soup, Spiced Sockeye Salmon with Greens, Chocolate Peanut Butter Custard and Berry Cobbler, your bases are covered – you’ve got choices for every meal of the day (and in-between-meal snacks), your family will thank you and you’ll see healthy results as soon as you make this lifestyle change. Buy this cookbook as an investment in your future!
Reviewed by Kathryn Franklin
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