The New Glucose Revolution: The Authoritative Guide to The Glycemic Index-The Dietary Solution for Lifelong Health by Jennie Brand-Miller, PhD; Thomas MS Wolever, MD, PhD; Kaye Foster-Powell, Nutr & Diet; and Stephen Colaguiri, MD. New York: Marlow and Company; 2003. 348 pages, paperback $15.95.

With so many fad diets on the market, how does an individual discern what a healthy diet is? "The New Glucose Revolution" presents a straightforward way to think about the value of the foods you consume in terms of their glycemic index (GI value), or ability to raise blood glucose level, which is a key factor in appetite control, physical/mental performance, and coronary health. Prepared with the knowledge of food GI values, readers can customize a diet that incorporates their taste preferences into low GI food choices, thus improving their body's overall nutritional health.

After a thorough introduction to the basics of the glycemic index, including the importance of a low GI diet, the authors clarify frequently asked concerns about "low carbohydrate/high protein" diets. Carbohydrate consumption is essential to overall health, the text supports. Knowing the carbohydrate density (high GI or low GI) of foods and incorporating low GI carbohydrates into each meal is the key to maintaining nutritional balance. This text carefully guides readers into making the transition to a low GI diet by providing exhaustive tables of food GI values, sample menus, and recipes that are simple to prepare and affordable.

Also included are customized chapters that address the glycemic index with specific application for weight control, diabetes, hypoglycemia, insulin-resistance, children, and peak sports performance, making this text great resource for healthcare professionals who may encounter clients with any of the above nutritional considerations. The authors present accurate, empirically sound content with key points repeated throughout each chapter in bold type, reinforcing reader comprehension. Limitations of the text are its exhaustive presentation of the topic and discussion of pathophysiologic processes, which may be a barrier for readers with low literacy levels.

As a healthcare provider, I found this resource to be a useful, alternative way to approach heart healthy diet teaching from the traditional carbohydrate counting model. This concept is certainly relevant today, given the epidemic rates of obesity across the life span. The "New Glucose Revolution" approach provides individuals autonomy in incorporating their food preferences into a low GI diet, supporting realistic behavior changes that can be sustained for the long term.

Christine Eisenhauer, MSN, APRN,BC

Assistant Professor of Nursing, Mount Marty College, Yankton, South Dakota