the glycemic index

Breakfast

The main advantage of the Montignac Method is that you are not commited to fixed menus. You can decide yourself what you eat or do not eat. You can choose from three different types of breakfast.

The whole grain breakfast

The best choice according to the Montignac Method is the whole grain breakfast. It is a typical carbohydrate meal. Please pay attention that you do not use butter or toppings containing fat. A cheese sandwich for example is not allowed in Phase 1. In contrast, you can eat until you are satisfied. The whole grain breakfast may consist of:

  • Wholemeal bread, brown bread, bran bread, crackers or rye bread, topped with sugar-free jam, syrup, curd or cottage cheese (0% fat) seasoned with salt, pepper and herbs (and optionally sweetener).
  • Breakfast cereals: whole grain cereal (granola) without sugar, honey, (dried)fruit and nuts.
  • Non-fat yogurt, optionally flavoured with sugar-free jam or fruit-compote without sugar.
  • Skimmed milk, decaffeinated coffee, weak tea or soymilk.

Fruit and fruit juices are allowed if taken 20 minutes before breakfast. In Phase 2, the bread may thinly be buttered with a layer butter or margarine.

Real whole wheat bread; good whole wheat bread has a coarse texture. It is made of flour that still contains all the components of the grain. Therefore, it is full of fibres and has a low glycemic index. Because of the fact that wholemeal bread absorbs gastric juices fast, it soon creates a satisfied feeling. You can also eat toasted bread, crackers or biscuits. Make sure this products are made out of from whole wheat flour and that they contain no sugar or fat.

The fruit breakfast

While the Montignac Method prescibes that fruit should only be eaten on an empty stomach, fruit is a decent breakfast. However, it is not recommended to eat fruit for breakfast every morning. If you do, you will never eat bread and therefore never consume fibres. Drink skimmed milk with a fruit breakfast or eat cottage cheese (0% fat) or yogurt in order to get enough protein and calcium. Compose the fruit breakfast from the following fruits:

  • Citrus fruits such as oranges, tangerines and grapefruit.
  • Kiwi (rich of vitamin C).
  • Unpeeled apples, pears, mangoes and nectarines.
  • Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries.
  • Fresh figs and apricots.

Forbidden fruit: bananas, grapes and melons have a glycemic index over 50 and are therefore forbidden fruits, especially in Phase 1. Canned fruit and fruit in syrup contain sugar and do not fit the Montignac Method.

The fat / protein breakfast

With this breakfast meat, meat products, eggs and cheese are important products. It is a hearty meal that can be compared to an English breakfast but with one important difference: it contains no carbohydrates, not even the good one. The day you ate this breakfast, eat some fruit in the afternoon and preferably eat a high-carbohydrate dinner (without fat) so that you consumed enough vitamins and fibers that day. This breakfast should absolutely be eaten without bread. You are allowed to consume whole milk products, but modestly while contains carbohydrates (lactose). The fat / protein breakfast can consist of the following components:

  • Boiled eggs, fried eggs, omelette or scrambled eggs (without bread).
  • Bacon.
  • Sausages (without flour).
  • Uncooked or cooked ham.
  • Unlike other dairy, cheese contains almost no carbohydrates. The only exceptions are Cantal and soft goat cheese. These have to be avoided in Phase 1.
  • Skimmed or whole milk (modestly), decaffeinated coffee or weak tea.

This breakfast contains a lot of saturated fats. People who are on a low-cholesterol diet should not eat this breakfast too often.

Before a fat / protein breakfast preferably do not drink freshly squeezed fruit juice and do not eat fresh fruit.

The best choice according to the Montignac Method is the wholegrain breakfast. Also delicious is a fruit breakfast, with yogurt or cottage cheese. Or a fat/protein-breakfast.