Your Guide To A Low GI Diet

April 2, 2009 by Steve

The glycemic index ranks carbohydrate-containing foods based on their effects on the blood glucose levels. By choosing a low GI diet, minimal fluctuations in the level of blood glucose and insulin will be produced. This offers several long-term health benefits. This diet reduces the risk of diabetes and heart disease, and is ideal for those looking to lose weight.

There’s a lot of foods rich in carbohydrates, but they’re all different and act differently in our bodies. GI or glycemic index ranks the carbs as per their effect on the blood glucose level of the body.

There Are Many Benefits to Following a Low GI Diet

Diets that are high in glycemic index can be harmful to your body. For obese people who are inactive, consuming foods which are high GI can be very risky. Gradually following a low GI diet tickles glucose in the blood stream, and keeps the energy level balanced.

Here are a few things that a low GI diet can do:

Help you lose weight
Increase your body’s sensitivity to insulin
Reduces blood cholesterol level
Reduce the risk of heart disease
Controls your hunger by making you feel full longer
Prolong physical endurance
Manage the symptoms of PCOS
Improves diabetes control
Re-fuels the carbohydrate stores after exercise

A low GI diet can include any of the following foods:

Breakfast cereals based on barley, bran and oats
Whole-grain breads
Basmati rice
Most types of fruits and vegetables
Spaghetti
Noodles
Quinoa
Salad with vinaigrette dressing

GI ranking is done from 1-100. Foods with a low GI value slowly raise blood glucose levels in the body. Very high levels of glucose can be damaging to our blood vessels and arteries.

Low GI foods have a range of less than 55
Medium GI foods have a range between 55 and 69
Hi GI foods are considered anything over 70

Eating a low GI diet prevents the sudden spikes, and dramatic falls of blood glucose, providing a stable stream of energy. This reduces the risk of heart disease, and many other chronic diseases which occur due to fluctuations in blood-glucose.

A sudden increase in the glucose also stimulates hunger. Following a low GI diet will make you feel full for a longer period of time, which results in you eating less frequently.

It’s recommended that at least two of your meals in the day include low GI foods. You don’t have to know about the GI value of each food.

Fruits and vegetable must be eaten every day, and most potatoes, except for sweet potatoes, should be avoided. If you insist on consuming high GI foods, make sure that you eat small portions, and mix them up with low GI foods. It’s also important to note that just because you’re following a low GI diet, it doesn’t mean that you can indulge.

If you’re looking for low GI recipes, you’ll be glad to know that it’s easy to find them in cookbooks or on the Internet. These are recipes which are simple to follow and great for your health.

Filed under: Low GI
Tagged: diabetes control, glycemic index, long term health, low gi