Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

When it comes to low-carb diets, many people believe that carbohydrates are unhealthy and should be avoided, especially for those wanting to lose weight. However, be aware that there are different types of carbohydrates, and each has different effects on the body. The Glycemic Index (GI) was created to help us evaluate these effects.To supplement with low-glycemic foods, you need to focus on whole, unprocessed foods, including non-starchy fruits and vegetables.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Understanding the Glycemic Index

1. 

   Understand what the Glycemic Index (GI) is. The Glycemic Index is a scale that ranks foods based on how well their glycemic index increases. Usually, the GI scale is a comparison to another food, such as pure glucose.
   • Carbohydrates are ranked according to how they affect blood glucose levels. The higher the GI of a food, the more it affects blood sugar and insulin levels. When carbohydrates in a food raise blood sugar, the food is considered to have a high GI. Low GI foods do not have a major effect on blood glucose levels, usually in the medium GI group.
   • In fact, GI is measured by feeding 10 healthy adults (vegetarians) and periodically checking blood sugar. The GI is based on an average.

2. 

   
   
   Understand who benefits from the Glycemic index. This scale is mainly intended for people with conditions such as diabetes. Using the GI is helpful for women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome because their bodies are often insulin resistant. This syndrome makes a woman's body resistant to the effects of insulin, leading to persistent high blood sugar and eventually diabetes. Adhering to a low GI diet could significantly reduce hyperglycemia in these subjects. In addition, the GI also helps people who want to reduce carbohydrate consumption or want to lose weight.

3. 

   
   
   Eat low-GI foods to feel full. Low-GI foods are absorbed more slowly, making them feel fuller and fuller for longer. Therefore, these foods will help control cravings.

4. 

   
   
   Understand the factors that affect the Glycemic index (GI). There are many factors that affect the GI of a food. For example, processing can increase the GI of foods, such as whole grapes, which have a lower GI than grape juice (which has a higher GI).
   • Other factors that influence the GI are processing time (longer processed pasta has a higher GI), type of food (some types of rice have a higher GI than others), and ripe fruit.

5. 

   Understand which foods should apply the Glycemic Index. The GI is created for only foods containing carbohydrates. Therefore, foods like oil or meat will not have the GI.

6. 

   Understand what low GI foods mean. In general, foods with a score of 55 or below are considered low GI foods, with an average being 56-69, higher are considered foods with a high GI. advertisement

Part 2 of 3: Finding foods to take

1. 

   Check out the Glycemic Index (GI) table to identify low GI foods. The easiest way to find low GI foods is to check the Glycemic Index. The GI Index gives you information about a wide variety of low GI foods.

2. 

   Focus on whole grain supplements. Whole grains are in the "complex carbohydrates" category and almost always have a lower GI than processed foods. Whole wheat bread or pasta, oatmeal, muesli, barley, and lentils all have low GI.
   • Beans are also in the low GI group. For example, black beans, Navy beans, and kidney beans all have a GI index of about 30.

3. 

   Eat non-starchy fruits and vegetables. Although some fruits have a high GI, eating non-starchy fruits and vegetables is considered a safe way to get in low GI foods.
   • Watermelon, grapes, and bananas, for example, have relatively high GI scores (72, 59, and 62, respectively).
   • Grapefruit, apples, peaches, pears, and oranges all have GI numbers below 50. Grapefruit's GI is the lowest (25).

4. 

   Eat less processed foods. The more processing it goes through, the higher the GI the food is.
   • Of course, this rule applies to the food in the case of a whole grain bread versus white bread, whole fruit and fruit juice.
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Part 3 of 3: Incorporate low-glycemic index foods into your diet

1. 

   Choose whole grains for breakfast. If you prefer to eat cereal (hot or cold) in the morning, choose combination or mostly whole grains, such as oats. In addition, many cold grains are also whole grains. You can sprinkle a little fresh fruit with a low GI such as peaches in cereals.

2. 

   Do not eat instant food. Instant foods like instant rice often have a high GI, so eat only homemade foods.
   • Instead of eating instant rice, cook your own brown rice or long grain rice, as they both have a lower GI.

3. 

   Choose whole grains over processed foods. For example, choose whole grain breads over white breads, whole wheat pasta instead of regular pasta. These foods have a lower GI. You can prepare these foods as usual and in moderate amounts.

4. 

   Do not use pre-packaged foods as snacks. For example, instead of potato chips, you can eat nuts; or eat fruit instead of biscuits.
   • Chickpea cream sauce is also low GI and high in protein. Chickpea cream sauce can be eaten with low GI vegetables like celery or bell peppers.

5. 

   Focus on fiber-rich foods. High-fiber foods have a lower GI. Read labels carefully to find out which foods are high in fiber. Need 25-30 g of fiber per day. Whole grains are usually high in fiber, which helps to regulate blood sugar better. The higher the fiber content in the food, the lower the effect on blood sugar.

6. 

   Combine protein with carbohydrates. Even when taking low GI foods, combine them with foods high in protein, low in fat (like fish) to keep them full longer and lower the GI of your meals.

7. 

   Limit foods with a high GI. Foods with a GI of 70 or higher are considered high GI.
   • Find out that low-GI (0-55) foods can replace your favorite high-GI foods, such as using zucchini noodles over regular noodles. Replacing with low-GI foods will help you enjoy your favorite foods while not raising your blood sugar.
   • For average GI foods, limit foods that are between 56-69 and unnecessary. Only keep foods you need to have and consume in moderation. This way, you can enjoy your favorite food by consuming the average GI foods in the healthiest way. For example, use fresh peaches instead of canned peaches.

8. 

   Incorporate non-starchy fruits and vegetables with each meal. Vegetables and fruits are high in fiber, thus minimizing the effect on blood sugar levels. Focus on eating foods with shells / seeds, such as berries. These fruits are rich in fiber and rich in nutrients. Vegetables are all high in fiber, but cruciferous vegetables are especially beneficial. Make sure your meals include at least 1/2 of non-starchy fruits and vegetables. You can try preparing a fresh veggie salad with garnished vegetables like bell peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes, or a combination of fresh apples, peaches and pears. advertisement

Advice

• Consult your doctor or dietitian if you want to determine the optimal total GI per day.
• While eating low GI foods is essential to improving your health, keep in mind that it is still possible to eat foods with a high GI from time to time; however, should compensate at a later meal to reduce the total GI of the day.

Warning

• The Glycemic index is not perfect. In fact, the combination of foods can change their glycemic value, especially foods rich in protein and fat. Combining foods significantly reduces the effect of the high GI on blood sugar. For example, eating natural almond butter with bananas helps to balance the effects of bananas (high GI index) thanks to the protein and fat in almond butter.