Low GI Foods
No matter how long you have been trying to lose weight, you will probably have come across a myriad of diet programs and supplements claiming to be the revolution in weight loss.
Whilst it can be said with confidence that most of these claims are really just not true, the Low GI Diet program is one to deliver what it promises, and it is a very healthy and nutritious diet too.
The Glycemic Index (GI) is a way to distinguish how different carbohydrates affect your blood glucose levels. It is a tool to help you choose the right carbohydrates – the ones that break down slowly, releasing glucose only gradually into the bloodstream. Because they can keep you feeling fuller for longer, help you with your weight loss and to maintain a healthy weight, and also provide you with consistent energy during the day.
Low GI Foods are based on the GI ranking, which is a scale from 0 – 100 that reflects how fast the carbohydrates in foods get absorbed into the bloodstream. For best weight loss and health results you should always choose low GI foods when eating – and they have a GI of 55 or less.
Some foods actually have labels on it that show they are low GI, or even have the GI ranking displayed on them. But if you really want to get into the healthy low GI lifestyle, you should also educate yourself on what foods are low GI so you can always choose with confidence when you go on your next shopping trip!
Here is a short list of some of the foods that have a GI of 55 or less and therefore will help you with weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight:
Low GI Carbohydrates:
Soya bread, rye bread, bran, traditional porridge oats (great breakfast with a banana and honey), all types of grains, durum wheat pasta (yes! The key is portion control!), noodles (glass, cellophane), new potatoes (unfortunately most potatoes contain a lot of starch and are therefore to be avoided)
Low GI Fruits and Vegetables:
Strawberries - Low GI
Here generally most fruit and vegetables fall in the low GI category, with these exceptions: canned fruit in syrup, fruit juice, starchy root vegetables (beetroot, parsnip, swedes, pumpkins, squash) – you can still eat these, but moderation is the key.
Low GI Protein:
Beans and Pulses, milk, cheese, yogurt, nuts and seeds (yes, you can eat some peanut butter!), and of course all pure protein foods like all meats and fish.
There are lots and lots of great meals you can put together with all the low GI foods that are available, and another great side effect of eating low GI foods will be that within a short time of sticking to low GI meals you will notice that your food cravings will disappear. This has to do with the slow consistent release of glucose into the bloodstream.
So there is nothing holding you back from losing those kilos and starting a healthier lifestyle!
Hi, gr8 post thanks for posting. Information is useful!
Hmm. All the while I was shopping for low GI food in London, I never noticed that they had numbers attached based on the Glycemic Index. Low GI Milk and loads of water is helping curb my appetite @ the moment but the bloating brought on my the milk is killing me. It’s as though I’m lactose intolerant with high intake of milk
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Let’s hope you are not lactose intolerant!!! If you love milk, that would be horrible. I do love milk and could not do without it. Imagine, not being able to drink milkshakes, or having a glass of milk mixed with my favorite protein powder (thanks to The Gabriel Method)…
Hi,
Health is the only thing through which one can get fit. I think healthy mind lives in a healthy body so that i like to be fit and healthy.
Anyways keep it up and keep continue.
Hi Petra,
I found that by simply reducing my sugar intake – a simple carb – I was able to make big changes to my eating patterns.
Sugar makes me hungry. It also has a range of long-term and serious side-effects if taken in large enough quantities.
One of the problems that arise after several years of excessive sugar intake (with refined sugar anything above zero is considered excessive by some advisers) is a lowering of our body’s ability (the cells actually) to absorb glucose from the blood stream. The result is we become tolerant to high blood sugar levels. We get used to having high levels of glucose and an addiction cycle slowly builds.
The tolerance is not good as high blood sugar leads to its own diverse range of life-threatening complications.
Anyway, I just wanted to say how by reducing sugar and simple carb intake (ie switch to lower GI foods) has been a real eye-opener for me.
Good article. The fall of blood glucose have much to do with hunger pangs. Knowing the right foods we can prevent these episodes.
I find that I can consciously control my eating and my desire to eat now that I have broken the sugar addiction cycle. Sure, I still like to have something sweet from time to time, but it does not control me as it used to.
I learned myself not to drink tee or coffee with sugar and now I am so used to it and it helps me to be fit. Also I eat nuts, vegetables and fruits, but for packed foods I usually read content and try to get the healthiest.
thank you for some more healthy food tips.