The glycemic index--a measure of how your blood sugar responds to eating foods--can be an excellent tool to keep in mind while attempting to lose weight. Foods that are high on the glycemic index result in abnormally high levels of insulin circulating in the blood, which can impair your body's ability to burn fat and lose weight. By eating foods low on the glycemic index, you can increase your energy levels, decrease cravings and facilitate weight loss.
Lean Meats and Protein Foods
Lean meats can serve as the cornerstone of low glycemic diets, says Dr. Arthur Agatston, a nutritional biochemist and author of "The South Beach Diet," a diet based largely on glycemic index. Include with each meal a lean meat or protein source like beef, including London broil, round steak, sirloin steak, extra-lean ground beef, pork loin and pork chops. Chicken, turkey and other fowl are also on the list, along with wild game meats like elk, venison and buffalo. Seafood including catfish, bass, crappie, perch, walleye, snapper, flounder, hallibut, tilapia, swordfish, mackerel, sardines, tuna and roughy are also excellent choices on a low glycemic diet.
Healthful Fats and Oils
Fats and oils provide a great deal of energy without producing a large glycemic response and should be included in low glycemic diets. Consume nuts and nut butters; olive oil, coconut oil and fish oil; some butter and avocados without concern for a large glycemic response, says Dr. Agatston. Eat fats and oils sparingly, however, because they provide twice as much energy per gram as proteins and carbohydrates.
Whole Grains
Processing grains removes many vital nutrients, including soluble and insoluble fiber that can help reduce the glycemic response, according to clinical nutritionist Jonny Bowden. To maximize your gains with grains, eat only whole grain sources without added sugar. Enjoy wild rice, quinoa, millet, lentils and legumes of all kinds. Reduce the glycemic index further by including lean meats, healthy oils, and vegetables alongside the grains.
Beverages
Many beverages are safe, low glycemic choices while dieting and can even help improve your results. Green and black teas have potent antioxidants that can help make your body's insulin response more efficient, helping you lose weight. Cinnamon teas, made by adding boiling water to 3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon and one teaspoon of baking soda, have also been shown to improve efficiency of your glycemic response, according to Bowden.
A Note on Dairy Foods
Dairy products including milk, yogurt and cheeses have low glycemic indexes and are permissible on many diets, but nutritional biochemist Dr. John Berardi cautions that dairy foods have a large insulin index. Berardi explains that the point of low glycemic diets is to keep insulin levels low, so you should eat dairy foods only in small amounts.
References
- "The South Beach Diet Supercharged: Faster Weight Loss and Better Health for Life"; Arthur Agatston, MD; 2009
- "150 Healthiest Foods on Earth"; Jonny Bowden, CN; 2007
- "John Berardi"; The Anabolic Power of Insulin; John Berardi, PhD; March 23, 2001
