While many dieters look to low-carbohydrate foods to lose weight, counting carbs isn't the only solution to the problem. Not all carbohydrates affect the body in the same way. Some carbs produce a large spike in blood sugar quickly, while others raise glucose levels slowly and gradually. The glycemic index measures how these foods affect the body, and eating foods with a lower index value can help maintain blood sugar levels and help you lose weight. The standard for the glycemic index is white bread or pure glucose, both of which have a GI of 100. Foods with a lower number than 100 produce less of a blood sugar spike, while foods higher than 100 produce a stronger effect. The further away the number is from 100, the more pronounced the difference.
Vegetables
Vegetables enrich the diet while having generally low glycemic indexes. Common vegetables, such as broccoli, mushrooms, onions and peppers all rank around 10 on the index, and most other vegetables are similarly low-GI. The main exceptions to this rule are beets, pumpkins and parsnips, all of which contain sugars or starches that push their glycemic index ratings to high figures.
Beans
Beans are a low glycemic index food for those trying to lose weight. Indexes range from less than 30 for chickpeas to around 50 for kidney and baked beans. In addition to their low glycemic effect, beans also contain protein, fiber and other nutrients valuable to any diet.
Breads
While bread is usually a moderate to high glycemic index food, there are a few options for dieters who can't give up their morning toast. Switching to a stone-ground, whole-grain bread from processed white bread can cut the glycemic load nearly in half. Pumpernickel offers the lowest glycemic index of common breads, with a GI of 41.
Fruits
While fruits can contain large amounts of sugar, there are many low glycemic index options. Cherries offer a GI of 22, and a morning grapefruit serving rates 25 on the index. Strawberries without added sugar or cream have an index of 40, oranges 42, bananas 52 and grapes 46. Apples are a good choice for low-GI dieters, with a glycemic index of only 38.
Dairy
Most dairy products offer a low index ranking and are suitable for the glycemic diet. Sugar-free yogurt ranks only 14 on the scale, with regular yogurt coming in at 33. Milk has a glycemic index of about 30, and even ice cream with its added sugar rarely offers a GI above 50.
Member Comments