Whether you're diabetic or simply looking for a healthier way to eat, the glycemic index can help you lower the amount of sugar, refined carbohydrates and fats you consume in a meal. Restaurants can be a hotbed of hidden problems, so it's important to have a game plan on how you'll follow the glycemic index while eating out. You don't need complicated charts and serving sizes, just some common sense alternatives to keep your calorie and sugar count low and your satisfaction high.
Step 1
Visit restaurants that you know have healthy choices, suggests KidsHealth.org, a division of the Nemours Foundation. You likely won't get the option to substitute salad for fries or have a bunless burger at a fast food joint or greasy spoon. If you're unsure of whether a restaurant has healthy choices, call ahead and ask about making substitutions for someone on a low-sugar diet.
Step 2
Make substitutions. Most restaurants offer items that have a low glycemic index, even if they aren't typically offered with the meal you've chosen. A side salad has a lower glycemic index than fries, so swap them out, says MayoClinic.com. Or, choose a small fruit salad or a double order of vegetables in place of onion rings.
Step 3
Ask for a half-size meal if possible. Most restaurants serve sizes that are substantially larger than those recommended by the glycemic index, so ask if you can order a lunch plate at dinner, share with a friend or divide your regular-sized portion in half and place it in a to-go box before you even begin your meal so you're less tempted to overeat and ruin your diet, suggests the American Diabetes Association.
Step 4
Undress your foods so that you aren't consuming a high glycemic index dressing or house sauce. What may seem like a low sugar salad could spike your blood sugar when it's served with a creamy thousand island dressing on top. A chicken breast sandwich could be undone by too much mayo. Ask for dressings on the side or replace with flavorful vegetables and salsa to get the flavor without the sugar.
Step 5
Drink water. Even seemingly healthy juices and drinks can be loaded with sugar. Since you don't know precisely what ingredients and syrups are in a restaurant drink, it's safer to just ask for water with a twist of lemon so you get flavor without excessive amounts of sugar, notes the book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Glycemic Index Weight Loss."
References
- KidsHealth.org: Eating Out When You Have Diabetes
- MayoClinic.com: Diabetes Nutrition
- American Diabetes Association: Table Tips
- "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Glycemic Index Weight Loss"; Lucy Beale, Joan Clark; 2005
