Low GI Foods With Omega-3

Foods with little carbohydrate have a low-glycemic index, or a GI of much less than 45. Such foods are high in fats and protein. Eat foods high in healthy polyunsaturated fats such as omega-3 fats, reducing your risk of heart rhythm disorders and atherosclerosis, or plaque build-up on your arteries. Foods rich in omega-3 fats also decrease your triglycerides and increase your good cholesterol.

Walnuts and Flaxseed

Alpha-linolenic acid, one type of omega-3, is an essential fatty acid. This means you must consume this fat in the foods you eat because your body cannot make it, according to a 2007 article by registered dietitian Janet Bond Brill, published in the Health & Fitness Journal. Alpha-linolenic acid is found in walnuts and flaxseed. A ¼ cup of walnuts has 196 calories and 19g of fat. Nearly 80 percent of the calories in walnuts come from healthy fat, 10 percent of the calories are from protein and about 5 percent are from carbs. Flaxseeds are also rich in omega-3. One tablespoon of flaxseeds has 59 calories and 4g of fat. Sixty percent of the calories in flaxseed come from fat, about 15 percent from protein and 25 percent from carbs. Eat walnuts with a fresh pear, or add flaxseeds to your all-bran cereal to further reduce the effects of such foods on your blood sugar.

Brussels Sprouts and Kale

Alpha-linolenic acid is also found in Brussels sprouts and kale, according to the Harvard School of Public Health, though not in as high a concentration as walnuts and flaxseeds. A cup of boiled Brussels sprouts has 60 calories, 4g of fiber and nearly 1g of fat; only about 10 percent of the calories in Brussels sprouts come from omega-3. One cup of boiled kale, drained, has 42 calories, about 2.5g of fiber and 1/2g of fat; just over 10 percent of the calories in kale are from healthy fat.

Salmon and Sardines

Salmon and sardines are rich in the other types of omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, and eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA. A 3-oz. serving of salmon has 175 calories, 19g of protein and 11g of omega-3 fatty acids. Almost 60 percent of the calories in salmon are from fat and 40 percent of the calories are from protein. A 3-oz. serving of canned sardines in tomato sauce has 210 calories, 15g of protein and 17g of omega-3 fats. Nearly 70 percent of the calories in sardines are from healthy fat, and 30 percent of the calories are from protein.