Glycemic diets use the glycemic index as a guide for planning meals and controlling your blood sugar. The glycemic index, or GI, rates the potential of a carbohydrate-containing food to raise your blood sugar on a scale of one to 100. Foods that rank higher on the scale have a strong, significant effect on your blood glucose level, while foods in the middle or low end of the scale have a less dramatic effect. According to the Glycemic Index Foundation, you can eat limited portions of foods with a high GI value as long as the majority of the foods you eat have a low to moderate effect on your blood sugar. Food entrees with a low GI value, or no GI value, allow you to keep the total value of your meal within your desired range.
Grilled Fish, Chicken or Beef
Foods that consist mostly of protein, such as fish, beef or poultry, have no rating on the glycemic index because their immediate effect on your blood sugar is too low to be tested. Grilled fish and skinless chicken are rich in protein and low in saturated fat. A high-protein entrée can lower the overall GI value of your meal because the protein adds nothing to the meal's effect on your blood sugar. You can add a serving of rice or potatoes, foods that have a moderate to high GI rating, and keep the meal's total GI value at a moderate level.
Bean Stew
Beans are rich in soluble fiber, a form of fiber that stabilizes your blood sugar by slowing the conversion of carbohydrates to glucose. A hearty stew of kidney beans, pinto beans, navy beans or lentils will help keep your blood sugar within a healthy range. If you like to soak up your stew with bread, choose a whole-grain variety --- foods made with refined flour have a stronger impact on your blood sugar than fiber-rich whole grains.
Tofu Stir-Fry
Rich in protein, tofu has no rating on the glycemic index, which means that you can serve this versatile soybean product with foods that have a higher GI value. Tofu stir-fried with fresh broccoli and bok-choy can be served over rice without raising the overall GI value of your meal. Nonstarchy, high-fiber vegetables such as broccoli and bok choy contain such low amounts of digestible carbohydrates that they do not affect your blood sugar.
Whole-grain Pasta
Even though pasta is rich in carbohydrates, the composition of its starch molecules keeps its GI value low. However, the GI value of pasta increases if it's cooked too long. Boil pasta until it's al dente, or slightly firm, to maintain its low GI rating. Baked or stewed tomatoes blended with garlic, olive oil and herbs make a low-GI marinara sauce that provides vitamins and heart-healthy, unsaturated fat.
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