The Definition Of Low Glycemic

Following the popularity of low-fat, low-calorie and low-carbohydrate diets, low-glycemic diets are appearing as another alternative to help you achieve your health objectives. While the other types of diets simply restrict fat, calories or carbohydrates, low-glycemic diets focus on the quality of the carbohydrates that you include in your diet.

Glycemic Index and Load

The glycemic index rates carbohydrate-containing foods by the extent to which they raise blood-sugar levels. The glycemic load also reflects how foods influence blood-sugar levels, but the load is adjusted for the serving size. Glycemic index values above 70 are considered high; those between 56 and 69 are medium; and those below 55 are low. For the glycemic load, values above 20 are high, between 11 and 19 are medium, and below 10 are low. The glycemic index is calculated with a portion corresponding to 50 g of available carbohydrates, which makes watermelon a high-glycemic index food, with a value of 72. However, if you use the glycemic load concept, which considers the serving of food you will eat, 1 cup of diced watermelon has a glycemic load of 7.8, corresponding to a low-glycemic load.

Low-Glycemic Index and Health

Choosing more low-glycemic-index foods and decreasing your glycemic load can offer many health benefits. Low-glycemic eating, because of its greater satiating power and its ability to keep hunger and cravings away, can help you reach your goal weight more easily. Low-glycemic diets can help you improve athletic performance, reduce the symptoms associated with polycystic ovary syndrome, improve diabetes control and reduce your risk of having heart problems by keeping your blood cholesterol levels healthy.

High-Glycemic Foods

Avoid high-glycemic foods; these have either a high glycemic index or glycemic load and should be excluded from your low-glycemic eating plan to obtain the desired health benefits. Refined grains, such as white rice, most breads, bagels, granola bars, most breakfast cereals, pretzels, rice cakes and baked goods should be avoided. Potatoes, whether they are baked, boiled, mashed or fried, have a high-glycemic value. Sugar, candies, desserts, cookies, soft drinks, fruit juices and other sweetened beverages should be excluded.

Low-Glycemic Foods

Replace high-glycemic foods with lower-glycemic alternatives. For example, replace refined grains with sourdough bread or breads and baked goods made from whole-grain flour. Barley, quinoa, basmati rice, whole-grain pasta and sweet potatoes have lower-glycemic values and are suitable for your low-glycemic diet. Fruits, especially temperate climate fruits such as apples, pears, oranges, plums and cherries, are good options. You can also add vinegar to your meals to lower its glycemic impact. Whether you choose to drizzle balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar or any other vinegar over your salad or vegetables, the acidity of vinegar lowers the glycemic effect of your meal.