Lowering your dietary glycemic index can help you reach your goal weight more easily and without starving, while improving your blood sugar and cholesterol levels. The glycemic index reflects the quality of the carbohydrates in foods. A healthy and balanced diet should be based on low glycemic index carbohydrates, lean protein and healthy fats, while high glycemic index carbohydrates should be avoided. In your everyday cooking, simple substitutions can help you get healthier by reducing your dietary glycemic index.
No More Potatoes
Regular potatoes have a high glycemic index. Baked potatoes, mashed potatoes and french fries can all lead to large, unhealthy fluctuations in your blood sugar levels and are best to be avoided. Replace them with sweet potatoes, cauliflower or turnips, which have lower glycemic index values. For example, you can serve a baked or mashed sweet potato, mashed cauliflower and you can make oven-baked fries with either sweet potatoes or turnips.
Swap Your Grains
Many grains and even whole grains have a fairly high glycemic index, including most bread, white and whole wheat, breakfast cereals, oatmeal, granola bars and rice. Instead of these high glycemic grains, use low glycemic index grains. Swap your usual bread for sourdough bread or stone-ground whole grain bread. You can also use low glycemic grains such as barley, Basmati rice and quinoa for soups, side dishes and salads. Steel cut oats or old-fashioned oatmeal are good low glycemic choices for breakfast.
Include More Nonstarchy Vegetables
Adding nonstarchy vegetables at each of your meals is a good way to lower your dietary glycemic index while leaving less room for high glycemic foods. Nonstarchy vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, leafy greens, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions and bok choy, are low in carbohydrates, but high in fiber and other important nutrients. Include generous servings at each meal.
Add Vinegar
Drizzle your vegetables or your salad with vinegar or with a vinaigrette prepared with extra virgin olive oil and your favorite vinegar. Balsamic vinegar, tomato vinegar, white vinegar and red wine vinegar are good options. The acidity of the vinegar slows down gastric emptying, which reduces the overall glycemic index of your meal.
Reduce Sugar
Decreasing the amount of sugar in your meal is another good way to reduce your overall dietary glycemic index. For example, choose plain or sugar-free yogurt instead of the sugary version. Avoid sugary beverages, like soft drinks and fruits juices, as well as candies and desserts. When baking, use only a third of the amount of sugar recommended in your recipe or replace regular sugar with a sugar substitute to lower the glycemic index of your baked goods.
