A diet based on low glycemic index foods can help you lose weight while improving different aspects of your health. Such a diet can reduce your blood sugar and cholesterol levels and prevent chronic illnesses such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The glycemic index is used to evaluate carbohydrate quality, with a level of 55 or below considered low. Low glycemic carbohydrates should constitute the bulk of your carbohydrate intake. Foods with a glycemic index above 70 should be avoided, while medium glycemic foods, with an intermediate glycemic value between 56 and 69, should be consumed with moderation.
Vegetables
All nonstarchy vegetables, such as leafy greens, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, cucumber, broccoli and asparagus, have a low glycemic index, usually below 20, and can be part of a healthy low glycemic index diet. Avoid potatoes; whether mashed, baked or fried, they have a very high glycemic index. You can substitute them with root vegetables like sweet potatoes, turnips and rutabagas which have a medium to low glycemic index value.
Fruits
Most fruits have a low glycemic index, with the exception of watermelon and dates. Temperate climate fruits, like apples, pears, berries, cherries, prunes and oranges, tend to have a lower glycemic index, less than 40 in most cases, when compared to tropical fruits like pineapple, mango and bananas, which fall in the medium glycemic index range.
Grains
Grain is the food group that provides most of the carbohydrates in the standard American diet. However, common grain staples, such as white rice, breakfast cereals, white and whole wheat bread, bagels, instant oatmeal and granola bars, have high glycemic index levels. Replace these grains with low glycemic alternatives, such as sourdough bread, stone-ground whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, barley, quinoa and steel cut oats.
Dairy
Cheese does not contain carbohydrates, which means that it has a glycemic index of zero. Milk and plain yogurt also contain very little carbohydrates and have a low glycemic index. Avoid flavored milk and sweetened yogurt to avoid adding too much sugar and calories to your low glycemic diet.
Protein
Animal sources of protein, such as meat, poultry, fish, seafood and eggs, are free of carbohydrates, which implies that their glycemic index is low. Tofu, beans and lentils constitute good low glycemic index alternatives for vegetarians.
Oils and Fats
Because oils and fats are free of carbohydrates, their glycemic index is zero. You can add small amounts of fats, such as canola oil, olive oil, butter, mayonnaise or nuts, to your diet without significantly impacting your dietary glycemic index.
References
- University of Sydney: The Glycemic Index
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; International Table of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values; Kaye Foster-Powell, et al.; 2002
- Harvard School of Public Health: Carbohydrates: Good Carbs Guide the Way
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Nutrient Data Laboratory
