More than half of the calories consumed on the standard American diet comes from carbohydrate foods, while protein, fat and alcohol provide the remaining calories. Most people eat a daily average of 300 g of carbohydrates or more, from bread, breakfast cereals, pasta, potatoes, cereal bars, fruit, yogurt, soft drinks, candies, baked goods and desserts. Lowering your carbohydrate intake and choosing better quality carbohydrates using the glycemic index, or GI, can help you not only shed a few pounds, but also boost your heart-healthy HDL cholesterol levels and lower your triglycerides, according to the May 2004 issue of "Annals of Internal Medicine."
Counting Carbohydrates
To get started with your low-carb and low-GI diet, start counting your carbs. Check food labels to determine the carbohydrate content per serving. Remember that if the portion you eat differs from the serving indicated on the label, you will need to adjust the carbs accordingly. For example, if 1/2 cup of breakfast cereals has 20 g of carbohydrates, a big bowl of 1.5 cups will provide 60 g of carbs. Start tracking your carbs every day to get used to it and to determine your starting point. You can use an online tracking tool, like MyPlate, to help you keep track.
Appropriate Carbohydrate Intake
There are many different low-carb program recommending different levels of carbohydrate intake, which can vary between less than 20 grams a day to up to 150 grams a day. If you have a lot of weight to lose, struggle with your weight in the past or have a low physical activity level, you should keep your carb intake toward the lower limit of the range. You can start by picking a level that seems appropriate for you, whether you start with 20 g, 50 g, 75 g or 100 g a day and stick to that level of carbohydrate intake for a week. At the end of the week, hop on the scale and see whether your weight has changed. If it is moving in the right direction, maintain your current carb intake. If not, lower your carb intake by 10 g at a time until you reach your optimal level.
Glycemic Index
The glycemic index is used to determine how much carbohydrate-containing foods can raise your blood sugar levels. The higher the GI of a food, the higher it will raise your blood sugar levels, which is associated with increased hunger and cravings, weight gain and health problems. While keeping your carbohydrates low, select only carbs that have a low GI value, to keep your blood sugar levels more stable and help you lose weight more easily. Low GI foods include non-starchy vegetables, most fruits, milk, yogurt, quinoa, barley, legumes, steel-cut oats and sourdough bread.
Healthy Low-Carb and Low-GI Meals
The foundation of your low-carb and low-GI meals should be non-starchy vegetables, accompanied by a 4 to 6 oz. of protein from fish, poultry or meat and 1 to 2 tbsp. of fat from coconut oil, olive oil, butter, avocado or nuts. Depending on the amount of carbohydrates you are aiming for, you may be able to add a serving of fruit, plain yogurt or a slice of sourdough bread to your meal. Keep track of your carb intake to determine how many carbohydrate-containing foods you can include in your diet.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Low-Carb Diet
- University of Sydney: The Glycemic Index
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; International Table of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Value; Kaye Foster-Powell et al; 2002
- "The New Atkins for a New You"; Eric C. Westman, et al.; 2010
- U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
- "Annals of Internal Medicine"; A Low-Carbohydrate, Ketogenic Diet versus a Low-Fat Diet To Treat Obesity and Hyperlipidemia; William S. Yancy Jr. et al.; May 2004
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