Low GI Diet Foods

Low GI Diet Foods

The glycemic index or GI is a way of ranking the types of foods which contain carbohydrates that affect your blood glucose levels. If the GI score is 55 or less it is low, if it is 56 to 69 it is medium and anything above 70 is high. The lower the score, the better and here is a list of low GI diet foods.

These low GI foods include bread as long as it is whole grain or stone ground, 100% percent bread, pumpernickel or rye bread. Oats, cereals, rice, pasta, couscous, noodles, beans, lentils, dried foods, nuts, canned fish, frozen vegetables, oils, condiments, fat free dairy products like yogurt, reduced fat cheese, reduced fat ice cream, eggs, fresh fruits or vegetables, fruit juices and bottled water.

But how do you know if the food you are eating is a high or low GI food? The basis for this depends on how fast the body breaks down these foods that will soon enter the blood stream. The longer it takes the body to break down means that what you are eating has a low GI or glycemic score.

What happens to someone who sticks to low GI foods? Keeping the glucose levels to a minimum will reduce the need for a patient to be injected with insulin that was once produced by the body. The failure to do so can cause long term and sudden complications to an already present problem.

Some experts have said that taking preventive measures now is good for those who don't want to develop diabetes in the future.

Sadly, this is easier said than done outside the lab because these numbers vary if certain ingredients are added, the manner to which they are cooked and how ripe is the fruit. But this should not stop you from consulting a dietitian about low GI foods because this person can give you advice for your personal circumstances.

Is a low carb diet plan the same as a low GI diet plan? The answer is no because the low GI diet plan simply advises the type of carbohydrates you should eat. The lower the GI score, the better and should you lose some weight along the way, then good for you.

It should be pointed out that is backed up by years of clinical research so you will be able to reap the benefits of healthy carbohydrate without the blood glucose problems and other health risks associated with high levels of GI carbs.