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So You Want to Eat Carbs with a Low Glycemic Index

August 26th, 2008 Posted in Diet, Healthy Lifestyle

What is the Glycemic Index?

All carbohydrates are not created equal. A food’s glycemic index, or GI, describes this difference in the way carbs act in your body, by ranking them according to their immediate effect on blood glucose (blood sugar) levels.

Carbohydrates that breakdown quickly during digestion, causing a rapid blood sugar response, have the highest GI.

Carbohydrates that breakdown slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the blood stream, have a lower GI.

Choosing carbs that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels, low GI carbs, is the secret to long-term health. Low GI carbs help to reduce your risk of diabetes and heart disease, and promote sustainable weight loss.

How We Can Use Our Knowledge of the Glycemic Index

A diet rich in low GI foods can help control established diabetes.
A diet rich in low GI foods can help prevent the onset of diabetes later in life.
In fact, a low GI diet can improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin, reversing the risk for Adult Onset Type-II Diabetes.
Low GI diets help people lose and control weight.
Low GI diets can help people control blood cholesterol.
A low GI diet reduces the risk of heart disease.
Low GI foods reduce hunger and let you feel fuller longer.
High GI foods can help re-fuel carbohydrate stores after exercise.
High GI foods can provide energy for immediate high energy needs such as sprinting or powerlifting, but…
…low GI carbs provide energy for prolonged physical endurance.
Help kids to choose low GI foods over high GI foods. This will make them less likely to be obese or develop diabetes, and their teeth will be healthier too.

Foods to Choose

Breads:

Coarse European style whole grain wheat or rye pita bread
Cracked or sprouted whole wheat

Cereals:

Compact noodle-like high bran cereals (All-Bran, Fiber One)
Uncooked oatmeal
Porridge
Whole Grain Cereal (Kashi) mixed with Psyllium (Fiberwise)

Pasta, Grains and Starchy Vegetables:

Whole grain or whole wheat pasta
Barley
Bulgur
Buckwheat (kasha)
Couscous
Kidney beans (not canned)
Lentils
Black-eyed peas
Chick-peas
Lima beans
Peas
Sweet Potato
Yam
Soybeans
Most vegetables

Dairy Products:

Skim or 1% milk
Cottage cheese (lowfat or regular)
Buttermilk
Low-fat plain yogurt
Low-fat fruited yogurt
Low-fat frozen yogurt with artificial sweetener
2% cheese

Fruit:

Most fruit and natural no sugar added fruit juices are low to moderate GI foods. Choose fruit in moderation, but these are the best. All fruit must be fresh or frozen. No canned fruit in syrup!

Apple
Berries
Cantaloupe
Grapefruit
Honeydew
Oranges
Pears
Grapes
Peaches
No sugar added applesauce
Fresh cherries
Plums and…
…grapefruit are the lowest

Meats:

Shellfish
“White” fish (cod, flounder, trout, tuna in water)
Chicken (white meat no skin)
Turkey (white meat no skin)
Cornish hen
Venison (white meat no skin)
Egg substitutes (cholesterol free)
Eggs

Foods You Should Eat in Moderation

Breads:

100% stone ground whole wheat
Pumpernickel
100% whole grain rye crackers

Cereals:

Grape-nut cereal
Medium-fine grain oatmeal (5-minute variety)
Uncooked oatmeal

Pasta, Grains and Starchy Vegetables:

Rice
Boiled Potato
Corn
Navy beans
Kidney beans (canned)
Baked beans
Beets

Dairy Products:

2% milk
Cheese
Regular plain yogurt

Fruit:

Banana
Kiwi
Mango
Papaya
Orange juice

Meats:

Higher fat fish, (salmon, herring)
Lean cuts of beef
Lean cuts of pork
Veal
Low-fat imitation luncheon meat

Foods You Should Avoid

Breads:

White bread
Most commercial whole wheat breads
English muffins
Bagel
French bread
Most commercial matzoh

Cereals:

Corn flakes
Puffed rice
Puffed wheat
Flaked cereals
Instant “Quick” or pre-cooked cereals
Oatbran
Rolled oats
Shredded wheat
Muesli

Pasta, Grains and Starchy Vegetables:

Instant rice
Brown rice
Instant precooked starchy foods
Baked potato
Micro-waved potato
Instant potato
Winter squash (acorn, butternut)
Carrots
Parsnips

Dairy Products:

Whole milk
Ice milk
Ice cream
Yogurt sweetened with sugar
Low-fat frozen desserts with sugar added
Low-fat and regular frozen yogurt with sugar added
Tofu ice cream

Fruit:

Pineapple
Raisins
Watermelon
Fruit juices sweetened with sugar

Meats:

Most cuts of beef
Pork
Lamb
Hot dogs (including “low-fat’ versions)
Regular cheese
Luncheon meats
Regular peanut butter

Choosing the right carbs at the right time will help you in all aspects of your life. Eating low GI carbs in the morning and at lunch will help you stay awake and maintain a linear energy state. Eating or drinking high GI carbs during and after a workout will give you quick energy and help you recover from intense workouts. Eating low GI carbs for dinner will help you to avoid late-night snacking.

When you time your carbs and minimize high GI foods, you are living a healthy lifestyle.

Written by Steve
Steve is a formerly ISSA certified personal trainer and sport nutritionist, who has been studying, practicing, and experimenting since 1994. Please use the content at Project Swole to supplement the advice of your doctor or physician. All medical questions should be directed towards a qualified medical professional, and the advice provided at Project Swole should be used at your own discretion.

At Project Swole you will Build Muscle and Lose Fat with articles on weightlifting, conditioning, nutrition, diets, martial arts, and all forms of exercise.

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