Carbohydrates and the Low GI Diet

The low GI Diet is not necessarily a weight loss diet but more a healthy way of eating for life.

The GI or Glycaemic Index measures the effects of carbohydrates on our blood sugar levels and was originally devised for people with diabetes.

The word carbohydrate is often used to describe any food which is rich in starch such as cereals, bread, pasta or sugar.

With the low GI diet we need to realize that it also applies to fruits, vegetables and dairy foods.

The carbohydrates which break down into the blood stream quickly are high GI foods and those which break down slowly are the low GI carbohydrates.

Low GI foods which scores 55 or less

Consist of most fruit and vegetables, wholegrain breads, wholegrain pastas, pulses [also called lentils or beans], milk, yoghurt, and some cheeses and nuts.

Medium GI 56 – 69

Basmati rice, doongarra rice, whole wheat products, many root vegetables, and sugar.

High GI 70 – 100

Lots of modern breakfast cereals, mashed and baked potatoes, white bread, most white rices, cakes and cookies with glucose being the measure for 100.

So usually we can say, the less processed the food, the more likely it will have a low GI but it’s almost impossible to guess the GI of a food by looking at it.

So – does this mean that if we eat all low GI foods we will lose weight ? NO

Think of nuts, oils and some dairy foods which are full of fat. If you’re trying to lose weight these should be had in moderation.

Does this mean that we can only have all Low GI foods in our diet? NO

The foods which we need to avoid for weight loss are the high GI foods which give us a surge of energy and then leave us feeling hungry in an hour or two.

Low GI foods leave us feeling full for longer so we’re less likely to crave a quick fix sugar snack.

The secret is to learn the GI of basic foods and learn to balance them. So if you do have a high GI food, you can balance it with a low GI food and the result for the meal will be medium GI

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So manage your meals carefully and you can have the occasional treat without feeling guilty!