Based on the concept of the glycemic index, the low glycemic diet uses the glycemic index as a tool that can help you plan your meals. The glycemic index assigns a number, from 0 to 100, to foods that contain carbohydrates according to how much each one increases your blood sugar levels. Low glycemic foods take longer to break down into sugar, so this diet is ideal for people with diabetes and for people who are looking to cut back on blood sugar spikes and those who are trying to lose weight. The number one rule to follow on the low glycemic diet is only to eat foods that have a glycemic index of less than 55. If you are looking to give the low glycemic diet a try, make sure you fill your daily diet with mostly low glycemic foods and fill in the gaps with whole foods that are nutrient-rich, even if they are considered to be medium to high glycemic.
How Does the Glycemic Index Rank Food?
The lower the score, the longer it takes for that food to raise a person’s blood sugar levels. Here is the breakdown of how the scale works:
Low-GI Foods: Have a score under 55
Medium-GI Foods: Have a score between 55 – 70
High-GI Foods: Have a score above 70
Are you wondering what you can eat while following the low-glycemic diet? If you are looking to give the low glycemic index diet a try, add these low glycemic foods to your daily diet.
Fruits and Vegetables:
• Apples
• Apricot
• Avocado
• Berries (All)
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Celery
• Cherries
• Corn
• Dates
• Grapefruit
• Green peas
• Leafy greens
• Lemon
• Lime
• Mango
• Mushrooms
• Oranges
• Parsnips
• Peaches
• Pears
• Plums
• Pomegranate
• Sprouting broccoli
• Strawberries
• Sweet potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Watercress
• Yams
• Zucchini
Grains
• Barley
• Bulgur
• Oatmeal/Oats
• Quinoa
Legumes and Beans
• Black Beans
• Black-Eyed Peas
• Butter Beans
• Chickpeas
• Kidney Beans
• Lentils
• Soybeans
Bread
• Multigrain
• Rye
• Sourdough
• Whole Grain
Rice
• Basmati
• Brown Rice
• Doongara
• Long-Grain
Dairy
• Almond Milk
• Cheese
• Custard
• Greek Yogurt
• Milk
• Soy Milk
Meat
• Beef
• Bison
• Chicken
• Eggs
• Lamb
• Pork
• Turkey
Seafood
• Cod
• Haddock
• Lobster
• Prawns
• Salmon
• Sardines
• Shrimp
• Trout
• Tuna
Nuts
• Almonds
• Cashews
• Macadamia nuts
• Pistachios
• Walnuts