Low GI Info

I must admit that I don't particularly like the word "diet". To me it implies a start and a finish of a different eating behaviour. For me, the low GI diet means changing your lifestyle and eating low GI food for the rest of your life.

And I guess the easiest way to do this is to look at what you currently eat and trying to substitute high GI foods for low GI foods.

Easier said than done?

Well, start with simple things. Why not replace white bread for sourdough bread. And for snacks try eating nuts or dried fruit instead of a chocolate bar. It's not that hard really.

Now don't go and try to remember the GI value of every food you eat. Simply knowing the low, medium and high varieties of the major carbohydrate foods in your diet - breakfast cereals, breads, rice, pasta - and choosing the low-GI ones is sufficient to produce healthy benefits.

And if you can't resist a favourite food that has a high GI value, then have a smaller portion and mix it with other low GI foods. And that's another thing; mixing high and low GI foods will balance out the score.

So it's not a matter of only eating low GI food only, it's more of a balance. Eat less of the high and more of the low. And it doesn't mean that you can't eat out.

Remember, this is a long term strategy, eating out once in a while or pigging out on junk food for one day is ok. So long as you stick to the long term plan, a low GI diet will only be of benefit your health.

One last thing. YOU and you alone are responsible for your life and what you choose to eat. You don't need to pay someone to help you with the lastest diet fad. Sure, see a nutitionalist to help you, but ultimately you choose what goes into your mouth.

Low GI Diet vs Atkins Diet

The main difference between the two is that in an Atkins diet you are discouraged from eating any carbohydrates at all (and it's ok to eat fatty foods).

The premise behind this is that starving the body of carbohydrates will force it to burn fat for fuel, which may be ok for seriously over weight people but not the majority of people. So in the short term is does seem to work well but is it safe to continue in the long term.

Various studies seem to indicate not, but that's for you to decide.

It is interesting to note that the Japanese, often referred to as one of the healthiest cultures around, have a diet dominated by carbohydates and is low in fat. Go figure.

So in the short term the Atkins diet may help reduce fat, but in the long term a low Gi diet seems to way to go. Again a personal opinion as to the way you should go. Do the research and work out what's best for you.

Related Articles:

Your Guide To A Low GI Diet
The glycemic index ranks carbohydrate-containing foods based on their effects on the blood glucose levels. By choosing a low GI diet, minimal fluctuations in the level of blood glucose and insulin will be produced. ...