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If
you are just starting to use the glycemic
index, consider ½ cup
to be a serving. Then, see how that works for you over time.
Here
is a little guide to help you stay on the lower half of the glycemic
index:
- Do
not eat table sugar (sucrose) in any form.
- Reduce
intake of white potatoes. Instead, choose a small sweet potato or a small
portion of red-skinned potatoes.
- Avoid
white bread. Delicious whole grain breads are now widely available. Look for
the words "stone-ground", “whole-meal” and
"whole-wheat" on the ingredient list - not just on the front of
the package. If white flour or wheat flour is listed, choose another brand.
Buy thinly sliced bread when possible and limit yourself to one portion.
- When
buying pasta, look for whole grain or choose pasta that is mixed with whole
wheat. At the very least, choose pasta made with only durum flour, the
hardest of the wheat and the slowest to digest. Remember, more fiber means a
lower GI. And, keep your portions to ½ cup until you see how your body
reacts. Although wheat pasta has a moderate GI, I have found that I,
personally, gain weight when I eat it.
- Unless
mixed with dietary fibers, corn should be avoided.
- Avoid
most white rice. Basmati rice has the lowest GI for white rice, but wild
rice and whole grain brown rice (the long cooking kind you have to rinse)
are better choices.
- Limit
yourself to long cooking Irish or Scottish oatmeal rather the quick cooking
varieties and sweeten it with a low GI fruit like apricots.
- Avoid
tropical fruits like pineapple and watermelon. Instead, choose more
temperate fruits like pears, apples, cherries and peaches.
- Keep
your portions of carbohydrates small. Try to stay around ½ cup. Consuming a
higher portion of protein and green or leafy vegetables can help you resist
the temptation to overindulge in the carbs.
- Cook
with healthy fats. These fats slow down the absorption of carbohydrates and
often speed your metabolism. Healthy fats include mono-unsaturates like
olive oil and peanut oil. Even real butter, a good source of CLA, is now
considered a healthy fat.
- Nuts
make a great low glycemic snack and deliver healthy monounsaturates to your
body. Add some macadamia nuts, peanuts and walnuts to your diet.
- Adding
acid to your food helps to lower the GI of the food. Use lemon juice and
vinegar when you prepare foods and choose salad dressings that are vinegar
and oil based.
One of the most rewarding
aspects of choosing foods based on the glycemic index is that you will begin to
realize that you do not feel as hungry. The carb cravings will lessen. Your body
will be getting the nutrition it needs rather than empty calories. Promoting a
healthy lifestyle is a powerful prevention for a number of illnesses. Making
wise changes in your diet has been shown to improve and even reverse many health
problems. Equip yourself with an understanding and knowledge of the glycemic
index, then give it a try. Your body will reward you for it.
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