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Healthy Diet Plans >>  Glycemic Index Diet >>  Low glycemic diet
Low glycemic diet


A low glycemic diet, also known as the low glycemic index diet at times, has been known to improve the overall health of people, who are suffering from diabetes. Low glycemic diets are good for diabetic patients, as they offer benefits like lowering the levels of blood sugar in the body, reduction of highs and lows, a decrease in HbA1c, the prevention of heart diseases and heart-related problems and help in weight loss. A good low diet glycemic plan includes foods that help regulate the levels of blood sugar in the body. The advantage of this diet is that it can work with your current, existing dietary routine, by helping you to maintain the number of calorie and carbs levels that are recommended by your doctor or physician. By following a low glycemic diet plan, you can increase your intake of foods that take longer to convert carbs to glucose.
However, the choices of your meals should include food choices that contain low amounts of carbs, or foods that have a low glucemic index.

Given below is a glycemic index chart that contains a low glycemic food list:

•    Fresh fruits like apples, prunes, peaches, strawberries, cherries, apricots, grapefruit, bananas, grapes, oranges, pineapples, kiwis, pears, mangoes, papayas and plums (Canned fruits do not usually have a low glycemic index).
•    Most vegetables, like onions, tomato, mushrooms, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, green peas, sweet corn, cassava and carrots (Most varieties of potato are exceptions)
•    Legumes and beans that include black eyed beans, navy beans or haricot, kidney beans, lima beans, black beans, split peas, soy bean, Romano beans and pinto beans
•    Cereals like bran, oatmeal, bulgur and muesli
•    Dairy products that include skim milk and low fat and plain yogurt
•    Nuts like cashew nuts, walnuts and peanuts
•    Certain kinds of bread like pumpernickel bread, sourdough bread, whole meal barley bread and cracked wheat bread
•    Vinegar (including red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar and white vinegar

Given below are some examples of a low glycemic diet menu plan:

Day 1

•    Breakfast: Oatmeal with honey, nuts and seeds
•    Lunch: Beans and tuna salad
•    Dinner: Chicken breast (baked) with vegetables.

Day 2

•    Breakfast: A fruit smoothie or plain yogurt with fresh fruit
•    Lunch: Chicken and avocado salad
•    Dinner: Baked fish (Cod), with carrots, beans and rice

Day 3

•    Breakfast: Scrambled eggs on rye bread
•    Lunch: A pork chop (broiled) with spinach and tomato
•    Dinner: A salad with ham and avocado

Day 4

•    Breakfast: Fresh fruits, toast with peanut butter, low fat or skim milk
•    Lunch: A salad and chicken breast (broiled)
•    Dinner: Baked trout with broccoli and tomatoes

Day 5

•    Breakfast: Fruit, bacon and eggs
•    Lunch: Grilled ham and Swiss cheese on rye bread, fruit salad
•    Dinner: Vegetables, lentils and chicken breast (broiled)

Day 6

•    Breakfast: A smoothie made with berries and a banana
•    Lunch: Pasta, with tomato sauce and cheese, walnuts
•    Dinner: Vegetable salad and homemade hamburger

Day 7

•    Breakfast: Cereals with fruit, seeds and walnuts
•    Lunch: Salad and sardines with tomato, on toast
•    Dinner: Turkey breast (stir fired) with rice and vegetables

In order to get started on a low glycemic diet, you could make a list of all the main foods that contain carbohydrates, like fruits, vegetables, bread, cereals, grains and so on, that are included in your diet. Keep a track of how often you eat a particular food item. Before getting started on a low glycemic diet, it is very important to check with your doctor, especially for people who are suffering from diabetes or other such similar health conditions.

Submitted on January 16, 2014