The GI Diet Benefits

The GI diet allows to eat complex carbohydrates that do not cause chronic blood sugar spikes. This can benefit your health.

In the GI diet (glycemic index diet) foods with low GI values (lower than 55 glucose based) are allowed to eat. The low GI foods will not kick up the glucose levels in the blood.

The basic technique for eating the low GI foods is simply to swap high GI carbohydrate foods with for low GI carbohydrate foods. Here are some tips to follow low the Glycemic Index diet meals:

1. Watch your portion sizes or serving sizes; the bigger the portion, the more it will increase your blood glucose, regardless of its GI rank.
2. You need not to eat low GI foods at every meal. Eat at least one low GI food at each meal.
3. If you want to have a high GI food in a meal, combine it with a low GI food to make it a medium GI meal. For example, half a bagel (high GI) with a bowl of strawberries (low GI).
4. Limit the amount of processed, refined starchy foods.
5. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. The fiber in them prevents glucose shocks and reduces hunger without adding calories.
6. Use breakfast cereals based on oat bran, barley and wheat bran.
7. Legumes, beans and lentils have low glycemic index and protein rich foods.
8. Eat whole grain bread than white bread.
9. Animal products do not have a GI and are usually high in fat, protein, cholesterol and no carbohydrate. But you should eat these in moderation as these are not good for cholesterol and weight loss.

   Low GI Diet Book: The Low GI Diet: 12 Week Action Plan, Jennie Brand-Miller, Kaye Foster-Powell et al. Dymocks Books.

1. Reduces appetite for quick sugars and carbohydrates, thus avoiding blood sugar spike.
2. Can help to control established diabetes.
3. Can help people lose weight.
4. Can help lower blood lipids (reduce cholesterol easily).
5. Can help to reduce the risk of heart disease.
6. Improves insulin sensitivity and efficiency.
7. Can minimize the hypoglycaemic effect of sudden intense exercise.

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