All you need to know about Low GI Carbs

Have you all had an enjoyable week? I hope you didn't overindulge on pancakes on Tuesday?

Are you all now pressing on with your healthy eating and concentrating on drinking more water?

You are all conscious of making those healthy choices over those naughty choices. But it can be confusing sometimes...for example “I thought baked potatoes were healthy and any type of fruit was the better choice”.

When it comes to fuelling our body with those all important carbohydrates which ones are the best to choose? Simple...the Low GI carbs.

The GI concept is the ranking of carbohydrates from 0 to 100 based on their immediate effect on blood sugar levels (a measure of the speed at which you digest food and convert it to glucose/energy). The faster the rise in blood glucose the higher the rating on the index.

1. Eat Bigger

Large food particles take longer for the body to break down and absorb, so they move more slowly through your digestive system. The more intact and less processed a food is, the lower its GI. Think whole rather than refined grains, whole fruit rather than fruit juice, steel-cut oats rather than instant porridge and stone-ground rather than plain flour. When buying whole-grain bread choose stone-ground, sprouted or cracked-wheat types; the grain kernels should be visible (Burgen Bread).

2. Fibre

Fibre is the part of plant foods that cannot be digested by the body, so fibre-rich foods like beans, nuts, dried fruits and high-fibre cereals like porridge, or oat/rye based, Bulgur wheat, brown pasta and basmati rice are also low. Focus on boosting fibre by eating more foods like these and you won’t have to think about GI.

3. Eat your Protein

When it has protein to break down, the stomach empties more slowly. Adding a little protein to a carbohydrate-based meal or snack, e.g. adding chicken strips and a sprinkle of cheese to your brown pasta bowl, or a smear of natural “Meridian” peanut butter on your toast—can lower the GI value of your meal.

4. Eat your Fats

Like protein, fat molecules also slow down digestion, so including a fat can lower a food’s GI and make it more satisfying. We don’t do low-fat, do we guys? So use anything from eggs, coconut oil, seeds, nuts, flax seed, cheese, cream, whole milk & butter.

5. Is fruit ok?

The more acidic the fruit the lower the GI. Apples, pears, oranges, grapes, peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots have the lowest GI. Tropical fruits such as pineapple, papaya and watermelon have higher values.

6. What about veg?

Most veg has a low carbohydrate content so low or no GI value. The exception is potatoes which have a high GI value. Sweet corn sweet potato are low GI so the better choice for starchy carbs.

We don’t need to get obsessive about changing the way we eat but making little changes to your daily eating routine will slowly become new habits.

Experiment with new food and remember to always add protein and fat...if you eat that apple have some nuts with it or a little cheese. Think about what you’re eating and if it’s really the best choice you can make.

See you soon

“Good things come to those who work their asses off and never give up”