GI Diets to Control Blood Sugar Levels

Controlling blood sugar levels in the body with diet can have a substantial effect on body composition and disease avoidance, making you far less likely to become obese, develop hypertension or develop type 2 diabetes. GI stands for the glycemic index, which is a table listing different types of foods and their effect on blood sugar. The crux of a GI diet is to limit yourself to consumption of foods that are low on the glycemic index, keeping blood sugar stable throughout the day and helping you to live a healthier life.

GI Diet

• Consume a diet consisting of low-GI carbs, moderate amounts of lean protein and a modest amount of healthy fat sources to follow a basic GI diet. The lowest items on the GI scale are vegetables, with items such as broccoli, lettuce, cucumber and spinach having a relatively nominal value of just 10. Fruits are generally next on the glycemic index, with cherries, citrus fruits, apples, pears and apricots all being good choices for the GI dieter. Finally whole grains are the other category upon which you will want to focus while following a low-GI diet. Stick to 100 percent whole grain items made from rye, sourdough, buckwheat, barley and oats to keep blood sugar low. Regarding protein sources on the diet, stick to unbreaded natural cuts of beef, chicken, seafood and turkey, along with some low-fat dairy products. Complete your diet with a small portion of unsaturated fat at each meal, which will slow digestion and further control blood sugar levels. Good samples of unsaturated fat include olive oil, almonds and fish oil.

Understanding the Glycemic Index

• Understand that the glycemic index is nothing more than a ranking that lists carbohydrates in order of how quickly they are absorbed by the body. This is significant, as blood sugar is more greatly elevated by fast-digesting carbs, as the nutrients from these items are released into the bloodstream in a torrent, inflating blood sugar levels and forcing the body to cope with the situation through the release of large amounts of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that binds to blood sugar, carrying it to muscles (to be used as energy) or fat (to be stored for later use). Where blood sugar is elevated in the absence of exercise, a majority of that is stored as fat, leading to weight management issues. The low-GI diet circumvents this problem by keeping blood sugar at a low and stable level throughout the day, minimizing fat storage.