The Glycemic Diet

The glycemic diet is a meal plan based on a tool called the glycemic index, originally developed to help diabetics better manage blood sugar levels. According to the official website for the glycemic index, the tool uses a scale of 0 to 100 to rank carbohydrates based on how much they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Higher numbers are given to foods that cause blood sugar levels to rise more rapidly. Although it was created to help people with diabetes, the glycemic index has become the foundation of many diets and weight loss plans.

Diet Details

• To follow the glycemic diet, you should avoid eating foods that rank high on the glycemic index, as these foods can cause a rapid increase in blood sugar. Refined carbohydrates, such as white rice, white bread, pasta, waffles, bagels, honey, cornmeal, flour, watermelon, mashed potatoes, certain breakfast cereals, granulated sugar, crackers, cakes, cookies and candy, all have a glycemic index number greater than 70.

  Replace these high carbohydrates with foods that have a glycemic index number of 55 or less. Most vegetables, fruits, and beans rank low on the glycemic index and tend to be healthier and higher in fiber. Yogurt, milk, whole-wheat pasta, peanuts, legumes and minimally processed grains are also examples of good carbohydrates.

  The glycemic diet is often hard to follow, because many factors can influence the actual glycemic index value of a particular food, including how you prepare your food, the combination of foods that you eat, the processing of foods and your individual glycemic response to carbohydrates, according to the NutritionData website.

  When following the glycemic diet, the American Diabetes Association suggests balancing proper nutrition principles with use of the glycemic index. This is because many high glycemic index foods are actually healthier for you than foods with a lower ranking. For instance, potato chips have a lower glycemic index than corn, but corn is better for your health.

  Many people will find the glycemic diet helpful in managing blood glucose, however, the American Diabetes Association warms against eliminating carbohydrate counting completely. Creating a meal plan that is tailored to your lifestyle and diabetic needs, is most important. The glycemic diet used with carbohydrate counting and proper nutrition can help with diabetes and weight management.

Low-Glycemic Index Foods

• Vegetables include asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, green peas, kale, lettuce, mushrooms, peppers, spinach and yams.

  Fruits include apples, apricots, blueberries, cherries, grapefruit, grapes, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, raspberries and strawberries.

  Various other foods low on the glycemic index include milk, yogurt, oatmeal, brown rice, wheat bran, whole wheat spaghetti, yams, kidney beans, lima beans, chickpeas, lentils and lean meat.