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Diet Plan That is Low Cholesterol & Glycemic

The glycemic index diet is based on how foods affect blood sugar levels. High glycemic foods cause a sharp increase in insulin and leads to glucose release where it is stored as body fat. Low glycemic foods enter the bloodstream more slowly and decrease the release of glucose into the blood. Cholesterol can be produced by the liver and obtained from food. It is a lipid (fat) that travels through the bloodstream and can coat arteries to form blockages. Both a low glycemic diet and eating foods low in cholesterol content can help you to lose weight healthily.

  1. Carbohydrates and the GI

    • Carbohydrates often lead to an increase in blood sugar, according to insidermedicine.com. This causes your body to store the excess sugar as fat and can lead to weight gain. When dieting using the glycemic index, foods are judged by how they increase a spike in insulin. Food such as bread and pasta cause an immediate increase in blood sugar, and may cause you to be hungrier. This can lead to overeating and weight gain. High glycemic foods are anything over 70GI and medium GI foods are between 55 and 70. Anything lower than 55 GI is considered a low glycemic index foods. Check the GI of your foods before consuming to be sure you are eating foods that are low on the glycemic index to encourage weight loss.

    Low Glycemic Foods

    • Foods such as broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, onions, mushrooms, cherries and grapefruit have a glycemic index (GI) value of less than 25 and will not cause an insulin spike. Barley grain and breads have a GI of 25, whereas white rice and grains are 87 and above. Dairy foods, such as yogurt, have a GI of 14, whereas ice cream is in the 40 GI range. Whole milk and skim milk have a GI of 31 and 32 respectively. Potatoes, excluding yams, are all more than 40 in the GI index. Beans, such as chana dal, chickpeas, kidney beans and lentils, are less than 30 GI. All bran cereal is relatively low on the GI scale (38 GI), however, most cereals are 40 GI and above. Eat vegetables, fruits, grains and dairy low on the glycemic scale to lose weight

    Low Cholesterol Diet

    • The body produces approximately 1,000 mg of cholesterol per day, according to americanheart.org, and you do not need to eat foods that contain excess cholesterol to supplement this amount. Cholesterol can be good or bad. High density lipoprotein is considered the good cholesterol because it carries cholesterol away from the blood to the liver where it is processed and eliminated. HDL can help to clean plaque from the arteries and help decrease the chances for heart disease and high blood pressure. Foods like vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fruits contain no cholesterol. Low density lipoprotein seems to increase the buildup on arterial walls in the form of fatty deposits. This increases the risk of heart disease. Foods such as egg yolk, meats, and whole milks are high in LDL cholesterol. These foods are also high in fat and can contribute to weight gain. Increase vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds in your diet to lower cholesterol levels and lose weight. In addition, decrease animal fats, egg yolks and whole dairy to decrease cholesterol levels and lose weight.

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