The glycaemic index, or GI, is a measure — on a scale of 0 to 100 — of how fast carbs break down during digestion. Low-GI foods, which rate below 55 on this scale, break down slowly, gradually releasing glucose into the bloodstream.
This steady delivery of sugar provides you with sustained energy, thereby delaying the onset of hunger. In contrast, high-GI foods break down quickly, sending glucose shooting into the bloodstream and triggering a spike in your blood-sugar levels. In other words, you’ll feel a sudden surge of energy, but this sugar rush rapidly fades, leaving you hungrily seeking the next energy fix.
Refined starchy foods, such as white bread, chips, biscuits and other sugary treats, all have a high GI, which is why we often feel hungry soon after eating them. Think of the GI as a clue to the quality of the carbs you eat — some are better for your health than others.
Low-GI carbs are a boon to your health for several reasons. Their ability to keep hunger pangs at bay makes it easier to lose weight, but more important, a low-GI diet can help maintain that weight loss.
Low-GI foods create only small fluctuations in your levels of blood glucose (thereby lowering your insulin levels), so they also help reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.
The best thing about switching to low-GI foods? It’s so easy! You don’t need to count numbers or obsess over GI values; you simply replace high-GI foods with their better-quality low-GI alternatives.
Breakfast
Choose cereals made from oats, bran or wholegrains.
Lunch
Look for bread, wraps and rolls that have visible grains and seeds. You can also add small cans of beans and chickpeas to leafy vegie-packed salads.
Dinner
Fill a quarter of your plate with low-GI carbs, such as basmati rice or sweet potato.
Snacks
Munch on raw nuts and seeds, and choose wholegrain crackers over those made from rice and corn.
