In small and easy steps, learn how to transform your diet so you can eat well, look good and stay healthy. Includes top 100 low GI foods, clear explanations on how to choose low GI foods plus over 300 quick meal recipes, plus snack and treat suggestions.

CLICK HERE to Order your own copy of Low GI Eating Made Easy, from “FIshpond”, Australia’s most trusted online bookstore.
(Click Here to return to HOME PAGE)

Following a low gi diet doesn’t have to be complicated! And, there’s no need to consult low gi food lists, once you come to understand that it’s really just about eating foods as close as possible to their original state in nature, with minimal processing.

Here are a few additional tips to help with a low gi diet lifestyle –

Reduce (or eliminate!) sugary foods!

Do we really need all of those refined sugar laden sweets, soft drinks, fruit drinks, desserts, cakes and biscuits? Probably not! There are many great alternatives so make a conscious effort to make more natural choices. Check out the great dessert and snack suggestion on this website, or perhaps you could even invest in a great low gi cookbook.

However, you also need to mindful of all the hidden sugars in foods. Once you start reading more and more product labels, you’ll find refined sugar in just about everything on the supermarket shelves – from canned vegetables, flavoured tuna, savoury biscuits, baked beans … and the list goes on! And if we’re not careful, our daily sugar intake can climb rapidly without even being aware.

Eat small, regular meals

Missing meals is never a good idea! … Your blood sugar levels will fall too low causing fatique, mental … And it definitely won’t help with your weight loss goals either! Start each day with a healthy low gi breakfast for sustained energy. Allow yourself a midmorning low gi snack, a good lunch, a low glycemic mid afternoon snack, and finally a balanced evening meal. It’s better to graze on smaller meals and healthy, low glycemic snacks than to eat three large meals a day. Also avoid the temptation for late evening nibbles that can also be disruptive to sleep.

Go for at least two low glycemic meals each day

Ideally it would be best if all of our meals were low GI, but with our busy lifestyles, together and the availability fast foods and takeaways, causes us to occasionally stray off course with our low gi diet. If we can strive for at least two solid low gi meals each day, we’re at least able to sustain relatively steady blood sugar levels for the most part, and can improve from there. A lifestyle of low gi eating becomes a habit with practice. Begin with a good breakfast and have lots of pre-prepared snacks on hand, and you’re half way there!

A  low gi diet is really very simple, but it does take time to make it a way of life. You’ll feel better, more alive, and more full of energy, making it all worthwhile!

CLICK HERE to discover more of EVERYTHING LOW GI

Remembering that a low gi diet is a lifestyle choice, rather than a “quick fix”, here are useful suggestions for following a low gi diet liestyle when you’re eating out.

Low GI Tips For Eating Out:

•    Don’t go when you’re starving – perhaps even eat a small low gi snack before you go out
•    Avoid buffets and “all you can eat” restaurants
•    Limit alcoholic drinks
•    Order foods that have been prepared in a healthy way – steamed, stir fried, lightly roasted
•    If portions are large, split yours with someone else or order an entrée size
•    Be willing to ask for meal substitutions or adjustments – restaurants are becoming more capable of adapting to people’s varied dietary needs, including that of a low gi diet
•    Keep low-glycemic foods in mind and order the best choice available

The following are some low gi diet tips for specific types of restaurants:

Chinese
•    Clear broth soups like hot and sour, egg drop, or wonton are good choices
•    Order traditional dishes that feature smaller portions of lean proteins (meat, chicken, seafood, tofu) stir-fried with lots of assorted vegetables and tasty sauces
•    Avoid overly sweet sauces like sweet & sour, lemon, or plum. Try black bean, oyster or Szechuan instead
•    Avoid fried foods (like spring rolls, dim sims, etc) Order brown rice, if available

Thai
•    Order dishes that combine proteins (meat or tofu) with vegetables
•    Choose curry, chili, basil, lime, and fish sauces
•    Opt for long-grain rice over white rice
•    Try pad thai and other stir-fried noodle dishes, ask for less oil to be used in the preparation

Greek
•    Choose roasted lamb or chicken dishes prepared with lemon and yoghurt
•    Try baked fish and chicken dishes that are healthily prepared
•    Make sure to order Greek salads
•    Avoid the filo-dough, large amounts of feta cheese, and excessive amounts of olive oil

Indian
•    Order healthily prepared legumes, chicken, fish, and vegetables
•    Try the tomato-based sauces and tandoori dishes
•    Choose basmati rice (it’s low gi!) as a side, or in biryanis, and chapati bread
•    Avoid sauces made with large amounts of butter or coconut milk

Italian
•    Choose tomato or marsala sauces
•    Order an entrée sized portion of pasta with a large serving of salad
•    If ordering pizza, choose thin-crust with low-fat cheese and loaded with vegetables
•    Avoid the white bread (high gi!) and cheesy, creamy sauces

Japanese
•    Try miso soup and soy beans (edamame) for starters
•    Choose sushi, sashimi, yakitori, teriyaki, sukiyaki, and grilled dishes
•    Order udon or soba noodles
•    Limit the rice and avoid tempura

French
•    Choose tomato/wine sauces, broth-based soups
•    Look for Mediterranean-style dishes
•    Order broiled, steamed, or poached foods
•    Be sure to order a salad or large serves of vegetables
•    Avoid the bread and high-fat sauces

Mexican
•    Order grilled seafood and chicken dishes: tacos, burritos, fajitas
•    Ask for low-fat cheese, whole-wheat tortillas, and light sour cream
•    Avoid the cheese and refried beans
•    Limit guacamole

See! It’s easier than you think to eat out, eat well and be fully satisfied, when following the lifestyle of a low gi diet.

CLICK HERE for more of EVERYTHING LOW GI

Low Glycemic Diet vs High Glycemic Diet – Did you know:

• Australia has recently taken over from the USA as the “fattest” nation on earth, with 2 out of every 3 people either overweight or obese.
• We have over 3 million people with diabetes, plus half that number again who don’t even know it.
• The rate of type 2 diabetes in children is increasing every year – and historically this disease didn’t affect people until over 40.
• Among adults, the leading cause of death is heart related diseases, with 50% of heart attacks occurring before the age of 60 … with the first symptom being sudden death.
• One in two women over 60 have osteoporosis?
• Depression is believed to be the next huge epidemic to affect the western world.
• Three out of every four people will have at least one degenerative disease by age 65?

The frightening thing about these statistics is that, despite the greatest advancements in medicine, the effects of ill health are accelerating at alarming rates. So, why is this happening?

These diseases are thought to be largely lifestyle-related … and the food that we eat is a big factor … with changes that have occurred in our eating from a low GI diet to a high GI diet.

Let’s think back to our great, great grandparents time. Food was prepared in the home, largely straight from the tree to the table or the field to the plate. Carbohydrates arrived as in-season fruits & vegetables, beans and wholegrain cereals. Our ancestors ate low gi foods naturally. They didn’t have the white, bleached, fluffy flour (with the husk and nutritious “germ”removed) that made up most of the breads, cakes, pastries, cereals and pasta we eat today. Instant porridge, instant rice, and 5-minute noodles were non-existent – low gi foods were plentiful!

It was a time when food was nutrient rich and it didn’t come from supermarkets. It wasn’t overly processed or pre-packaged, and colourings, flavourings, preservatives, additives and E-numbers were unheard of! In fact, the bulk of the “processing” of the food happened after it was eaten … within the body itself! It took the body a long time to process the complex carbohydrates, fibre and healthy built-in nutrients and oils the food inherently contained. This provided the body with a gradual release of sugars into the bloodstream, leaving people feeling full and satisfied until their next meal. This was eating the way nature intended it, and sadly, very few of us have forgotten to eat that way, yet a low GI diet is the most natural way of eating!

Nowadays, our modern (and very common) high glycemic diet plays havoc within our bodies – our heavily processed, nutrient depleted foods are digested too quickly causing our blood sugar levels to spike rapidly. To combat this spike in blood sugar, our bodies quickly respond by releasing large amounts of insulin, to lower the high levels of blood sugar. Unfortunately, it does its job too well and rather than lowering the blood sugar to a more desired level, it causes the levels to plummet. This sets up a roller-coaster of extreme high and low levels of blood sugar which, over time,  can send our bodies into a state of insulin resistance. This means our bodies aren’t as sensitive to the insulin as they once were … and so begins the path of weight gain and ill health.

That’s where understanding the Glycemic Index and a low glycemic index diet lifestlye can help us! As we begin to know which foods (and combinations of foods) can keep our blood sugar and insulin levels stable, we can begin to keep our health in check. Decide now to go low gi!

Read more about What Is the Glycemic Index and the Glycemic Index List of Foods.

Plan ahead … When preparing dinner the night before, cut up a few extra vegetables and set them aside for the next day’s lunch. Invest in a few, well-sealed food containers for any evening meal leftovers, which you can enjoy for lunch over the next couple of days.

Another investment is a small, good quality thermos. If you’ve made a big batch of soup for dinner the previous night, heat it up in the morning, pop it in your thermos, and there’s nothing nicer (or quicker) on a cold winter’s day.

Just a little planning takes the worry out of preparing lunches in the mornings when time is often already tight. It’s also much cheaper and healthier than buying your lunch each day.

Try these great Low GI Lunchtime suggestions:
•    Homemade soups-vegetable, lentil, split pea, minestrone, or barley, with rye toast or a wholegrain roll.
•    Open sandwiches made with lean meats and fresh vegetables on whole-grain wheat, rye, pumpernickel, or pita bread
•    Veggie burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pesto on a wholegrain bun
•    Mixed green salad with grilled chicken and vinaigrette dressing
•    Vegetable quiche, sliced tomatoes and fruit
•    Wholegrain muffin with nut butter and natural yoghurt with fruit
•    Tuna and salad filled wholemeal pita pockets and fresh fruit
•    Boiled egg, mixed vegetable sticks with hommous
•    Baked beans with wholegrain toast and avocado
•    Sushi
•    Falafel in pita bread with salad vegetables
•    Salads made with beans and nuts
•    Warm chicken salad with lots of salad vegetables

Foods to Avoid:
•    White bread or wholemeal sandwiches and rolls
•    Fat laden, pies, pasties, sausage rolls
•    Hot chips
•    Sugary snacks
•    Sugar laden pastries, buns, donuts, cakes
•    Mayonnaise and high-fat dressings
•    Full-fat yoghurts and desserts

CLICK HERE  to find more of EVERYTHING LOW GI

Low GI Dinners – Enjoy the many low-glycemic possibilities available! Invest in a great low GI cookbook with lots of mouthwatering pictures, or get inspired with a few of the suggestions we’ve listed.

Consider making double batches when cooking and then freeze half for an easy low gi meal another night. Also, rather than eating up all the leftovers, keep some aside for lunches.

Keep in mind portion, sizes too. Is it really necessary to go back for seconds? Or thirds? If you feel comfortably full, stop there! Or have some more vegetables or fresh fruit to finish off instead.

If you can, do your best not to eat your evening meal too late at night. Studies have shown that eating late in the evening can cause a restless night’s sleep. That means no late night “snacks” either!

Try some of these Easy Low GI Dinner Ideas:
•    Chicken/tofu stir fry with vegetables & brown rice
•    Vegetable frittata and salad
•    Salmon steak, quinoa and vegetables
•    Grilled steak & salad or steamed vegetables
•    Roasted vegetable lasagna and salad
•    Chick pea/lentil & vegetable curry with brown rice
•    Tuna & vegetable casserole with salad
•    Warm chicken/turkey/lean beef salad
•    Falafel with fresh salad vegetables in a wholemeal pita bread
•    Chilli bean or lentil casserole with brown rice and salad
•    Chicken/tofu stir fry with vegetables & brown rice

Foods to Avoid:
•    Chips, mashed or baked potatoes
•    Refined breads and pizza bases
•    Ready made pre-packaged meals
•    Takeaway meals
•    Fatty meats, sausages and meat patties
•    Instant or white rice (other than basmati)

CLICK HERE  to return to more of EVERYTHING LOW GI

The key, is knowing how to tell the difference between “good” fats and “bad” fats, and then apply this knowledge to the concept of a low GI diet.  By including good essential fatty acids with our meals, we tend to slow the rate at which a meal is digested or absorbed into the bloodstream, and in so doing, lower the GI of the overall meal.

Good Fats

It’s now well known that “good fats” or essential fatty acids (EFA’s), play a very important role as part of a healthy diet and are important for the functioning of all cells in our body. Essential fatty acids support

• Heart health
• Immune function
• Cognitive function
• Hormone function
• Joint health
• Anti-inflammatory
• Weight loss
• Mood
• Skin & hair

The “good” or beneficial fats are the unsaturated fats, either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, which come from plant sources such as nuts, seeds, and some fruits such as olives and avocadoes.  Medium chain fatty acids, which are most prolific in coconut oil and coconut products, are also not to be overlooked. They’re metabolised differently, and are digested and absorbed quickly. They’ve been attributed with many health giving properties, so be sure to include good quality coconut oil in your diet.

Bad Fats

The “bad” fats, on the other hand, are mainly the saturated fats derived from animal sources. “Transfats” or “hydrogenated” oils and fats are another category of fats to be totally avoided.  Hydrogenation is a way of processing oils so that they can be used in the production of processed foods to extend their shelf life.  Hydrogenated fats are damaging, as our bodies are incapable of breaking them down. Read the labels of all packaged foods, and if you see the words “transfats” or “hydrogenated” leave them on the supermarket shelf! They have no place in a low glycemic diet!

What to Include in Your Low GI Diet

Enjoy the vast array of delicious oils available to you – they’re really all very different in taste, and are wonderful additions to your salads or meals. Experiment and you’ll find your favourites. The most important thing, however, is to choose oils which are fresh, cold pressed, and extra virgin where available. The taste difference is very noticeable – as is the nutritional content! And remember to keep them in the fridge, too!

Cooking Oils

• Olive oil
• Coconut oil

Both are very stable at high temperatures, so great choices for cooking. Have both on hand to enjoy the benefits of each.

Salad Oils – so many to choose from!

• Olive oil
• Walnut oil
• Macadamia Oil
• Sesame oil
• Pistachio oil
• Flax seed oil
• Coconut oil

Nuts and Seeds

These are a nutritious addition to any low GI diet. They’re high in protein and EFA’s so include them in snacks, salads, or meals. Enjoy a small handful daily. If you haven’t tried any of the following lately, enjoy some soon! Just remember to rotate your choices to benefit from the varied nutrient and EFA combinations in each.

• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Macadamias
• Hazelnuts
• Brazil nuts
• Cashews
• Pecans
• Coconut
• Sunflower seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Pine nuts
• Flaxseeds / linseeds

Avocados

In my book they rate a special mention! They’re a powerhouse of nutrition – so use them on your wholegrain breads as a spread instead of butter or margarine!

So stock up the pantry on healthy oils today! Avoid the mass produced supermarket varieties if you can – choose fresh, local, cold pressed – and taste the difference. They’ll help you appreciate the lifestyle of a low GI diet.

CLICK HERE to discover more of EVERYTHING LOW GI