Low-glycemic foods: Best options and dietary tips - Medical ...

What are the best low-glycemic foods? · 1. Oats – 55 · 2. Milk – 37 to 39 · 3. Chickpeas – 28 · 4. Carrots – 39 · 5. Kidney beans – 24 · 6. Lentils – 32. Whatarethebestlow-glycemicfoods?MedicallyreviewedbyKatherineMarengoLDN,R.D.—WrittenbyLanaBurgessonApril3,2019GlycemicindexscaleOatsMilkChickpeasCarrotsKidneybeansLentilsWhataffectsGI?DiettipsSummaryLow-glycemicfoodsareslowertoraiseaperson’sbloodsugarlevelsthanfoodswithmoderateorhighscoresontheglycemicindex.Butwhicharethebestlow-glycemicfoodstoeat?Reviewstudiessuggestthatalow-glycemicdietmayhelpreducebloodpressureinhealthyadults.Alow-carbohydratedietmayalsoimprovebloodglucoselevelsinpeoplewithtype2diabetes,thoughthecurrent2019guidelinesdonotrecommendanyspecificcarbohydratecountordietplanforpeoplewithdiabetes.Thisarticletakesalookatsomeofthebestlow-GIfoodsandgivesdietarytipsforpeoplefollowingalow-GIdiet.HowthescaleworksShareonPinterestLow-GIfoods,suchassweetpotato,haveascoreunder55.Theglycemicindex(GI)isascalefrom1–100.Eachfoodgetsascore,andthelowerthescore,thelongerthatfoodtakestoraiseaperson’sbloodsugarlevels.TheGIindicateshowquicklycarbohydrate-containingfoodsincreasebloodsugarlevels,comparedwithpureglucose.TheGIscoreforglucose,andwhitebread,is100.Hereishowthescaleworks:low-GIfoodsscoreunder55medium-GIfoodsscore55–70high-GIfoodsscoreabove70Thetablebelowprovidesexamplesoffoodswithlow,medium,orhighGIscores.Low-GIfoods(under55)Medium-GIfoods(55-70)High-GIfoods(over70)rolledorsteel-cutoatsbrownorbasmatiricerussetpotatoesbarley,bulgarcouscouswhitebreadbutterbeansandpeaswholemalbreadcookiesnon-starchyvegetablesryebreadbreakfastcerealsmilkquickoatsinstantpastasweetpotatoeshoneyshort-grainwhitericemostfruitsorangejuicepineapplesandmelonsBelowaresixofthebestlow-GIfoods,basedontheInternationalTablesofGlycemicIndexandGlycemicLoadValues:2008.Wealsodiscussthehealthbenefitsofthesefoodsandhowtoenjoythem.1.Oats–55WithaGIscoreof55,rolledporridgeoatsarelow-GIbreakfastcerealoption.Oatscontainbeta-glucan,atypeoffiberwithanumberofhealthbenefits.Authorsofa2014meta-analysissuggestthatthebeta-glucanfiberinporridgeoatsmayimprovebloodcholesterol.Beta-glucanmayalsohelpapersonfeelfullerforlonger.Steel-cutandrolledoatshavethebesthealthbenefitsandthemostfavorableGIscore.Quickandinstantoatsaremoreprocessedthansteel-cutorrolledoats,andtheyhaveahigherGIscore.Mueslithatcontainssteel-cutorrolledoatscanbeagoodoptionforpeoplefollowingalow-GIdiet,thoughtheGIscoresvarysubstantiallyamongbrands.Porridgeiseasytomakeathome.Simplyaddoatsandmilk—oraplant-basedmilkalternative—toapanandstirwhileheating.Theporridgeisreadywhentheoatshaveabsorbedthemilkandthemixturehasthickened.2.Milk–37to39Ahealthfuladditiontomorningporridge,milkisalow-GIdairyproduct.TheGIscoreforskimmedmilkis37,whilefull-fatmilkhasascoreof39.Milkisrichincalcium,whichisimportantforbonehealth.Researchsuggeststhatdrinkingmilkregularlymayreducetheprogressionofkneeosteoarthritisinwomen.Reduced-fatsoymilkcanhaveaGIscoreofbetween17and44,andfull-fatsoymilkmayscore44.ThespecificGIscorewillvaryamongbrands.Somepeopleenjoyaglassofmilkwiththeirdinner.Anotherideaistoaddittoasmoothiethatcontainslow-GIfruits,suchasapples,bananas,grapes,andmangoes.MostfruitshavelowGIscoresbecauseoftheirfructoseandfibercontents.Fruitswithmedium-tohigh-GIscoresincludemelons,pineapples,anddriedfruits,suchasdates,raisins,andcranberries.3.Chickpeas–28ShareonPinterestChickpeashavealowGIscoreandareagoodsourceofproteinandfiber.Chickpeas,orgarbanzobeans,arealow-GIlegume,withascoreof28onthescale.Chickpeasareagoodsourceofproteinandfiber,with11.8grams(g)and10.6gpercup,respectively.Theyalsocontainkeynutrients,suchascalcium,potassium,andvitaminB-9,whichissometimescalledfolate.Peoplecanusechickpeasasasubstituteforpotatoesorwhiterice,whichhavehighGIscores.Roastedchickpeasmakeaquickandeasysnack.Here’saneasyrecipeforspicyroastedchickpeas.Anothertastywaytoeatmorechickpeasisbymakinghummus.ThispopularMiddleEasterndipisstraightforwardtoprepare.Here’showtomakehummusfromscratch.4.Carrots–39WithaGIscoreof39,carrotsareahealthfulalternativetobreadfordippingintohummus.Carrotscontainbeta-carotene,whichisgoodforeyehealth.Theyarealsoagreatsourceofantioxidants,whichhelpprotectthebody’scellsfromdamage.Peoplemayenjoycarrotsboiledorsteamedasasidevegetablewithanydish.5.Kidneybeans–24WithaGIscoreof24,kidneybeansareaversatilelow-GIfood.Thesebeansarerichinproteinandfiber,with13.36gand11gpercup,respectively.Theyalsocontainpotassiumandareverylowinfat.Kidneybeansmakeagreatadditiontomeat-basedorvegetarianchili.Here’sasimpleveggiechilirecipetotry.6.Lentils–32Scoring32ontheGIscale,lentilsareagreatlow-GIadditiontolunchesanddinners.Lentilsarerichinprotein,with17.86gpercup,andfiber,with15.6gpercup.Theyarealsoagoodsourceofphosphorusandpotassium.AnIndiandishcalleddhalisawholesomeandtastywaytoenjoylentils.Suitableforvegans,dhalisalsoeasytomakeathome.Here’sasimpledhalrecipetofollow.WhataffectsGI?ShareonPinterestUsinganacidicseasoninglowersameal’sGIscore.Manyfactorsinfluenceafood’sGIscore,including:Levelofprocessing:MoreprocessedcarbohydratestendtohavehigherGIscores.Ripeness:Thesugarinfruitbreaksdownasthefruitripens,increasingtheGIscore.Preparation:Thecookingprocesscanbreakdowncarbohydrates,increasingthemeal’sGIscore.Dressing:Usinganacidicseasoning,suchaslemon,lowersameal’sGIscore.Typeofstarch:AmylosehasalowerGIscorethanamylopectin.Tipsforfollowingalow-GIdietThefoodsthatwediscussaboveareagoodplacetostartforpeopleinterestedinalow-GIdiet.Whenfollowingthediet,itisimportanttorememberthanhigh-GIfoodsarenotbanned;apersonshouldjustusemoderation.Anyoneonalow-GIdietcanalsoenjoyfoodsthatdonotcontaincarbohydrates,suchasthefollowing:meateggsfishseafoodoliveoilbutterherbsspicesnutsForanyonelookingtodetermineafood’sGIscore,theUniversityofSydneyinAustraliaprovidesahandyGIsearchtool.SummaryLow-GIfoodshaveaGIscorebelow55.Theycontaincarbohydratesthattakethebodylongertobreakdownthanhigh-GIfoods.Low-GIfoodsraiseaperson’sbloodsugarlevelsmoreslowlythanmoderate-orhigh-GIfoods.TheAmericanDiabetesAssociationnolongerrecommendspecificmealplansforpeoplewithdiabetes.Instead,theirStandardsofMedicalCareinDiabetes—2019guidelinesrecommendfollowingindividualizedmealplansbasedonaperson’scurrenteatingpatterns,preferences,andgoals.Peoplecanworkwiththeirhealthcareproviderstodrawupthesemealplans.Researchintothevarioushealthbenefitsofalow-GIdietisongoing.LastmedicallyreviewedonApril3,2019DiabetesType2Nutrition/DietObesity/WeightLoss/FitnessMedicallyreviewedbyKatherineMarengoLDN,R.D.—WrittenbyLanaBurgessonApril3,2019LatestnewsCholesterolresearch:Doesindustryfundingskewresults?Dementia:Canprobioticsimprovecognitivefunction?HowCOVID-19ischangingresearchandhealthcareGenitaltouchandthefemalebrain:NewstudyshedslightSpinachteeth,soapycilantro:ThesciencebehindweirdfoodphenomenaRelatedCoverageAreeggsgoodforpeoplewithdiabetes?MedicallyreviewedbyKatherineMarengoLDN,R.D.Eggsareagoodsourceofproteinforpeoplewithdiabetes.Theycontainlittlecarbohydrateandmayimprovefastingbloodglucoselevels.Learnmore…READMOREHowtorecognizethesymptomsofdiabetesMedicallyreviewedbyAlanaBiggers,M.D.,MPHType1andtype2diabetescancausemanyofthesamesymptoms.Recognizingtheearlysymptomscanhelppreventdiabetescomplications.Learnmore…READMOREWhatarethebestnutsfordiabetes?MedicallyreviewedbyKatherineMarengoLDN,R.D.Nutscanhelpimprovetheoutlookforpeoplewithdiabetes.Theyprovidemanynutritionalbenefitsthatcanreducecomplicationsandtheprogression…READMOREWhattoknowabouttype1diabetesMedicallyreviewedbyKellyWood,MDType1diabetesusuallyappearsatayoungeragethantype2,anditisnotpreventable.Ithappenswhenthebodydoesnotproduceenoughinsulin…READMOREWhatisthetruthabouttype2diabetes?MedicallyreviewedbyMariaS.Prelipcean,MDManypeoplehavemisconceptionsabouttype2diabetes.Inthisarticle,wediscussfiveofthecommonmythssurroundingthisconditionandprovidethe…READMORE