What is the Glycemic Index?

What is the Glycemic Index?

Not all carbohydrate foods are created equal, in fact they behave quite differently in our bodies. The glycemic index or GI describes this difference by ranking carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels. Choosing low GI carbs - the ones that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels - is the secret to long-term health, reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes, and is the key to sustainable weight loss.

What are the Benefits of the Glycemic Index?

Eating a lot of high GI foods can be detrimental to health—it pushes the body to extremes. This is especially true if you are overweight and sedentary. Switching to eating mainly low GI carbs that slowly trickle glucose into your blood stream keeps energy levels balanced and means you will feel fuller for longer between meals.

Low GI diets help people lose and control weight

Low GI diets increase the body's sensitivity to insulin

Low GI carbs improve diabetes control

Low GI carbs reduce the risk of heart disease

Low GI carbs reduce blood cholesterol levels

Low GI carbs can help you manage the symptoms of PCOS

Low GI carbs reduce hunger and keep you fuller for longer

Low GI carbs prolong physical endurance

High GI carbs help re-fuel carbohydrate stores after exercise

How to Switch to a Low GI Diet

The basic technique for eating the low GI way is simply a "this for that" approach - ie, swapping high GI carbs for low GI carbs. You don't need to count numbers or do any sort of mental arithmetic to make sure you are eating a healthy, low GI diet.

Use breakfast cereals based on oats, barley and bran

Use breads with wholegrains, stone-ground flour, sour dough

Reduce the amount of potatoes you eat

Enjoy all other types of fruit (in strict moderation) and vegetables

Use Basmati or Doongara rice

Enjoy whole grain pasta, noodles, quinoa

Eat plenty of salad vegetables with a vinaigrette dressing

Here are a couple great recipes to make the “switch” so doable:

Smashed Tomatoes and Penne

This recipe allows 2 ½ oz pasta per person which is plenty for a light meal or ‘i primi’ – first course. With pasta, take notice of cooking times the manufacturer suggests, but ignore the suggested serving size. There is almost always too much pasta for a single meal, sometimes suggesting you use 500 g pasta for four people! That’s serious carb overload, so watch it! Serves 4

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 lb (1 dry pint) grape (cherry) tomatoes, washed and cut in half lengthwise
8 oz penne or other short pasta
1 tablespoon kosher salt

In medium-sized pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium–low heat for one minute. Add garlic and tomatoes; stir well; cover pan and let simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat and, with back of a wooden spoon or fork, lightly smash tomatoes.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of 2–3 quarts of water boil; add salt and cook pasta for 10–11 minutes until al dente, following packet instructions. Do not overcook. Drain pasta and add it to tomatoes and garlic. Drizzle remaining olive oil over pasta mixture; stir ‘til well combined; serve immediately. Top with fresh basil and freshly grated romano cheese (optional).

Per serving
1487 kJ/ 354 calories; 7 g protein; 15 g fat (includes 2 g saturated fat and 0 mg cholesterol); 51 g carbohydrate; 3 g fibre

Download this recipe.

Seafood Paella

‘Eat fish and seafood’ is the message from the Mediterranean diet and here’s a great recipe that’s a complete meal in a bowl to get you started. Brigid Treloar (Sydney, Australia) created it. You can use medium grain Doongara Clever Rice to reduce the GI and replace the chorizo with one cup sliced mushrooms. Serves 4–6

3 1/2 cups fish or vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 chorizo sausage, thinly sliced (optional)
1 small red capsicum, seeded and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or paprika
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 cups rice
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup green peas (optional)
14 oz pkg seafood marina mix
1 lemon, cut in wedges
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

Heat the stock and saffron together in a saucepan.

Saute the chorizo (if you are using it), capsicum, onion, garlic in the oil in a frying pan over medium heat, 5 minutes. Add paprika and tomatoes; cook 5 minutes. Stir in rice, hot stock, and season with black pepper; simmer gently, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add peas and cook 3 minutes. Add the Seafood Medley (or marinara mix), cover, and cook for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat, garnish with the lemons and parsley and cover with a clean tea towel for 5 minutes to absorb any excess moisture before serving.

Per serving
(based on 6 serves and no chorizo)
1480 kJ/ 352 calories; 23 g protein; 7 g fat (includes 2 g saturated fat and 104 mg cholesterol); 46 g carbohydrate; 3.5 g fibre

Download this recipe.

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