Low GI Foods - Health Benefits

The Health Benefits of Low GI Foods

Lowering blood glucose levels through a low GI (glycemic index) diet can have many health benefits including reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, reducing weight and reducing cholesterol levels.

High blood glucose levels are linked to a number of conditions including:

• cardiovascular disease
• heart attack
• hypertension
• stroke
• nerve disease
• eye disease
• kidney disease

However, there is a risk that a low GI diet can lead to inadequate nutrition if the focus is exclusively on consuming low glycemic index foods. This could result in a calorifically high diet, rich in fat, low in carbohydrates and low in fiber.

A better dietary practice would be to use glycemic load as a guide for controlling portion sizes. High glycemic index foods require smaller portions to regulate glycemic load whilst lower GI foods require larger portions to regulate GL.

To raise consumption of low GI foods in a diet, eating high fiber cereals such as barley, bran and oats can be effective or adding berries, cinnamon, flaxseed and nuts to high GI cereals.