Healthy_Food_Guide_UK_-_January_2020

THE DIET IN ANUTSHELL

If you find yourselfona rollercoasterof

energy highs andlows,it canhelptobase

your meals aroundsensibleservingsof

complex carbohydrates(seeGetWiseon

Portions, p22). Complexcarbsaredigested

slowly, so may helpevenoutbloodsugar

levels which, in turn,willmakeyoufeel

more energised. Thisisbecausetheyhave

a low glycaemic index(GI).

The GI of a foodindicatesthespeedat

which it raises bloodsugaraftereating

relative to a drinkofpureglucose.The

higher the figure(pureglucosebeing100),

the higher the GI.Foodswitha GIof 70 and

over are high, thosebetween 56 and 69 are

medium and thoseunder 56 arelow.Thisdiet

can be particularlyhelpfulif youexperience

‘reactive hypoglyceamia’,whichleavesyou

feeling trembly andsweatyaftereating

refined carbohydrates.

WHAT’S ON THE MENU?

■ Low-GI starchycarbsincludeoats,barley,

sourdough bread,tortillawraps,speciality

grain breads, pasta,udonandricenoodles.

Teff, buckwheat andpearlbarleyalsoqualify.

■ Other low-GI foodsincludequinoa,sweet

potatoes (low-GIwhenboiled),unsweetened

dairy milk and yogurt,mostvegetablesand

some fruits – includingapples,pears,

oranges, peaches,berriesandmediumripe

bananas. However,fruitslikedatesand

watermelon – andfruitjuices arehighGI.

■ Pasta is better eatencoldasitsstarch

becomes less digestibleandtheGIislowered.

This is still the caseif thepastaisreheated.

WHAT A TYPICALDAY’S

MENU PLAN COULDLOOKLIKE

Breakfast 140g avocadoon2 slices

sourdough toast.

Snack 30g dark chocolate.

Lunch 1 tortilla wrapfilledwithhummus

and tomato salsa.

Snack 1 banana and30ghandfulalmonds.

Dinner Spaghettivongoleanda biggreen

salad with frenchdressing,followedby

low-fat fromage fraiswithberries.

To t a l 1,793kcal and18gfreesugars(butall

of these are low GI).

WILL THIS DIETSUITYOU?

Generally, low-GIeatingisgoodforourhealth.

But if your energylevelshavebeenlowfora

while, check withyourGPforunderlying

nutritional causessuchaslowironorvitaminD.

HEALTH ISSUE LOW ENERGY

The

Low-GI

diet

If your energy levels

peak and trough, eating

to keep blood sugar

stable may help

GO EAT

Forrecipesto

helpstabilise

your blood

sugar,see

p59–p60

9

SUPER DIETS