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Low Glycemic Diet Plan: Healthy Weight With A Healthy Heart | Fitelo

Rebekah Pais

Written by Rebekah Pais

Low Glycemic Diet Plan

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Going on a diet can be beneficial, especially if it requires you to eat healthy foods. One such diet is the low glycemic meal plan, which requires you to select foods that do not cause blood sugar spikes. Unlike popular low-carb and low-fat diets, this one based on the glycemic index scale does not completely eliminate any food group. It has fewer restrictions, which some people may prefer. However, there is considerable doubt about its effectiveness. Everything you need to know about this diet, including a 7-day low glycemic diet plan, is right here.

What Is A Low Glycemic Diet Plan

A low glycemic index diet can be an effective strategy for losing weight in a nutritionally balanced way. It contains a variety of whole grains (rice, oats, and barley), fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins such as fish and chicken breast. This type of diet promotes healthy eating by gradually releasing glucose into your bloodstream, preventing it from the spike and then dropping, leaving you hungry shortly after eating.

Low glycemic index foods help to keep blood sugar levels stable over time, preventing cravings that lead to overeating or snacking throughout the day. You’ll find it easier to stick to this type of meal plan once you’ve gotten used to reading food labels.

Understanding The Glycemic Index 

The Glycemic Index measures how quickly a food (carbohydrate) raises your blood sugar levels. One thing to keep in mind about GI is that proteins and fats do not cause blood sugar to rise. Because they do not contain glucose, low glycemic index foods such as eggs and olive oil have no effect on low glycemic eating.

The following are the measurements for the glycemic index:

  • 0-55 = low
  • 56-69 = medium 
  • 70+ = high

When you eat food with a high glycemic index, your blood sugar will jump quickly, and an hour later, it will fall drastically.

How Does A Low-Glycemic Diet Plan Help With Weight Loss?

A low GI diet is one in which the number of foods with a high glycemic index is limited while the number of foods with a low GI is increased. The idea is that these diets help you lose weight by making you feel fuller for longer periods of time, which reduces your calorie intake in the long run.

However, sticking to a low glycemic diet to lose weight is easier said than done because:

  1. There are no rules for this diet other than eating low-GI foods, so you must do all of your research. Without structure, you must determine how much, what, and when to eat.
  2. You may not be able to find all of the information you require, aside from the fact that not all foods are included in the GI database, there are far too many factors that influence a food’s ranking. It may be impossible to estimate the effect of each food on your blood sugar.
  3. Low GI does not always imply healthy – using the glycemic index to determine whether foods or food combinations are healthy can be deceptive. Watermelon for weight loss has a high GI value, whereas a chocolate cake will have a lower GI value. Potato chips have a lower GI than fat-free potatoes.

Other Benefits Of A Low Glycemic Diet Plan

The key to a low glycemic diet is to consume fewer foods with a lower GI rating. This means you’ll feel fuller for longer and eat fewer sugars, lowering your caloric intake and creating a calorie deficit. Eating in this manner on a regular basis can help with weight loss.

Aside from lowering your overall calorie intake, other advantages of such a plan include increased fiber consumption, which helps to regulate glycemia levels, and increased muscle mass.

1. Increases Fat Burning

When you eat carbohydrates, your body signals the release of insulin to ensure that glucose is absorbed into cells. This causes blood sugar levels to become unstable, stimulating the production of more glycogen (the storage form of glucose) and suppressing fat burning.

Experts believe that a low glycemic diet burns stored fat for energy just as effectively as a high GI diet, but they’re not sure why carbohydrates have a smaller impact on weight. They hypothesize that this is because such a diet reduces stress eating or that insulin sensitivity increases with lower GI levels.

2. Improves Or Increases Hormone Levels

As previously stated, a food’s GI rating is determined by how quickly the glycemic index rises after consumption. As a result, insulin is critical in its effects on hormone levels. Insulin is also known as the fat-storage hormone, so controlling blood sugar levels is an important part of any weight loss plan.

According to research, low GI diets may be beneficial for increasing sex hormones such as testosterone), whereas high GI diets may increase cortisol levels (the stress hormone). Because the latter may contribute to weight gain, lowering it may be one mechanism by which low-GI foods aid in weight loss more effectively than other diet plans.

Can A Low-Glycemic Diet Plan Help Improve Heart Health?

Foods with a low glycemic index are typically abundant in fiber and other heart-healthy elements. For instance, many meals high in fiber also have low amounts of saturated fat, a type of fat that can increase cholesterol levels. Moreover, fiber may lessen inflammation and assist in controlling blood sugar levels, both of which are advantageous for the heart.

A low GI diet can also aid in weight loss or healthy weight maintenance. Obesity issue is a significant risk factor for heart disease. By making you feel full after eating and assisting in blood sugar control, a low GI diet may aid in weight loss.

Check Out Fitelo’s 1-Week Low Glycemic Diet Plan

Below is a sample 7-day low glycemic diet menu showing what a week on this diet looks like:

Low Glycemic Diet Plan
Low Glycemic Diet Plan
Low Glycemic Diet Plan
meals
Low Glycemic Diet Plan
meals
meals

Low Glycemic Diet Plan: Get-Set-Shopping With These Lists

The following list of low GI foods isn’t comprehensive, but it can help you identify low glycemic index carbs and non-carbohydrate items. Reduce your intake of high-GI and middle-GI foods as much as you can. Get the below lists filled in your cart today.

beans and legumes
Fruits
Vegetables

Puneet Fitness Story Who Lost 30Kgs: A Magical Transformation

If you’re looking for motivation then, nothing better than weight loss success stories. We have many such examples who converted their weight loss journeys from impossible to possible. Today, from the list of those impossible stories we have Puneet fitness story who managed to lose 30kgs without any exercise. 

The Bottom Line

The low glycemic food plan is an excellent method to get used to good eating, even though it doesn’t result in noticeably more weight loss than other diets. Start with this low-GI food plan for seven days. Remember to limit processed foods, eat slowly to promote digestion, stick to lean, plant-based proteins and carbohydrate rich food, and stop eating when you feel satisfied.

Fun Fact

Choose a healthy snack to munch on for your evening bites. We found out that 1 little heart biscuit contains fewer calories, fat, carbs, and sugar than digestive biscuits. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Does A Low Glycemic Diet Plan Help With Weight Loss?

Ans. Yes, A low glycemic diet could be beneficial for weight loss and diabetes management.

Q. How To Calculate Glycemic Index?

Ans. Follow these 3 easy steps.

  • Calculate the number of carbohydrates in each serving of your meal.
  • Calculate the number of carbs that each meal component contributes to the overall meal.
  • Add the predefined GI of each meal component to the proportions for those components.

Q. What Is The Normal Glycemic Index?

Ans. Low GI: 1 to 55. Medium GI: 56 to 69. High GI: 70 and higher

Q. What Is The Lowest Glycemic Rice?

Ans. Wholegrain Basmati rice has the lowest glycemic index of any rice variety, which indicates that once digested, it releases its energy slowly and helps to stabilize blood sugar levels, an important aspect of managing diabetes.

Contact Us Today

We’re never leaving you hanging with doubts, queries, as well as confusing questions. We understand how all this information gets really overwhelming as well as a little confusing on your way to a healthy lifestyle. Hence, you can always contact us at any time as our experts are here to guide you 24/7. Also, we will help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Disclaimer

This blog post was written to help you to make healthy and better food choices altogether. So, be aware and take care. The important thing to consider is your own health before starting a diet that is restrictive. Always seek advice from a doctor/dietitian before starting if you have any concerns.

Eat Healthy, Live Healthy as well as Enjoy a long happy life

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