The Glycemic Index Diet for Dummies - Meri Raffetto [31]
Thanks to the glycemic load, carrots and other high-glycemic fruits and veggies that got such a bad rap aren't considered so bad for you anymore. That's a darn good thing in my book because those same fruits and veggies are loaded with important nutrients.
What should my daily glycemic load be?
You don't want to get so bogged down with numbers that you avoid carbohydrate-containing foods altogether; that's neither a healthy choice nor one that promotes weight loss. To keep yourself on track for weight loss, your glycemic load for the day should be no less than 60 and no greater than 80. (Staying within the 80 to 120 range is ideal for weight maintenance.) Spread this out throughout the day to balance the glycemic load of all of your meals and snacks, aiming for a glycemic load of around 20 per meal.
To lower your daily glycemic load, try
Increasing your intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes
Monitoring portion sizes of high-glycemic, starchy foods (such as white rice, pasta, and white breads) as well as sweets and sugars
If you're one of those people following the old rules, or if you've been leery of following a low-glycemic diet because it puts certain foods such as watermelons in the "bad" category, I'm happy to tell you to take these foods off of your taboo list. The following foods not only have a low glycemic load but are also healthy, low-calorie choices:
Cantaloupe (GI 65; GL 4): This fruit offers a full array of nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and fiber.
Papaya (GI 59; GL 10): This incredible fruit that you may not have eaten much has a rich, tropical taste and is high in vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, folate, magnesium, and fiber.
Pineapple (GI 59; GL 7): Being a tropical fruit, pineapple is naturally loaded with vitamin C, but it also contains a special substance called bromelain, which has shown potential as an anti-inflammatory as well as a digestive aid.
Pumpkin (GI 75; GL 3): I'm happy to report that you can safely include pumpkin in your glycemic index diet thanks to its low glycemic load of 3. This food is an excellent source of vitamins A and C as well as fiber. It's also wonderfully sweet and can be used in everything from soups to healthy desserts. (Head to Chapter 19 for a to-die-for Crustless Pumpkin Pie recipe.)
Watermelon (GI 72; GL 4): This delicious summer fruit may at first look like a high-glycemic food with its glycemic index of 72, but it actually has a very low glycemic load. Why? Because it's made up of a lot of water, hence the name. Watermelon is also loaded in antioxidants with high levels of both vitamin C and vitamin A. It also contains lycopene, which is shown to be helpful for heart health.
When you take glycemic load into account, you find that nearly all fruits and vegetables are acceptable on your low-glycemic diet. This is an important realization because fruits and veggies (which are naturally low in calories) also provide the majority of nutrients and fiber in your diet. Including five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables in your diet will help you lose weight in a way that you can eat plenty of food and not starve yourself!
Checking Out How Glycemic Load Varies among Popular Foods
The information in this section is designed to provide you with some insight into how the glycemic load varies among popular food choices. As you can see in Table 4-2, fruits and vegetables typically end up on the low end whereas the more starchy foods, such as potatoes, rice, and pasta, end up on the medium to high end.
Your goal is to pick low- to medium-glycemic foods most of time.
Notice the different portion sizes and their glycemic load measurement. Some foods are clearly a slam dunk as far as being a healthy choice, but others are a little gray. For example, if you look at spaghetti, you see that it has a medium glycemic load for a portion size of ¾ of a cup.