Meri Reffetto

Following a low-glycemic diet for weight loss isn't about deprivation; it's about making better choices and swapping high-glycemic foods for ones that have a lower glycemic index or glycemic load. Once you get the hang of figuring out which foods are the best choices, you can easily shop, cook, and snack the low-glycemic way.

The glycemic index and glycemic load are all about choosing carbohydrate-containing foods wisely and putting them to work for you. These recipes are a good start to eating the low-glycemic way, which results in weight loss, more energy, and better health!Lemon Chicken Salad©Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock.com Chicken salad is a great low-glycemic lunch or dinner that you can pair with a tossed green salad, a slice of sourdough bread or some rye crackers.

Chicken Salad is a great low glycemic lunch or dinner that you can pair with a tossed green salad, a slice of sourdough bread or some rye crackers. Prepare it ahead and have it ready for lunch the next couple of days! ©Cristi Lucaci/Shutterstock.comPreparation time: 15 minutes Yield: 4 servings 3/4 cup finely chopped celery 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise 1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon lemon zest 3 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 green apple, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks Salt and ground black pepper to taste Mix the celery, mayonnaise, yogurt, green onions, tarragon, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a large bowl to blend.

Selecting low-glycemic foods rather than high-glycemic ones is always a good tactic for weight loss. As you begin to make some changes it can feel overwhelming, but your best bet is to take just a few steps forward by making small changes.Eat rice wisely.Choose the types of rice that offer a lower-glycemic load like brown rice, Uncle Ben’s converted white rice, or (if you can find it) Bangladesh rice.

Plenty of myths are floating around about the glycemic index these days. It seems like just about everyone knows something about it and is happy to tell you which foods to eat as well as which high-glycemic foods to avoid. The truth is that measuring the glycemic effect of foods is a highly precise and scientific process that requires specific testing.

Seafood isn’t just a lean protein source — it’s also the best way to get in your omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are beneficial for heart health and your mood; they also work as a powerful anti-inflammatory. The big problem is many people don’t get enough omega-3s in their diet. Although no recommended daily allowance for fats currently exists, an acceptable daily intake is about 1.

Whether you are a solid home cook or you've never boiled water, it's always helpful to have a few sample throw-together meals handy. Preparing and cooking healthy meals at home isn't necessarily time consuming. Many home-cooked meals take less time than it takes to go through the drive-through or make a boxed mix like Hamburger Helper.

Fruit sometimes (and undeservingly!) gets a bad rap because it's a sweet, natural source of carbohydrates. That's unfortunate, because fruits are quite good for you — they provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals to promote overall health. The glycemic index and glycemic load can help you make sound decisions about the healthiest types of fruits to enjoy.

Carbohydrates are a big topic in the world of weight loss and a glycemic index diet. Numerous diets call for modifying your carbohydrate intake in some way. The problem is, not all carbs are created equal, so you can't treat them equally. You've probably heard or read about simple versus complex carbohydrates, fiber content, white versus whole grain, and so on.