Glycemic Index Articles

Article / Updated 07-09-2019

To make these low-glycemic blueberry oatmeal muffins, you just add oats to a traditional recipe. The result is a wonderful, tasty muffin that’s perfect as part of your low-glycemic breakfast or as a healthy snack. The oats, oat flour, and blueberries provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and cancer. Low-Glycemic Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 15–17 minutes Yield: 12 servings Nonstick cooking spray 1 cup oat-bran flour 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup quick oats 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 cup frozen blueberries, unsweetened 1 cup lowfat milk 1 egg plus 1 egg white, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 tablespoons canola oil Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray (or you can use paper muffin liners). In a large bowl, combine the oat-bran flour, all-purpose flour, quick oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and sugar, and mix with a spoon. Add the frozen blueberries, and mix well. In a medium bowl, combine the milk, eggs, vanilla, and oil, and blend well with a spoon. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, and stir until the dry ingredients are moist. Fill the cups of the muffin pan 3/4 full, and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Per serving: Calories 156 (From Fat 40); Glycemic Load 15 (Medium); Fat 5g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 19mg; Sodium 73mg; Carbohydrate 25g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 4g.

Article / Updated 06-24-2016

Choosing recipes that are low to medium glycemic and lower in fat and calories is a great way to help you achieve your health and wellness goals. However, eating the appropriate portion sizes is also crucial when you cook glycemic index–based recipes; eating larger amounts of carbohydrates can raise the glycemic load of that recipe and increase the calorie level. Use the following estimates to help you serve the right amounts of your delicious lower-glycemic dishes: A 3-ounce portion of poultry, beef, fish, or pork is equivalent to the size of a deck of cards. A 1-ounce portion of cheese is the size of a domino. A medium fruit is the size of a tennis ball. A cup of vegetables is the size of a baseball. Half a cup of grains is about the size of the palm of your hand (unless you have gigantic hands!).

Article / Updated 06-24-2016

One of the simplest steps in adopting a low-glycemic lifestyle is looking at the foods and recipes you already like to cook and eat. You may find that some are naturally low glycemic and don't need any changes; others may need a little tweaking to fit your new lifestyle. Use the following tips to help you turn a high-glycemic favorite into a low-glycemic meal: Replace higher-glycemic ingredients with lower-glycemic alternatives. For example, if your favorite stir-fry recipe calls for jasmine rice, you can easily change it to brown rice with little effect on the overall recipe. Use smaller portions of high- and medium-glycemic foods. For example, if your favorite stew calls for white potatoes, which are high glycemic, you can easily include them but use a smaller amount and increase the amount of other low-glycemic vegetables in the dish. Add healthy low-glycemic foods to any dish. Instead of eating a dish entirely made up of pasta, add some low-glycemic veggies like broccoli or bell peppers, and/or add some protein like chicken or salmon. Doing so decreases the amount of pasta you're eating to lessen your glycemic load for that meal.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 06-24-2016

Cooking low-glycemic foods is a wonderful tool for overall health, but it's especially beneficial for weight management and insulin resistance. Understanding the glycemic index and glycemic loads of foods, using appropriate portion sizes, sprucing up your favorite recipes, and using low-glycemic cooking techniques can start you on your way to successfully meeting all your health goals.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Before you start cooking up recipes that follow the glycemic index diet, you need to know the difference between the glycemic index and the glycemic load: The glycemic index (GI) places foods on a scale of 0 to 100, based on how fast they raise blood glucose (also known as blood sugar) levels. Foods that raise blood sugar quickly have higher GI numbers than foods that take longer to affect blood sugar. Here's the range of glycemic index measurements: GI of 55 or less = Low GI of 56 to 69 = Medium GI of 70 or more = High The glycemic load (GL) goes one step further: This measurement applies the glycemic index to the amount of food you're going to eat. You simply multiply the glycemic index of a food by the amount of carbs (in grams) in the food, and then you divide by 100. Here's the range of glycemic load measurements: GL of 10 or less = Low GL of 11 to 19 = Medium GL of 20 or more = High

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Identifying low-glycemic foods to eat is the first step; the second step is discovering ways to cook them so that you enjoy making them part of your daily meals. Use the following tips on cooking low-glycemic grains, beans, lentils, and vegetables to help you get started: Grains: Pearl barley, quinoa, and wild rice are all examples of lower-glycemic grains. They sound good enough, but how do you cook them? Essentially, all you have to do is cook them like you cook white rice; just remember to vary the cooking time according to the type of grain you're making. Simply add some water or broth, a few teaspoons of oil, and your grain to a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and simmer. To find out how much water or broth to add and how long to simmer, check out the instructions on the grain's package. Beans: You can purchase beans either canned or dry. Canned beans are ready to go as they are. Just give them a quick rinse, and add them to your recipes or eat them right away on a salad. Dry beans take a little more work, but they offer more flavor than their canned counterparts. To fix dry beans, you first need to soak the beans, either by putting them in a large pot of water overnight or by bringing a pot of water to boil, removing it from heat, adding your beans, and soaking them for 3 to 4 hours. Discard the soaking water when they're done, and then start adding your beans to recipes. If you're cooking dry beans by themselves, you can do so either in a stockpot or in a pressure cooker. To cook them in a stockpot, fill the pot with water and add the beans so they're covered by the water. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 1 to 1 ½ hours. To cook them in your pressure cooker, follow the manufacturer's directions. You generally fill the cooker only half full, and although the cooking time depends on how long you've soaked the beans, it should take only about 10 to 15 minutes. Lentils: Although many people think cooking lentils is like cooking beans, it's actually more like cooking grains. Simply add 1 cup of dry lentils to 1 ½ cups boiling water or broth, boil for about 3 minutes, turn down the heat, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. You don't have to soak lentils prior to cooking like you do dry beans. Vegetables: Before you cook with any vegetables, make sure to wash them in water. Then to maintain a lower glycemic index measurement and retain more nutrients, try cooking your vegetables al dente (or a little crisp). Cook your veggies by steaming, grilling, or roasting; just avoid frying so you don't add a lot of calories and fat.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Sautéing vegetables is a step up from boiling and steaming them. And you can keep this carrot dish low on the glycemic scale with a bit of olive oil and not too much butter. You don’t necessarily need a recipe to sauté veggies; for example, you can sauté some asparagus or spinach in a little oil and just sprinkle a little salt on top. The trick is to avoid going overboard with the oil, or you’ll end up with a boatload of calories. Limit your oil to a few teaspoons for veggies. Low-Glycemic Sautéed Carrots with Rosemary Honey Glaze Preparation time: 2 minutes Cooking time: 14 minutes Yield: 4 servings 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 pound baby carrots Salt and pepper to taste 1 teaspoon butter 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 1 tablespoon honey In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, and sprinkle them with salt and pepper to taste. Sauté the carrots until they begin to brown at the edges, about 12 minutes. Add the butter, rosemary, thyme, and honey to the sautéed carrots, and toss to coat them evenly. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the carrots are glazed and tender enough to pierce with a fork, about 2 minutes. Season the glazed carrots with more salt and pepper to taste, if desired, and serve. Per serving: Calories 93 (From Fat 21); Glycemic Load 3 (Low); Fat 2g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 206mg; Carbohydrate 17g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 2g.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Vegetables are a major component of a low-glycemic diet, so eats lots of them. This low-glycemic recipe for wilted spinach with pine nuts perks up your palate with a bright lemon-dijon dressing. Prevent food boredom by trying new recipes like this one! The dressing in this recipe has lots of pizzazz — so much that you may not need to add all of it; the lemon flavor is strong. Also, you can use pistachios in place of the pine nuts — they’re also delicious. Low-Glycemic Wilted Spinach with Lemon and Pine Nuts Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 3–4 minutes Yield: 4 servings 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 to 4 tablespoons) 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar One 10-ounce bag prewashed baby spinach 1/4 cup pine nuts Salt to taste In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, thyme, Dijon mustard, and vinegar. Set aside. In a large saucepan with a steamer basket, steam the spinach over water, put the lid on, and turn the heat up to medium-high. Cook until the spinach just wilts, about 3 to 4 minutes. (You don’t want soggy spinach, so make sure you take it out as soon as it starts to wilt.) Use a pair of tongs to remove the spinach from the steamer, and place it in a medium serving bowl; gently toss the spinach with the lemon-oil dressing until it’s coated evenly. Add the pine nuts, salt to taste, and serve. Per serving: Calories 142 (From Fat 100); Glycemic Load 0 (Low); Fat 11g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 267mg; Carbohydrate 10g (Dietary Fiber 4g); Protein 4g.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Half a cup of quinoa has a glycemic load of around 9, making it a great and tasty low-glycemic option. Quinoa is a protein-rich grain that has a creamy texture and a nutty taste, which makes it a great base for this veggie-and-pine-nut recipe. It cooks as easily as rice and is one of the only plant-based foods that provide a complete protein (including all nine essential amino acids). Low-Glycemic Quinoa with Veggies and Toasted Pine Nuts For the best outcome, chop all the vegetables the same size. Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 15–20 minutes Yield: 6 servings 1/3 cup pine nuts 2 cups vegetable broth 1 cup quinoa, rinsed 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1/2 cup diced zucchini 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried parsley 1 teaspoon dried oregano Salt and pepper to taste 3 green onions, chopped 6 lemon wedges Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the pine nuts on a cookie sheet, and bake for about 2 minutes; give them a quick stir, and then cook an additional 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove the nuts from the oven, place them into a small bowl, and set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a boil over medium-high heat and add the quinoa. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, until the quinoa is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. While the quinoa is cooking, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook until the garlic browns, about 30 seconds. Add the red bell pepper, zucchini, and onions to the garlic-oil mixture, and continue cooking over medium heat until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the basil, parsley, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook for 1 more minute. Then stir in the cooked quinoa, green onions, and pine nuts. Divide the quinoa on 6 plates to serve, and squeeze the juice of one lemon wedge onto each serving. Per serving: Calories 199 (From Fat 72); Glycemic Load 9 (Low); Fat 8g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 260mg; Carbohydrate 27g (Dietary Fiber 4g); Protein 7g.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Potatoes au gratin is a creamy, cheese-spiked potato dish that may not sound compatible with a low-glycemic diet. You just need to know how to choose and eat your potatoes to make them a little lower in the glycemic department. Russet potatoes have one of the highest glycemic loads of any plant-based food, but potatoes in general are also loaded with healthy nutrients like fiber and vitamin C. By using medium-glycemic potatoes like new potatoes (the little red, gold, and purple thin-skinned varieties) instead of russets — or by reducing the number of potatoes in your dish and increasing the number of other ingredients, you can enjoy your low-glycemic lifestyle and eat potatoes. In this recipe, any new variety of new potato works well; and if you can’t find Jarlsberg or Emmentaler cheese, you can use a basic Swiss cheese. Low-Glycemic Potato and Squash Gratin Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour, 10 minutes, plus resting Yield: 6 servings 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, stems removed, chopped Nonstick cooking spray 1 butternut squash, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch cubes 4 large new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch round slices 1 medium onion, finely chopped Salt to taste Black pepper to taste 2 cups fat-free half-and-half 1/3 cup coarsely grated Jarlsberg or Emmentaler cheese Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine the thyme and rosemary. Set aside. Spray a 9-x-13-inch glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place the squash, potatoes, and onions in the baking dish, and mix well. Sprinkle the veggies with the thyme and rosemary, and toss to coat evenly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Firmly press down on the squash and potatoes with a large spatula to evenly disperse them in the pan. Slowly pour the half-and-half over the top and down the sides of the dish, adding just enough to barely cover the vegetables so that you still see just their tops — you may need less than 2 cups. Cover the baking dish with foil, and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove the foil, and sprinkle with the cheese. Continue to bake, uncovered, for 10 to 20 more minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, the cream is nearly absorbed, and the top is lightly browned. Let the veggies au gratin rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Per serving: Calories 278 (From Fat 18); Glycemic Load 18 (Medium); Fat 2g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 4mg; Sodium 211mg; Carbohydrate 54g (Dietary Fiber 6g); Protein 9g.