Low GI diets are easy to apply in practice. They don’t mean restricted variety or increased fat intake. Substituting half of a day’s total carbohydrate with low GI instead of high GI foods on average results in a 15-unit reduction in the overall diet GI.

It can be useful to think of applying low GI principles as a ‘this for that’ approach.

1. Start with a low saturated fat, moderate-to-high carbohydrate diet - based on recognised good nutrition principles (eg healthy eating pyramid, the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating ).

2. Consider the high carbohydrate foods at each meal - choose one low GI food instead of a high GI food for each meal (eg pasta or sweet potato instead of potato, oatmeal instead of a high GI breakfast cereal, apples, oranges and pears instead of tropical fruits, Basmati rice instead of Calrose rice).

Remember:

• Focus on foods that contribute the most carbohydrate - bread, breakfast cereal, potatoes, rice.
• Don’t worry about foods that contribute little carbohydrate, such as carrots and pumpkin.
  
• As most sugar-containing foods have a lower GI than most starchy foods in typical ‘Western’ diets, sugar-containing foods can be enjoyed in moderation.
  
• High fibre foods are not necessarily low GI foods (eg wholemeal bread).
  
• Don’t split hairs. There’s no significant difference between foods with a GI of 30 or 40.

For people with diabetes, low GI diets can improve both glycemic control and quality of life, through being practical and flexible.

• Quality - not just quantity - of carbohydrate is important.
  
• Use the GI rather than the sugar content to assess the quality (GI) of a food.
  
• Number of meals and snacks can be ‘individualised’, as well as preferred serving sizes of carbohydrate foods.
  
• List of low GI foods can be useful - actual GI values are not necessary.
  
• Recipes can be modified to lower GI (eg by ingredient substitution).
  
• Low saturated fat is important.

LinksContact DetailsWhat's NewFeedbackMedia ReleasesSite Map