Dining Out – The Low GI Way

5 December 2023

Dining Out – The Low GI Way

Low GI foods and lifestyle

Is it possible to dine out without blowing your low GI diet? The simple answer is yes! We have taken the guesswork out of what to choose on a menu by providing healthy alternatives for the most common international dishes. Keep in mind, if you only eat out occasionally, then it is perfectly fine to order what you like from the menu. However, if it is a regular occurrence, then try these tips below, which can help you keep on track with a low GI eating plan.

Whether it is a café, pub, restaurant or club, there are many occasions where we swap home cooking for a dining experience. Does this automatically mean we are unable to make a healthy choice? Is it possible to eat, drink and be merry without blowing your low GI diet?

Dietitian, Rebecca McPhee, takes you on a tour around the world, providing healthy alternatives for common international dishes. Keep in mind, if you only eat out occasionally, then it is perfectly fine to order what you like from the menu. However, if it is a regular occurrence, then try these tips below, which can help you keep on track with a low GI eating plan.

Swap foods to low GI varieties

Drop deep fried foods e.g., chips, battered fish, spring rolls, dim sims, fried rice

Add salad or vegetables to your meal

Reduce portion of carbs e.g.: small rice serving, entrée size pasta, one slice bread/half a bread roll

ITALIAN

Low GI features:	Pasta cooked ‘al-dente’ Legumes e.g., cannellini beans in minestrone soup Sourdough bread The use of vinegar or lemon/lime juice (which lowers the glycemic index of a meal) e.g., balsamic vinegar in salads or lemon on seafood Combining a protein with your carbohydrate e.g., meat in a pasta dish
Instead of:	Cream based sauces e.g., Alfredo, cabonara, bosciaola, lasagne Pizza – large, thick based pizza; fatty meat toppings e.g., pizza salami, bacon and peperoni Garlic bread with butter
Go for:	Antipasto – olives, grissini (bread sticks) rather than large serves bread If ordering bread, go for a small serve of wood fired/sourdough bread with a side of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip in Soup e.g., minestrone Small serves of pasta and risotto with a red sauce e.g., cacciatore, marsala, marinara Cannelloni filled with ricotta and spinach Barbecued or marinaded seafood dishes Protein cooked in olive oil with vegetables e.g., fish, veal, chicken, beef House salads with olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing e.g., Caprese, Garden salad Share a thin-based pizza with tomato based sauce. Choose leaner protein toppings and extra vegetables

GREEK

Low GI features:

Legumes in soup and dips
Pasta cooked ‘al-dente’
Nihaki Rice – long grain rice (medium GI) however usually combined with low GI carbs such as legumes or protein
The use of vinegar or lemon/lime juice (which lowers the glycemic index of a meal) e.g., balsamic vinegar in salads or lemon on seafood
Combining a protein with your carbohydrate e.g., chicken and eggs in a soup made with pasta or rice; dolmades (rice based) with chargrilled protein

Go for:

Meze – tzatziki, chargrilled vegetables e.g., eggplant, olives, grilled sardines
Dolmades (rice wrapped in vine leaves)
Dips – melitzanosalata (eggplant dip), tzatziki, hummus
Soup – Avgolemono, soup made with chicken, lemon, eggs, orzo, pasta or rice; Fakes soupa; lentil soup
Gigandes Plaki – ‘giant beans’ baked with tomato and vegetables
Spanakorizo – spinach with rice
Horta – boiled wild greens
Choriatiki –Greek salad
Souvlaki
Chargrilled protein – chicken, beef, seafood
Prawn saganaki

FRENCH

Low GI features:	Legumes in soups and casseroles Sourdough bread (sometimes available) The use of vinegar or lemon/lime juice (which lowers the glycemic index of a meal) e.g., balsamic vinegar in a Nicoise salad Combining a protein with a carbohydrate e.g., protein fillet with potato; bread with your fish soup (bouillabaisse)
Instead of:	Sauces – beurre blanc, béchamel, hollandaise Café de Paris butter (Paris butter) – butter mixed with herbs usually served on top of steak Frites – fries Au gratin Cassoulet (a rich casserole with legumes, herbs and different cuts of meat)
Go for:	Oysters, tuna tartare, scallops, moules (mussels) Protein, vegetables and sauce e.g., duck, lamb, steak with vegetables Red wine jus (red wine sauce) Salade Niçoise– lettuce, green beans, with tuna, eggs, olives, capers and tomato Ratatouille – stewed vegetables Soup – Bouillabaisse (fish stew), bouillon (broth based soup) Coq au vin – chicken in red wine Boeuf bourguignon – beef in red wine

LEBANESE

Low GI features:	Legumes e.g., chickpeas in hummus and felafel The use of vinegar or lemon juice (which lowers the glycemic index of a meal) e.g., lemon in tabouli salad Combining a protein with your carbohydrate e.g., chargrilled protein with hummus
Instead of:	Falafel and kibbeh are both deep fried (portion caution if ordering)
Go for:	Dips – Babaganoush (eggplant dip), hummus, labnee (thick yoghurt) Salad – tabbouleh, Fattoush – salad with fried pita (watch how much pita chips they serve) Grilled and chargrilled protein e.g., Shish taouk and shish kebab Try a ‘deconstructed kebab’ – order one serve of protein e.g., chicken with tabouli and hummus. Avoid the bread or include a small amount.

VIETNAMESE

Low GI features:	Noodles e.g., thick rice noodles, vermicelli The use of rice wine vinegar or lemon/lime juice (which lowers the glycemic index of a meal) in salads Combining a protein with carbohydrate e.g., Pho soup with rice noodles and chicken or prawns in your rice paper rolls Combining healthy fats with carbohydrate e.g., cashews or peanuts in a stir fry or salad
Go for:	Rice paper rolls Fresh salads e.g., Goi Tom (shrimp salad), Goi muc (squid salad) A meal in one! Rice noodles, vegetables, herbs and protein choice Kho To (clay pot dishes) Stir fries with protein and vegetables

THAI

Low GI features:	Noodles e.g., thick rice noodles The use of rice wine vinegar or lemon/lime juice (which lowers the glycemic index of a meal) in salads Combining a protein with carbohydrate e.g., rice noodles and protein in a stir-fry Combining healthy fats with carbohydrate e.g., cashews or peanuts in a stir fry or salad
Instead of:	Deep fried spring rolls Red and green curry Laksa and Pad Thai Careful of rice portion as jasmine rice is high GI or order noodles
Go for:	Tom yum soup Salads – spicy beef salad, green papaya salad with protein Stir fries with ginger and shallots, chilli, basil, garlic and pepper sauce Whole steamed fish Chicken Larb – stir fried chopped protein with herbs and vegetables

JAPANESE

Low GI features:	Soba and udon noodles Legumes – edamame (soybeans) Combining a protein with carbohydrate e.g., rice and protein in a sushi roll or ramen (soba noodles, protein and vegetables) Rice wine vinegar is used to prepare sushi rice (medium GI), which may lower the Glycemic index.
Go for:	Miso soup Edamame Seaweed salad Sushi and sashimi Protein based choices – teriyaki chicken and salmon. Sauce on the side Ramen (soba noodles, protein and vegetables in a broth)

CHINESE

Low GI features:	Noodles Combining a protein with carbohydrate e.g., rice or noodles and protein in a stir fry Combining healthy fats with carbohydrate e.g., cashews or peanuts in a stir fry
Instead of:	Fried dim sims and dumplings Heavy sauces such as sweet and sour Anything ‘crispy’ (deep fried) Fried rice
Go for:	Steamed dim-sims and dumplings Soup – Chicken and corn soup, clear soups with wontons and vegetables Stir fried protein e.g., fish, seafood, beef, chicken, pork and vegetables based on soy, ginger, garlic or chilli Kung pao chicken (not fried) Buddha’s delight (tofu and vegetables) Moo goo gai pan (chicken stir fry with mushrooms) Boiled rice rather

INDIAN

Low GI features:	Basmati rice Legumes e.g., lentils, chickpeas Combining a protein with carbohydrate e.g., rice and protein skewers Combining healthy fats with carbohydrate e.g., cashews in rice pilaf
Instead of:	Fried samosa and pakora Naan bread Pappadums (or limit to just a few) Butter chicken
Go for:	Basmati rice (small amounts) Roti bread (small amounts) Raita – a great side or condiment made from yoghurt Tandoori proteins (red and charred) Protein skewers Dal (lentils cooked with spices) Masala Bhindi (okra cooked with spices and other vegetables Chana masala (legumes blended with spices) Aloo gobi (cauliflower and potato cooked in spices) Jalfrezi (protein and vegetables cooked in a spicy sauce)

MEXICAN

Low GI features:	Legumes – black beans, pinto beans Corn Red rice, long grain rice (medium GI) however usually combined with low GI carbs such as legumes or protein Sweet potato Combining a protein with carbohydrate e.g., rice or legumes and protein Combining healthy fats with carbohydrate e.g., guacamole with rice or legumes\ The use of vinegar in salads or lemon/lime juice on dishes (which lowers the glycemic index of a meal)
Instead of:	Large amounts of cheese and sour cream Corn chips Refried beans
Go for:	Fish and seafood – ceviche, grilled fish Guacamole Black beans and pinto beans Fajitas with a small portion of tortillas or ask for lettuce leaves instead Burrito bowl Taco salad without the taco shell

AUSTRALIAN PUBS/STEAKHOUSES/SEAFOOD RESTAURANTS

Low GI features:	Combining a protein with carbohydrate e.g., steak or other protein with potato The use balsamic or lemon/lime juice (which lowers the glycemic index of a meal) in salads or on seafood Low GI choices depends on the venue – look out for sourdough bread, sweet potato or legume based dishes
Instead of:	Battered or crumbed fish and seafood Deep fried calamari and chips Chicken schnitzel Ribs Pies Chips Watch sauces e.g., seafood sauce, tartare, cream sauces. Order on the side or choose red wine sauce or gravy
Go for:	Steak (small serve veggies or salad, hold the chips!). Sauce on the side Roast of the day with vegetables. Sauce on the side Soup of the day Ditch the chips and order extra vegetables or salad Look for a protein-based salads and order dressing on the side Grilled fish or pan fried with vegetables or salad Hamburger or steak sandwich – avoid the bread or eat just half a bun Fresh seafood – prawns, oysters, scallops, lobster