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Simple Low GI swaps
Here are some simple swaps to help you on your way to eating a better, low GI diet.
Swap those spuds
You don’t have to give up potatoes, just switch to a low GI alternative such as Carisma®, Low Carb Potatoes, or sweet potato. When making mashed potato, replace half the potato with cannellini beans for a low GI option
Go for grain
Instead of buying bakery foods made primarily with white flour (e.g. white bread, crumpets, pikelets), choose grainy breads where you can see the grains, authentic sourdoughs or stoneground wholemeal options
Get a good start
Replace highly processed breakfast cereals with natural muesli, traditional porridge oats or cereals that carry the GI Symbol
Smart snacking
Choose low GI snacks such as fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts and yoghurt, and avoid refined flour products like cookies, crackers and biscuits
Clever combinations
Focus on combining high GI foods with low GI options to achieve a moderate GI and GL. Additionally, certain acids help to lower the GI of some foods so add vinegars to salads, have yoghurt with cereal and squeeze lemon juice on vegetables
Love legumes
Include legumes (such as dried and canned beans, lentils and chickpeas) in your meals two or three times a week, or more if you are a vegetarian. They are all low GI and nutrient rich while providing good levels of protein and fibre. Add them to salads, casseroles or Bolognese, or make a quick and easy dip using canned beans and eat with crunchy vegetables
Quantity control
Keep an eye on the amount and type of rice you eat out and at home. Jasmine and calrose rice varieties are high in GI. Better low GI choices include SunRice Low GI Rice, Senchey Low GI Rice, Moolgiri Rice and basmati as they have a higher portion of the starch amylose that takes longer to break down for better blood glucose management
Dairy good
Most dairy products including milk and yoghurt are low GI and an important source of protein and calcium. For alternative dairy products select calcium-enriched soy milk rather than higher GI rice milk
Wonderful water
Make water your first choice. Avoid sugary drinks and drink no more than one to two glasses of alcohol a day
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LOW GI LIVING
A low GI diet focuses on the quality of carbohydrates you eat. Good carbohydrates (or low GI carbohydrates) are more slowly digested helping keep your blood sugars stable, whereas bad carbohydrates cause your blood glucose levels to peak and crash. Want to know which carbohydrates are best for you? Try our swap it tool!