Low Gi Diet vs Low Carb Diet

I think of a low gi diet as a healthier more natural alternative to a low carb diet. They are similar in that they both attempt to regulate the rise in blood sugar levels after eating which can help curb cravings and keep you full longer. But after that, the similarities end.

Dieters eating low gi food do this by eating plenty of “good carbs” in each meal. Good carbs are those with a low glycemic index that get digested slowly. These foods are also foods that are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients. It is quite easy for vegetarians to maintain a gi diet.

Dieters adopting a low carb way of eating typically eat a lot of protein and few carbs. This method of eating assumes that all carbs are “bad” and will raise your blood sugar. Some of the very lowest gi carbs are allowed and on most low carb diets you can gradually add in more carbs as you progress from induction to maintenance phase. Since the main food in most of the meals is protein (meat), it is difficult (but not impossible) for a vegetarian to maintain this way of eating.

Most low carb foods are also low gi foods and are acceptable for a gi diet, but many low gi foods are high carbohydrate foods and not acceptable on a low carb diet. This being the case, a low gi way of eating presents more choices in carbohydrate rich foods, but since it focuses on low fat eating it has less in the way of meats, cheese and other foods high in fat.

The table below show an illustrative comparison between a typical low carb diet and the gi diet.

	Low Carb Diet	Low GI Diet
Restrictive Beginning Phase	Yes	No
Restricts Foods	Yes	No
Fiber Intake	Low	High
Fat Intake	High	Low
Fruits/Veggies	Restricted	Unrestricted

Where many people in the health and nutrition profession consider a low carb diet to be unhealthy, most everyone would consider a gi diet to be very healthy. Studies have shown that eating lots of fruits and vegetables can help to bolster your immune system thus allowing you to fight disease. It has also been shown that eating high fat meats may adversely affect your health and help contribute to heart disease.

Either way, being overweight has also been shown to be a major health risk for all diseases so wheter your body responds to a low carb diet or a low gi diet, the key is to get the weight off!

Glycemic Index Food List
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Combining Foods For The GI Index Diet
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Table of Glycemic Index Values For Fruit
All the fruit values we could find .. and still growing.

Table of Glycemic Index Values For Vegetables
All the vegetable values we could find .. and still growing.

Foods Low In Glycemic Index Values
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