Low Gi Diet or Low Carb Diet – Which One Is Best?

These days, most everyone has heard of low carb diets such as
the South Beach and Atkins diet but the GI or glycemic index
diet is a fairly new name on the diet scene. While low carb
diets restrict the quantity of carbohydrates, the GI diet
focuses on the quality of carbohydrates. It works by promoting
the consumption of foods that are low on the glycemic index,
foods which will have a gently effect on your blood sugar levels
and keep you full longer.

A typical low carb diet, has a restrictive phase in the
beginning where your carbohydrate intake is severely limited.
You can eat all the meat you want and fats are also unlimited,
although the South Beach Diet does encourage you to stick to low
fat meats and healthy fats. As the diet progresses, you can
gradually add in more carbohydrates, typically those with a low
glycemic index are also those that are lower in carbs. Although
a low GI diet might be new to you, it has actually been around
since the 1970′s and is used in many European countries to help
manage diabetes. Recently, however, this way of eating has
gotten a lot of attention as a healthy way to control weight.
This diet focuses on carbohydrates – “good carbs” have a low
glycemic index and you should eat plenty of them (incidentally,
these are also the foods that we know to be good for us like
fruits, vegetables and whole grains). “Bad carbs” have a high
glycemic index and should be eaten in moderation and mixed with
the low glycemic index carbs to lower the overall GI of a meal.
Since this diet focuses only on carbs it is very easy for
vegetarians to adopt this way of eating.

In comparison, a low carb diet can be limiting in fruits and
vegetables which are high in vitamins, minerals and enzymes as
well as fiber. Many people associate low carb diets with a
license to eat as much saturated fat as you want, but that
choice is up to the individual so we really can’t fault the diet
for this misconception. A low GI diet is full of fruits,
vegetables, fiber and low in fat but emphasis the good fats
found in nuts. It encourages eating lean meats in moderation.

While we all know that meats and fats are no carb and green
leafy vegetables are low carb, some may not be aware of what
foods have a low glycemic index. Most vegetables (except
potatoes, beets, pumpkin) have a very low GI. Some fruits that
have a low GI include citrus fruits, apples, plums and peaches
while most other fruits have a medium GI value. Oatmeal, most
pasta and whole wheat bread also have a low gi.

So which diet is best?

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 and eating high
fat meats may adversely affect your health and help contribute
to heart disease. That being said, it has also been shown that
being overweight is a major health risk for many diseases so the
best diet is probably one that works for you! Some folks might
respond better to a low carb, others to a low gi. Either way, it
makes sense to make healthy food choices, limit food intake and
exercise for your good health.

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