What meals are low on the glycemic index

20 Low GI Recipes To Lose Weight And Reduce Inflammation

Last updated on February 5th, 2023 at 07:46 pm

Low glycemic diets are shown to improve your health, reduce inflammation and prevent disease. Today Im sharing some of my favorite healthy low GI recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as some tips to follow on a low GI diet. These healthy recipes have a low glycemic load and can help you lose weight, improve blood sugar control and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

The low-glycemic meals in this collection are satisfying and full of flavor. Theyre packed with healthy ingredients and antioxidants to help you reduce oxidative stress and damage which is the common denominator in all chronic diseases.

Low Glycemic Diet

The low glycemic diet emphasizes the consumption of foods that have a lower glycemic index. The glycemic index is a scale from 0 to 100 which ranks carbohydrates in the food you consume based on how fast they raise your blood sugar. Foods with a GI rating below 55 are considered low glycemic, between 56 and 69 medium glycemic, and foods with a GI of 70 are high-glycemic foods.

This number is important to know, because rapid blood sugar spikes make your pancreas create too much insulin. The emphasis here is on too much. Because that insulin then helps remove the sugar from your blood and transport it into the cells, so that they can use it for energy. The thing is, the body needs to keep the blood sugar levels pretty tight and when theres too much insulin that cleans up most of the sugar in your blood you end up with low blood sugar aka sugar crash. This then leads to cravings and wanting to eat more.

If you repeat that cycle over and over and over again, long enough you end up with insulin resistance and weight gain, which then can turn into all the chronic diseases that involve these conditions.

So, long story short the glycemic index basically gives you an idea of the quality of the carbohydrates you eat. You want to eat carbohydrates that raise your blood sugar slowly. Thats the low glycemic foods. In general, low glycemic foods are naturally rich in fiber, vitamins and antioxidants and include mostly fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs, spices, some whole grains and high-protein foods like fish, chicken and tofu.

Why A Low Glycemic Load Diet

Some of the benefits of a low glycemic diet include improved blood sugar levels, weight loss and reduced risk for heart disease, diabetes and even certain cancers.

High glycemic diets, on the other hand, are linked to increased risk for metabolic syndrome, the development of acne, diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers and overall death. (source)

The reason, Ive been looking more and more into this way of eating lately is that diabetes and insulin resistance run like crazy on both sides of my family and Im pretty scared of it. I wouldnt be able to pull through a full on low carb diet, I also dont think its the healthiest thing and I know for sure it is not for everyone. Its definitely not for me. So Im trying to do something more nutritionally balanced, sustainable and really healthy, since I want to have children over the next few years and I want my body to be best prepared for that time.

I know for a fact the females in my family are prone to having gestational diabetes, then after the baby is born insulin resistance and significant weight gain that doesnt magically disappear through breastfeeding. So, Im basically just trying to get ready the best I can and see if the lifestyle changes I want to focus on like walking more, sleeping enough, not sitting for longer periods of time and following a healthy low glycemic diet with focus on reducing inflammation can actually help or not. I dont know, but its worht a try and I want to do the best I can.

Now, I am currently, for the most part, following a gluten and dairy-free diet (I do add some Parmesan and feta to my salads occasionally), but many of the recipes below are just gluten-free and incorporate some dairy. I will be adjusting these and I encourage you to do the same for your specific food intolerances.

More Than Just The Glycemic Index

Whats more important than the glycemic index of food is the glycemic load of your meals. The glycemic load takes into account the glycemic index of the food and how much you eat of it. Because, sure, a certain food might have a low glycemic load, but if you eat too much of it, it can still result in high blood sugar. So, the story isnt just done by what you eat, its how much and how you eat it.

Another thing to consider is that certain foods like nuts and apple cider vinegar can also affect your blood sugar when consumed with high-glycemic index foods. For example, its been shown that the addition of peanuts and vinegar to a high glycemic food can reduce the glucose response by up to 55%. (source)

Its also about how you prepare your food. In general, baking increases the glycemic index of foods. For example, a sweet potato boiled for 30 minutes has a GI of 46 which is low, but if you bake that sweet potato, it has a GI of 82, which is high. (source)

Now lets get into the low glycemic recipes.

Low GI Breakfast Recipes

These are some of my favorite breakfasts and they just happen to also be low GI friendly! And yes, there is also a pancake recipe.

Refreshing and super tasty! The ingredients for this low-glycemic breakfast idea include chia seeds, nut milk, honey and fruit.

These fluffy pancakes are a great way to start your mornings. You can make them with some blanched almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, maple syrup or honey and an egg.

Smoothies are a great way to start your mornings, theyre energizing and super easy to make. This healthy green smoothie is made with spinach, banana and almond butter.

Overnight oats are a great easy healthy breakfast idea that has a low glycemic load. The best part about it is that you can make the night before. For a filling breakfast, top with some nut butter and fruit.

If youre craving a more savory low-GI breakfast, make a crustless quiche like this one. You dont really need to add the cream cheese if you do not want to, you can keep it dairy-free and it will still turn out delicious.

Yes, you can even enjoy some breakfast cookies on a Low GI diet! Made with nut butter, dark chocolate, some honey or maple syrup, oats, seeds and shredded coconut these no-bake breakfast cookies are packed with fiber and essential vitamins and minerals.

If youre not that hungry in the morning, this green smoothie is a great choice for a low-glycemic breakfast. Its such a healthy, nutritious breakfast option.

Side note: Youll notice that some of the recipes contain honey or maple syrup, which are high-glycemic foods. Yet, as we already discussed, theyre added in very small amounts to provide some sweetness and are therefore okay for a low GI diet. You can however use stevia or other carb-free sweeteners if you want to avoid these foods completely.

Low GI Lunch Ideas

These healthy low-GI lunch recipes are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and protein!

Make the chickpeas and hummus for these low-GI lunch bowls ahead of time and youll be having a delicious healthy lunch every day!

These Mediterranean lettuce wraps are perfect when youre looking for a lighter, yet protein-packed lunch to keep you going!

Omit the feta cheese to make this filling Mediterranean salad with chickpeas, chicken and vegetables dairy-free! Its packed with flavor and freshness!

Cook up some chicken and serve it with some canned beans, broccoli and avocado! These delicious power bowls are great for dinner too!

The recipe for these Mediterranean salmon bowls is one of the most popular recipes on this blog. I know why its absolutely divine and so satiating! Great dinner option as well, this is a must-try low GI recipe.

Another great option if youre looking for a more filling, high-protein and high-fiber lunch recipe! This low-glycemic salad recipe is packed with shrimp, chickpeas and fresh vegetables.

Make it in 10 minutes with some cooked quinoa, chopped olives, herbs and vegetables! Easy, nutritious and refreshing vegan lunch salad!

Fast & Easy Low GI Dinner Recipes

These low-glycemic weeknight dinners are fast, easy and delicious!

When it comes to quick low GI recipes, this one is an obvious choice. You have to try it, especially if you love fried rice, but want a more high-fiber and nutritious meal overall!

If you love anything coconut curry with a hint of lime leaves or lemongrass, you need this low carb light, creamy and spicy soup! Its one of the most wonderful low-GI recipes!

Easy to meal prep and made with chicken, chickpeas, cabbage, tomatoes and cucumbers!

This is one of my favorite low-glycemic recipes. These salmon lettuce wraps are perfect for dinner and so easy to make, youre going to love the flavors!

For those days when you need a hearty lentil soup! Watch your servings with this one sometimes I tend to overeat on lentil soup and it can result in higher blood glucose. Yeah, you read that rightjust saying

If youve got too many cans at home, put them to use with this easy, spicy and filling meal prep recipe!

Best And Worst Foods To Eat On A Low GI Diet

If you need a list of the glycemic load of common foods, you can find one here. In general, these foods are great for preparing healthy low GI recipes!

Best Foods

In general, the best foods to eat on a low GI diet, so you can improve your health and reduce inflammation are:

• leafy greens and cruceferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, arugula, spinach
• other vegetables like carrots, peppers, tomatoes, avocados, zucchini, cucumbers, radish
• all herbs and spices like parsley, basil, cilantro, turmeric, ginger, black pepper, cumin
• nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, cashews, flaxseed
• fruit like raspbrerries, strawberries, blackberries, apples, lemons, pears, peaches,
• whole grains like barley
• legumes like chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans and lentils

For some more protein in your diet make sure to also include foods like fish, chicken, eggs, some dairy, tofu and other soy-based products in moderation. These foods will help keep you satisfied and prevent you from overeating when youre consuming fewer carbohydrates.

Foods In Moderation

• starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes or pumpkin
• sweet fruit like bananas, mango, pineapple, grapes and melons
• whole grains like quinoa, oats, bulgur and whole grain pasta
• maple syrup and honey

Foods To Avoid

• low fiber and refined foods like white rice, white flour and sugar
• fruit juices like orange juice and
• potatoes
• other refined foods like cereal
• many grains have a naturally higher glycemic index
• fried or baked foods like bread, cookies, cakes, baked sweet potatoes, potatoes, pumpkinin general if a food has more carbohydrates, you dont want to bake it

More Healthy Recipes:

Well, I hope you found some new healthy low-glycemic recipe ideas that you can add to your low GI diet. I hope you learned something new and if youre looking for more healthy recipes, check these out:

Published in October 2021 and updated in February 2023.