Move Over Atkins – Heres Comes The GI Diet

following a Gi diet plan might be the answer to your low carb woes if you are longing for more fiber, fruits and veggies. If you find the Atkins diet a bit too restricting, but like the feeling of more energy and less cravings, then a Glycemic Index (or GI) diet might produce the same results while giving you more food choices.

A GI Diet focuses on foods that have a low glycemic index. These foods take longer for your body to absorb with the result of making you feel full for longer. Similar to a low carb diet, a low gi diet works by causing your body to release a steady stream of sugar into the blood. It also avoids hi GI foods (many of the same foods you must avoid on a low carb diet) which cause a spike in blood sugar that leaves you hungry and reaching for a snack within a short period of time.

The Difference Between Low GI and Low Carb

The biggest difference between a GI diet and a Low Carb diet is that the GI diet allows more carbohydrate rich foods. GI diet plan foods are evaluated as to how slow they are absorbed by the body so may high fiber grains, fruits and vegetables that are forbidden on a strict phase of a low carb diet are “allowed”.

Some foods that might be allowed on a GI diet that are not allowed on a low carb diet include oatmeal (but not the instant), brown rice, ice cream, spaghetti, grapefruit, yogurt and milk. Even dark chocolate is within the boundaries, but most GI diet plans will want you to watch the fat that you consume and of course, if you overeat you will gain weight!

One big difference is that while the low carb diets put an emphasis on meat and fats, the GI diet puts an emphasis on fruits, vegetables and legumes while reducing saturated fat.

GI and Low Carb Similarities

The two types of diets work on the same basic principal and several of the low carb diets do incorporate low glycemic foods into their later phases. With the exception of the first phase which is very restrictive, the South Beach Diet is them most similar to a healthier GI diet.

Learn more about the GI Diet

The Real Reason For Low Carb Success
Is a low carb diet magical, or are you just losing weight becuase you are eating less?

Low Carb Milk
Finally, a dairy drink with Only 3g carbs

Atkins Fad Diet - Fact or Fiction
Is it really just a fad?

Make An Easy Low Carb Meal
With Low Carb Bread

Slow Sales For Low Carb Diet Food
Sales are leveling off, but will that affect our choices as consumers?