Nutritious Low Glycemic Foods to Help Keep Your Blood Sugar Steady

Low glycemic foods are the center of many of the most popular diets at the moment. These include everything from the old style of Atkins dieting right up to the Ketogenic Diet and even Paleo to a certain extent.

Choosing low glycemic foods can help you to regulate your blood sugar levels so that you don’t set yourself up for spikes and crashes. That said, it’s not as though most foods are labeled as being low on the glycemic index. Therefore, you need to know what you’re doing when you make your selections.

Top Nutritious Low Glycemic Foods

The following are some of the best low glycemic foods to eat when you want something both nutritious and delicious:

• Cauliflower – Landing around 15 on the glycemic index, this is a fantastic veggie to give some substance to your plate. This will not only make your meals more filling but will also add some nutritious “oomph” to your meals.

• Cherries – These super sweet summer fruits are surprisingly low on the GI scale, at only 22. You can add cherries to desserts, smoothies, salads, cottage cheese and many other tasty options to make them sweeter without upping their GI index level.

• Walnuts – At about 20 on the GI, these low glycemic foods are a delicious way to feel fuller, eat heart healthy foods and get an omega-3 fatty acid boost.

• Chickpeas – Whether you’re sprinkling them on salads, baking them in the oven for a crunchy treat or tossing them into the food processor to make hummus, they’re only 28 in the glycemic index. Even better, they’re packed with both protein and fiber. They help to keep you full, boost your iron and your magnesium, an under-rated mineral for which many people don’t realize they have a deficiency.

• Zucchini – Whether you eat them cut into little disks, strips or as zucchini noodles straight out of your spiralizer, this veggie is a great one among very low glycemic foods. At about 15 on the glycemic index, it is also very low in calories while being super high in flavor and versatility.

• Celery – This crunchy veggie is also about 15 on the glycemic index. It is ultra-low in calories, has next to no impact on blood sugar, is high in fiber and helps to hydrate you when you eat it. It’s also a fantastic nighttime snack as it contains substances that promote calm and restfulness. The next time you crave a bedtime snack, grab some celery!