Slow Carbs

Generally speaking, you want to aim for low glycemic slow carbs for weight loss and better health purposes. Glycemic Index- GI is a numerical system of how certain carbohydrate rich foods affect your blood glucose levels. Low GI foods break down much slower than high GI foods and they help keep your blood glucose constant all day long.

Your feelings of hunger is closely related to your blood sugar. Hours of no eating may mean your blood sugar can get very low and make you weak and shaky as well as making you moody and affecting your energy levels and concentration.

Processed foods are usually full of fast carbs and unhealthy ingredients and sadly enough more and more people are eating these foods every day, followed by increased insulin levels that lead to obesity, cravings, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart complications and even depression. Diets lacking in dietary fiber, antioxidants and other essential nutrients are , today, the cause of many of these and more health problems.

What Are Slow Carbs?

Rolled oats, porridge, no added sugar muesli, whole grain bread, rye bread, soya and linseed bread, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, mushrooms, broccoli and most vegetables, peanuts, corn chips, nuts, oatmeal crackers, new potatoes, sweet potatoes, prunes, cherries, grapefruit and most other fruits are examples of your low GI slow carbohydrate rich foods.

Please have a look at the Glycemic Index Chart for more foods on low, medium and high GI groups and find out about their glycemic load values as well, which is usually a better measure of how slow or fast release that carb is.

Slow Carbs Tips:

• Eating a low carb diet certainly isn't your best bet either, it results in having more of high saturated fat meats that come with health complications. However, it is good to eat lean meat, skinless chicken and turkey. Protein is quite filling and it helps decrease the overall glycemic index value of your meal.

• You need to have slow release carbohydrates at every meal, throughout the day.

• You can not go wrong with legumes, try to eat them at least a couple of times a week. Chickpeas and beans are really versatile too, they can be used in a variety of salads, main meals and even desserts.

• Baked beans are great as long as they are not loaded with sugar and salt.

• Pasta- especially wholemeal pasta and basmati rice are nutritious and slow release foods and they are quite filling.

• Low fat dairy, especially low fat plain yogurt is extremely healthy and filling. Try and make a habit of eating some yogurt every day. Just keep away from sweetened fruit yogurts, they are full of sugar.

• You can't go wrong with a big salad that is free of high fat mayonnaise and dressings. Try these salad ingredients: Dark green lettuce, cucumber, tomoto, cottage or low fat cheese, yogurt as dressing, lemon juice, sliced peppers, garbanzo beans, beans, pasta and a small amount of nuts.







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