Low-glycemic foods are a key component of many healthy diets due to their ability to support various aspects of wellness. These foods are known for their slower digestion and absorption, resulting in a more gradual rise in blood sugar levels. This characteristic makes them beneficial for maintaining stable blood sugar levels, which is particularly important for individuals managing diabetes or insulin resistance. Moreover, incorporating low-glycemic foods into one’s diet can also aid in healthy weight loss by promoting satiety, reducing cravings, and managing cholesterol levels.
So, which foods are the best when it comes to losing weight and managing blood sugar and cholesterol levels? We checked in with Dr. Varsha Khatri, RDN from Prowise Healthcare, to learn about four low-glycemic foods to eat more of. She revealed that oats, legumes, berries, and nuts are the ones to choose. Read on to find out more.
1. Oats
Oats are considered a low-glycemic food due to their high fiber content and slower digestion rate, which leads to a gradual increase in blood sugar levels. In terms of weight loss, oats are a great option because their high fiber content promotes feelings of fullness and satiety. Moreover, oats contain beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber that has been extensively studied for its cholesterol-lowering effects.
"Oat is a high-nutrition, low-glycemic food that could be an excellent addition to your diet. This is due to its rich fiber content, mainly beta-glucan, which slows down digestion and carbohydrate absorption, resulting in a gradual rise in blood sugar levels. Henceforth, it makes oats an ideal choice for breakfasts aimed at sustaining energy throughout the day," she says. "As far as losing weight is concerned, soluble fiber found in oats increases satiety by forming a gel within the gut, thus helping reduce total energy intake through promoting fullness over long periods."
As for cholesterol levels, Khatri says that oats can help with this because "experiments have demonstrated that beta-glucan can reduce the amount of LDL cholesterol present in the body due to its binding abilities on bile acids, hence reducing high levels of cholesterol."
Legumes
2. Legumes
Legumes are rich in dietary fiber, both soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber helps slow digestion and promotes feelings of fullness and satiety. This can aid in weight management by reducing overall calorie intake and preventing overeating. Legumes are a good source of plant-based protein and are naturally low in saturated fat. Including legumes in your diet can help lower LDL cholesterol levels (bad cholesterol) and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
"These foods are rich sources of proteins, fibers, and essential minerals that make them exceptionally useful in weight loss, sugar control, and the improvement of bad cholesterol levels. Legumes have complex carbohydrates that are digested at a slow pace, thus avoiding sudden increases in blood glucose levels while providing constant fuel," Khatri notes. "Fullness and satiety result from the high fiber and protein content found in legumes, which aid in weight loss. This will help cut down on the overall calorie intake, thereby preventing overeating during snacks between meals. Legumes also contribute greatly to lowering cholesterol levels. In this process, the legume's soluble fiber attaches itself to the digestive path cholesterol, thus out-throwing it and consequently bringing down the level of low-density lipoproteins (LDL)." Noted!
3. Berries
Berries, including strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, are low-glycemic foods that offer various health benefits and can support healthy weight loss, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels. They are rich in dietary fiber, particularly soluble fiber like pectin. Soluble fiber helps slow down digestion, promotes feelings of fullness, and stabilizes blood sugar levels by delaying the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.
"Low-glycemic fruits, including berries, among others (blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries), are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Being low-glycemic fruits, they have a slight impact on blood sugar levels and are thus suitable for individuals with diabetes or insulin resistance. When eating berries, the high fiber content keeps the rate of digestion slow, thus ensuring that sugar enters slowly into the bloodstream," Khatri reveals.
That's not all though; these small berries can also be great for your heart health. As Khatri says, "The anti-oxidants and polyphenols obtained from berries have been found to bring down oxidative stress and inflammation, which are responsible for many heart disease occurrences. By regularly eating berries, particularly regularly, LDL cholesterol can be reduced, whereas HDL cholesterol increases, leading to an improved lipid profile and thus bettering heart health."
4. Nuts
Nuts are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats have been linked to improved heart health by lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and increasing HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Nuts are a good source of dietary fiber, particularly when consumed with their skins intact.
"Nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pistachios are filled with nutrients, making them low-glycemic foods that are good for one’s well-being. They contain healthy fats, protein, and fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals; hence, they can be added to a balanced diet. Despite their high fat content, however, most of the fats in nuts consist of unsaturated ones, which contribute towards maintaining a healthy heart and managing cholesterol levels," Khatri says.
Regardless of the high-fat and high-calorie content, she reveals that "high protein and fiber levels make nuts very effective when it comes to weight loss. These elements help in controlling hunger and making individuals feel full, thereby discouraging overconsumption of food. It has been indicated through research that those who include nuts in their diets have better weight management outcomes than those who do not, even if they take the same number of calories," she notes.
The benefits of nuts don't end there; she also says, "Nuts contain plant sterols that interfere with cholesterol absorption in the gut, which further helps reduce cholesterol. The daily consumption of nuts has been linked to lower heart disease risk and improved cardiovascular health overall."
