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When switching to alow glycemic index (GI)diet, you don’t have to change your entire diet. Instead, this way of eating entails choosing foods that are nutritious but also have a lower GI. Low-GI foods do not raise your blood sugar as much as high-GI foods.
For example, it’s best to choose a low-GI apple over high-GI peaches or pineapple. Choosing low-GI foods for breakfast will keep your blood sugar levels stable, while also giving you the energy you need to move forward with your day.
This article discusses low-GI foods and offers some simple, low-GI breakfast suggestions.
What Does Low Glycemic Mean?
High glycemic foods like white rice or white bread can cause a blood sugar spike. Low-glycemic foods like beans and steel-cut oats will increase your blood sugar more slowly and to a lesser degree. The glycemic index is a tool that can help you choose foods that are less likely to cause a blood sugar spike.
People with diabetes are advised to stick to low-glycemic carbohydrates, but people without diabetes can also benefit from a low-glycemic diet. Some of the health benefits of eating low-glycemic foods include:
Generally speaking, a food is considered low glycemic when it has a GI of 55 or less. A high glycemic food has a GI of 70 or higher. Foods that have a GI between 56 and 69 are considered to have a moderate glycemic index.
Mixed Berry Smoothie
Smoothies are a great way to incorporate fruit and even vegetables, like kale,spinach, or avocado.
To make a fruit smoothie, add a base like coconut water, almond milk, or coconut milk to your blender and then pour in a cup of your favorite berries, like sliced strawberries or blueberries. You may also consider adding protein powder,seeds, and nut butter like almond butter or peanut butter for extra healthy fats and protein.
Oatmeal With Fruit
First, make sure you purchase the right kind ofoatmeal. Stick with whole oats or steel-cut oats. Steel-cut oats have a GI of around 55, while instant oats have a GI of 75.
Veggie Omelet
TheDietary Guidelines for Americansencourages people to eat eggswithout worrying about cholesterol. Eggs are high in protein and the yolk contains heart-healthy omega-3 fats to help fight inflammation. Adding vegetables to your eggs helps maximize yourantioxidantintake.
To make a veggie omelet, cook mushrooms, onions, spinach, and chopped tomatoes and set aside. Then scramble some eggs and pour them into a nonstick pan. Let cook until almost set, then place the cooked vegetables on one half and fold over.
Vegetable Frittata
To make a frittata, mix the cooked vegetables into your eggs while they are still raw, and place the pan (use an oven-safe one) under a preheated broiler for a few minutes until the eggs are set.
Sweet Potato Hash
Chop up some veggies like peppers and onions and sauté in a small amount of olive or canola oil. Meanwhile, cube yoursweet potatoesand sauté in a separate pan.
When the potatoes are done, toss with your veggies and add salt and pepper to taste.
Grapefruit With Greek Yogurt
Breakfast Burrito
To make a healthy breakfast burrito, mix scrambled eggs with black beans, onions, and fresh tomatoes and wrap in a tortilla. Black beans are a great source of fiber and have a low glycemic index; tomatoes and onions will add some healthy veggies to your breakfast.
Whole wheat flour tortillas have a lower glycemic index than white flour tortillas. You can also choose a low-carb tortilla.
Seafood
Seafood is a healthy source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, and it can make a great breakfast option. Try adding shrimp or crab to your scrambled eggs or make a seafood omelet with avocado, sliced mushrooms, and green onions.
Dinner for Breakfast
Remember, you don’t have to have breakfast foods for breakfast. Try heating up some black beans (a good use of leftovers) and putting them on the side of some scrambled eggs with salsa and even a little low-fat cheddar cheese.
Low-GI Foods List
It is always a good idea to consult your healthcare provider or a nutritionist when developing a new eating plan. In the meantime, here are a few good, low-GI breakfast choices.
Fruit
Don’t assume all fruit has a low GI. Some, like pineapples (82) and peaches (76), have a much higher GI and should be avoided on a low-GI diet. Some good low-GI options include:
Vegetables
White potatoes can have a very high GI, so should be avoided. You can substitute white potatoes with other healthy root vegetables, such as:
Vegetables have a much lower GI and are a great source of nutrients. Some good choices include:
Dairy
Dairy products can be a healthy breakfast choice, but stick to low-fat varieties.
Legumes
Legumes are a healthy way to add fiber and protein to your breakfast. Some low-gi options include:
Nuts
Topping yogurt with chopped nuts can add a satisfying crunch and some healthy fats to your breakfast.
Tips for Creating a Balanced Low-GI Breakfast
Meal planning is a good way to make sure your breakfasts are healthy and low-gi. Deciding what you’re going to eat ahead of time helps keep you from making last-minute food choices that may not be healthy. Meal planning can also help you keep your portion sizes under control.
When choosing breakfast foods, look for whole foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes. Processed foods often contain hidden sugar and saturated fat and can contribute to blood sugar spikes. When you eat whole, foods, it’s easier to tell if your food choice is healthy and has a low glycemic index.
Be sure to mix it up. It can be easy to get into a rut where you’re eating the same foods every day. Choose a variety of different meals you enjoy and rotate through them each week. This will not only ensure your meals are healthy but that they are also consistently enjoyable.
Summary
One of the hardest adjustments to adhering to a lowglycemicindex diet will be eliminating processed breakfast products, like breakfast cereals, pastries, donuts, frozen waffles, and deli bagels. This means that you’ll need to plan ahead a bit, maybe even getting up a little earlier to make sure you have time to eat a well-balanced, healthy breakfast.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harvard Health Publishing.A good guide to good carbs: The glycemic index.Tosh SM, Chu Y.Systematic review of the effect of processing of whole-grain oat cereals on glycaemic response.Br J Nutr. 2015;114(8):1256-62. doi:10.1017/S0007114515002895Atkinson FS, Brand-Miller JC, Foster-Powell K, Buyken AE, Goletzke J.International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values 2021: A systematic review.Am J Clin Nutr. 2021;114(5):1625-1632. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqab233On-Nom N, Suttisansanee U, Chathiran W, Charoenkiatkul S, Thiyajai P, Srichamnong W.Nutritional security: Carbohydrate profile and folk remedies of rare edible mushrooms to diversify food and diet: Thailand case study.Sustainability. 2023;15(18):14034. doi:10.3390/su151814034Fernandez MA, Desroches S, Marquis M, Provencher V.Meal planning as a strategy to support healthy eating.Nutr Sci évolution. 2020;17(3):12-6. doi:10.7202/1068830arAdditional ReadingAugustin LS, Kendall CW, Jenkins DJ, et al.Glycemic index, glycemic load and glycemic response: an international scientific consensus summit from the International Carbohydrate Quality Consortium (ICQC).Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2015;25(9):795-815. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2015.05.005
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harvard Health Publishing.A good guide to good carbs: The glycemic index.Tosh SM, Chu Y.Systematic review of the effect of processing of whole-grain oat cereals on glycaemic response.Br J Nutr. 2015;114(8):1256-62. doi:10.1017/S0007114515002895Atkinson FS, Brand-Miller JC, Foster-Powell K, Buyken AE, Goletzke J.International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values 2021: A systematic review.Am J Clin Nutr. 2021;114(5):1625-1632. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqab233On-Nom N, Suttisansanee U, Chathiran W, Charoenkiatkul S, Thiyajai P, Srichamnong W.Nutritional security: Carbohydrate profile and folk remedies of rare edible mushrooms to diversify food and diet: Thailand case study.Sustainability. 2023;15(18):14034. doi:10.3390/su151814034Fernandez MA, Desroches S, Marquis M, Provencher V.Meal planning as a strategy to support healthy eating.Nutr Sci évolution. 2020;17(3):12-6. doi:10.7202/1068830arAdditional ReadingAugustin LS, Kendall CW, Jenkins DJ, et al.Glycemic index, glycemic load and glycemic response: an international scientific consensus summit from the International Carbohydrate Quality Consortium (ICQC).Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2015;25(9):795-815. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2015.05.005
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Harvard Health Publishing.A good guide to good carbs: The glycemic index.Tosh SM, Chu Y.Systematic review of the effect of processing of whole-grain oat cereals on glycaemic response.Br J Nutr. 2015;114(8):1256-62. doi:10.1017/S0007114515002895Atkinson FS, Brand-Miller JC, Foster-Powell K, Buyken AE, Goletzke J.International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values 2021: A systematic review.Am J Clin Nutr. 2021;114(5):1625-1632. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqab233On-Nom N, Suttisansanee U, Chathiran W, Charoenkiatkul S, Thiyajai P, Srichamnong W.Nutritional security: Carbohydrate profile and folk remedies of rare edible mushrooms to diversify food and diet: Thailand case study.Sustainability. 2023;15(18):14034. doi:10.3390/su151814034Fernandez MA, Desroches S, Marquis M, Provencher V.Meal planning as a strategy to support healthy eating.Nutr Sci évolution. 2020;17(3):12-6. doi:10.7202/1068830ar
Harvard Health Publishing.A good guide to good carbs: The glycemic index.
Tosh SM, Chu Y.Systematic review of the effect of processing of whole-grain oat cereals on glycaemic response.Br J Nutr. 2015;114(8):1256-62. doi:10.1017/S0007114515002895
Atkinson FS, Brand-Miller JC, Foster-Powell K, Buyken AE, Goletzke J.International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values 2021: A systematic review.Am J Clin Nutr. 2021;114(5):1625-1632. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqab233
On-Nom N, Suttisansanee U, Chathiran W, Charoenkiatkul S, Thiyajai P, Srichamnong W.Nutritional security: Carbohydrate profile and folk remedies of rare edible mushrooms to diversify food and diet: Thailand case study.Sustainability. 2023;15(18):14034. doi:10.3390/su151814034
Fernandez MA, Desroches S, Marquis M, Provencher V.Meal planning as a strategy to support healthy eating.Nutr Sci évolution. 2020;17(3):12-6. doi:10.7202/1068830ar
Augustin LS, Kendall CW, Jenkins DJ, et al.Glycemic index, glycemic load and glycemic response: an international scientific consensus summit from the International Carbohydrate Quality Consortium (ICQC).Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2015;25(9):795-815. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2015.05.005
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