Difference between low glycemic and low carb

downa100

I was told to follow a low glycemic diet. What's the difference between it and low carb?

Sabine_Stroehm

A low glycemic (load/impact/response) diet isn't low carb (per se). It's one where you choose carbs that have less impact on your blood sugars, or combine them with other foods to lessen the impact. If someone really wants to, it can be low carb, but doesn't need to be.

Usually it means choosing higher fiber vegetables, and limiting lower fiber vegetables, choosing higher fiber carbohydrates in general, and limiting lower fiber (usually heavily refined) carbohydrates.

Usually, slow carbers will think "big picture" rather than this potato is better than that potato. Small changes (sweet potato versus white potato, 100% whole grain bread over heavily refined low fiber white bread, an apple over apple juice etc), but in the context of the whole diet. Bread with peanut butter rather than bread alone or bread and jam....

The South Beach Diet is a low glycemic load style of eating.

Who told you to follow one and for what reason if I may ask? It's not a bad approach at all. And for some, helps with cravings.

Good luck!

cbelc2

The glycemic index represents how rapidly a carbohydrate turns into sugar. A carbohydrate is a food capable of turning into sugar in order to feed your cells as long as insulin is present to open the door and your cells aren't resistant, such as in prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. There are only 3 kinds of food: carbs, fat, and protein. Those are your macronutrients. Typically, carbs that contain fiber and a maybe little fat (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts) are digested slower than sugar or refined carbs like white flour or white rice.

Yi5hedr3

Carbs are carbs, regardless of fast or slow, they ALL turn into sugar eventually and insulin will have to deal with them. For folks that find low carb too hard, low glycemic load would be a next best choice. Either way, refined carbs should always be avoided.