In this article I want to reveal how to lower the glycemic index of foods. According to nutritionist Pierluigi Rossi , we gain weight mainly due to blood sugar, lipemia and insulin.

This does not mean banning carbohydrates and fats from the diet, which is not recommended: but excluding or limiting, for example, foods with a high carbohydrate value, which can raise the overall glycemic load of the meal (find out here the difference between glycemic load and glycemic index ).

Let’s see how to lower the glycemic index of the most common foods we bring to the table.

HOW TO LOWER THE GLYCEMIC INDEX OF FOODS

1. Freeze food.

   Freezing lowers the glycemic index of carbohydrates such as pasta, bread, rice and potatoes, converting some of the starch into resistant starch. So instead of fresh bread, we freeze the bread and thaw it. Or we prepare boil pasta and rice, add a teaspoon of oil and portion it by putting it in the freezer. It will then be enough to defrost it and sauté it in a pan with sauces and vegetables.

2. Otherwise use refrigeration in the fridge and subsequent reheating.
   

   These steps, too, if you don’t want to use the freezer trick, lower your glycemic index. We prepare lunch the night before for the next day and then heat it up.

3. Cook the potatoes in their skins.
   

   Potatoes have a lower glycemic index when boiled with the peel and whole. Then they can be useful as a base for croquettes or gateau. Especially if we keep them in the freezer for a few hours before cooking. Or in the fridge.

4. Mix our carbohydrates with proteins, legumes or vegetables.
   

   Pasta (wholemeal) should always be sautéed in a pan with oil and vegetables, or mixed with some protein food (natural tofu in cubes, natural tuna, ham, shrimp, lean ricotta, etc.) or with legumes. This presence of low or zero glycemic index foods with carbohydrates will lower the glycemic load of the entire meal. Whether it is possible to eat raw vegetables before or after the first course.

5. Eat bread without crumbs.
   

   Bread crust has a lower glycemic index than breadcrumbs. If you want to make a low GI sandwich, remove all the crumb, then stuff it with proteins and vegetables (no sweet toppings).

6. Not all pasta shapes are the same.

   Prefer spaghetti, vermicelli and other long or medium shapes to very small ones such as tubettini.

7. Egg pasta or filled pasta is better than white: it has a lower glycemic index. Watch out for calories in this case.

8. The bread must be toasted

   Instead of rusks or terrible puffed biscuits, toast yourself thin slices of wholemeal bread. Roasting lowers the glycemic index.
   And having said that, enjoy your meal! 😉