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The Low Glycaemic Load Diet
March 17th, 2021
While the keto diet is currently gaining popularity, I believe the Low GL diet is still one of the best diets around. It is excellent for anyone trying to reduce their weight but also has many other benefits too.
The key effect that a Low GL diet has on the body is to stabilize our blood sugar levels. This in turn helps to balance our hormones, particularly insulin; reduce our cravings for sweet foods, reduce slumps in energy during the day and help us to remain even tempered!
It has also many medical benefits: it reduces our chances of developing diabetes, coronary heart disease and metabolic syndrome; and for women it can help with polycystic ovary syndrome, Premenstrual Syndrome and the menopause.
One of the main recommendations of a Low GL diet is to eat little and often and to have snacks which are high in protein. Here is a recipe for hummus. It is high in protein and can be eaten with raw vegetables, oat cakes or small pieces of pitta bread to make a great Low GL snack.
There is a generous amount of olive oil in this recipe but don’t be tempted to reduce it! Olive oil contains Oleic acid – a monounsaturated fat and studies suggest this can reduce inflammatory markers in the body such as C Reactive protein.
Classic Hummus from Deliciously Ella by Ella Woodward
2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained (or 450g drained chickpeas if you’re soaking and boiling your own)
10 tablespoons oilive oil
Juice 2 lemons
2 heaped tablespoons tahini
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper
Method
Simply place all the ingredients into a food processor or blender with 3 tablespoons of water and blend until smooth; it’s really that easy! The stronger your food processor the smoother and creamier the hummus will be.
Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Beetroot hummus
Add 150g of raw, chopped beetroot to the above mixture and blend until smooth and creamy.
Nutritional Support
If you want to know more about how to follow a Low GL diet please contact Nicky Seabrook BSc.Dip.IONmBANT CNHC at the Woodbridge Complementary Health Centre.