Put Pasta in Your Slow Carb Diet
Looking for a diet where you don’t have to swear off your favorite foods? Look no further than the latest diet trend – the slow carb diet. Below, we break down what it means, why it works, and what kinds of foods you can eat on this versatile diet.
A slow carb diet is also known as a low glycemic index (GI) diet – meaning that the foods you’re encouraged to eat have a glycemic index number of 55 or less, which is considered low. The glycemic index number refers to how fast a carbohydrate food is absorbed in the body. Carbs with a high GI, 70 or more, are absorbed quickly, causing spiking blood sugar levels, which could leave a person feeling sluggish and unsatisfied. They could also increase your risk of chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Moderate GI levels are considered to be 55-69 and low GI foods are 55 or less. Since low GI foods are digested slower they cause only a slight rise in blood sugar levels. They also keep you feeling fuller longer, which helps you to avoid overeating, hence where the name “slow carb diet” evolved. Studies suggest that a slow carb diet may lead to weight loss and can even help prevent insulin resistance, which often leads to diabetes.
In addition to eating low GI foods, you can make the Slow Carb Diet even more effective by incorporating other healthy lifestyle habits such as adding regular exercise to your routine and carefully spacing out meals. No matter what type of diet you follow always remember good nutrition habits when making meal choices — choose whole grains over refined, maintain proper portion sizes, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, opt for healthy (unsaturated) fat and choose lean protein.
Looking for more information and foods that fit into the Slow Carb diet? Check out this guide from Shape. You’ll see that pasta fits right in to a low glycemic index diet, along with so many other favorite foods that pair well with pasta, such as broccoli, carrots, lentils, peas, beans, and many others.
Include pasta in your slow carb diet with recipe ideas here.
