What Is a Low-Glycemic Diet with High-Protein?

Written by Josephine, M.Sc. Nutrition and Food Science

What is the Glycemic Index?

The glycemic index (GI) is a valuable tool for evaluating foods based on their influence on blood sugar levels (1). This system was developed in the early 1980s by Dr. David Jenkins, a distinguished Canadian professor (2).

The GI ranks foods according to how they affect blood sugar levels compared to the absorption of 50 grams of pure glucose, which serves as a reference point with a GI value of 100. The GI is divided into three categories:

Low GI: 55 or lower
Medium GI foods: 56–69
High GI foods: 70 or higher

Glycemic Index vs. Glycemic Load

The GI alone doesn't provide a complete picture of how food affects blood sugar.

To gain a comprehensive understanding, you need to consider both the speed of glucose entry into the bloodstream and the total glucose delivered per serving, which is measured by the glycemic load (GL) (1).

For example, watermelon is a high GI food with a GI of 72, but its low carbohydrate content results in a glycemic load of just 5, giving you a more accurate assessment of its real impact on blood sugar (3).

The Benefits of a Low Glycemic Index Diets

The glycemic index holds significant implications for both weight control and overall health. Incorporating a low GI diet into your lifestyle can be a game-changer. Such a dietary approach not only help you lose weight by promoting a feeling of fullness and stabilizing blood sugar levels but also contributes to long-term health benefits (4).

Incorporating high-quality protein into a low GI diet is crucial when aiming to lose weight. Low glycemic foods that are high in protein help curb cravings, increase feelings of fullness, boost metabolism, and facilitate fat burning (4). Additionally, high-quality proteins are essential for preserving lean muscle mass while reducing body weight. This is critical because maintaining muscle mass not only supports a higher metabolism but also ensures that the majority of weight loss comes from fat rather than muscle tissue (5).

Therefore, by combining a low GI diet with high-quality protein sources, you create a winning strategy to effectively lose weight that prioritizes both satiety and muscle preservation (4,5).

Weight Loss

Low glycemic foods play a pivotal role in achieving weight loss goals. Low glycemic diets lead to a gradual and steady increase in blood glucose levels. While you can go on a low carbohydrate diet to achieve the same outcomes, you can be more effective when you choose low GI foods. This, in turn, prompts a mild and sustained release of insulin. These small insulin increments not only help keep you feeling full and energized for an extended period after eating but also help to promote fat loss, making it a valuable strategy for losing weight and avoiding weight gain (6).

Diabetes Management

A low glycemic diet high in protein offers a promising approach to managing diabetes effectively and achieving better blood sugar control. By incorporating this dietary strategy into your diabetes management plan, you can reap many benefits. Such a diet helps stabilize blood sugar levels, reducing the risk of complications and promoting better overall health. With the power of a low glycemic diet, you can take control of your diabetes management, enhance your well-being, and enjoy a healthier life. Explore the transformative potential of this dietary approach and its positive impact on your blood sugar level (7).

Cholesterol Levels

Studies have demonstrated that low GI diets can lead to healthy cholesterol levels. For instance, one study revealed a reduction of 9.6% in total cholesterol levels and an 8.6% decrease in LDL (bad) cholesterol, which is closely linked to an elevated risk of heart disease and stroke (8).

Blood Pressure

A new review underscores the positive impact of a low glycemic diet that is rich in low GI foods on healthy blood pressure, thereby contributing to a decreased risk of heart disease (9).

Healthy Heart

Recent research has established a strong connection between high GI and high glycemic load (GL) diets and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and heart disease.

These findings underscore the potential of incorporating a low glycemic diet with high-quality protein sources. By starting a low GI diets, you can create a winning combination that supports losing weight while prioritizing your health. Discover how this powerful strategy can transform your journey toward a healthier, more balanced life (10).

Food Groups With a Low Dietary Glycemic Index

Here's a list of good groups and examples of low GI foods and low GI carbs that are great options if you're considering a low glycemic index diet. Eat foods on this list with a low GI value to help lower your carbohydrate intake overall.

Almased: Almased has a low GI and glycemic load.

Bread Options: Whole grain bread, multigrain bread, rye bread, Sourdough Bread

Breakfast Cereals: Steel cut oats, Bran flakes

Variety of Fruits: Apples, Strawberries, Apricots, Peaches, Plums, Pears, Kiwi, Tomatoes and more

Assorted Vegetables: Raw Carrots, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Celery, Zucchini, Green beans and more

Starchy Vegetables: Sweet potatoes, Corn, Yams, Winter squash

Legumes Selection: Lentils, Chickpeas, Black beans, Kidney beans and more

Pasta and Noodles: Pasta, Soba noodles, Rice noodles, lentil noodles

Varieties of Rice: Basmati Rice, Long grain, Brown Rice

A Range of Grains: Quinoa, Barley, Pearl couscous, Buckwheat, Freekeh, Semolina

Low-fat Dairy and Dairy Alternatives: Milk, Cheese, Yogurt, Coconut milk, Soy milk, Almond milk and Oat milk

High GI Foods

Avoid high GI foods to support blood sugar control. If you do choose to have these options, pair them with high sources of protein, fiber or healthy fats like olive oil to help you maintain a low GI diet. For example, complementing beans and legumes with white rice can help you achieve a lower GI meal than eating white rice alone.

Bread Options: White bread, rice crackers

Breakfast Cereals: Corn flakes, instant oatmeal, sugared cereals, raisin bran cereal

Beverages: Fruit juice, soda

Sweets and Candy: Chocolate, cookies, cake, ice cream

Rice: White rice, rice cakes

Grains: White Pasta

Dairy: Sweetened and Flavored Yogurt, Chocolate Milk

Low Glycemic High Protein Food

Many protein-rich foods, such as lean meats, fish, and eggs, are naturally low in carbohydrates and have a low glycemic index. This means they have a minimal impact on blood sugar levels, contributing to the goals of low glycemic diets.

Incorporating a range of protein sources into your healthy diet is key to a balanced and nutritious eating plan. These sources can include fish, poultry, eggs, lean red meat, as well as plant-based proteins like beans and lentils. Plant-based proteins are especially recommended as they not only provide high-quality protein but also offer complex carbs and dietary fiber, which contributes to improved gut health.

Maintaining a balanced gut microbiome is essential for overall health, as an imbalance in gut bacteria, associated with conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and even mental health concerns like depression and dementia, underscores the significant role of gut health in our well-being (11, 12).

Incorporating complex carbohydrates that have a lower GI index with dietary fiber and protein-rich nutritious foods into your healthy diet can help you achieve stable blood sugar levels while promoting satiety, muscle preservation and support overall health.

Almased: A Convenient Way to Low Glycemic High Protein Diet

Almased offers a unique approach to nutrition, combining the benefits of a low glycaemic index and high-quality protein. By combining honey with soy and yogurt, Almased has a low GI of 27 and a low glycemic load of 3.6, causing a slow and balanced increase in blood sugar levels. Thanks to its unique manufacturing process, Almased has a lower glycemic index than the individual ingredients alone, making it an excellent choice for a low GI diet.

What sets Almased apart is not only its lower GI properties which emit a low glycemic response in the body but also its exceptional protein quality. Almased combines plant-based and animal-based proteins, providing all essential amino acids in the optimal ratio. With over 25g of protein per shake, Almased ensures your body receives an optimal protein supply.

Preparing a nutritious meal often entails time-consuming steps, from grocery shopping to cooking and cleanup. Almased simplifies this process by providing a quick and easy solution. In a matter of minutes, you can have a wholesome shake that not only supports balanced blood sugar levels but also offers the potential health benefits of top-notch protein.

Your Low Glycemic Diet with Almased

For weight loss or to achieve your healthy body weight, replace 1-3 meals daily with an Almased shake according to each phase in the Almased Diet Plan. Almased's Diet Plan can have a direct positive impact on dietary factors like what you eat, how much you eat, and how often you eat.

How to Make Almased Shakes

Mix 8 Tbsp of high protein low glycemic Almased with 1.5 cups of water or low carbohydrate plant-based milk like unsweetened almond milk. Add berries, cocoa powder, cinnamon or ice coffee to your shake.

How much Almased do I need?

If you are taller than 62 inches, you will need 10 tablespoons of Almased or more. Follow Almased's portion guide to make sure you're getting an optimal intake of all the nutrients necessary to help your metabolism function at its best and for you to feel satisfied for longer.