Fill ‘er up!
Low-glycemic foods are a key component of overall wellness — they are digested and absorbed more slowly, meaning that when we eat them, we feel fuller for longer.
A diet of these foods supports weight management by increasing satiety and decreasing caloric intake while also stabilizing blood sugar levels, which is essential for diabetics.
Which foods take the cake for supporting weight loss, healthy cholesterol levels and blood sugar? Varsha Khatri, a registered nutritional therapist from Prowise Healthcare, shared her four top picks with SheFinds this week — legumes, berries, oats and nuts.
Legumes
In addition to being naturally low in saturated fat and loaded with soluble and insoluble fiber, legumes are an excellent source of plant-based protein.
Incorporating legumes such as beans, chickpeas and lentils into your diet can help lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
“These foods are rich sources of proteins, fibers and essential minerals that make them exceptionally useful in weight loss, sugar control and the improvement of bad cholesterol levels,” Khatri explained to SheFinds. “Legumes have complex carbohydrates that are digested at a slow pace, thus avoiding sudden increases in blood glucose levels while providing constant fuel.”
Research suggests that legumes can mimic the hunger-killing effects of drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.
Berries
Berries are rich in dietary fiber, including soluble fiber like pectin.
Pectin slows the rate of sugar absorption into the bloodstream, helping to manage blood sugar levels.
Berries are also a known boon for the ticker.
“The anti-oxidants and polyphenols obtained from berries have been found to bring down oxidative stress and inflammation, which are responsible for many heart disease occurrences,” Khatri noted.
And as The Post reports, eating strawberries and blueberries daily may reduce your chances of developing dementia.
Oats
Thanks to their high fiber content, oats slow digestion. Oats also contain beta-glucan, a soluble fiber shown to lower cholesterol by binding to bile acids in the body.
“Oat is a high-nutrition, low-glycemic food…an ideal choice for breakfasts aimed at sustaining energy throughout the day,” Khatri shared with SheFinds.
“As far as losing weight is concerned, soluble fiber found in oats increases satiety by forming a gel within the gut, thus helping reduce total energy intake through promoting fullness over long periods,” she added.
But not all oats are created equal.
As Dr. Mijin Brown explained last year in a viral video, “While oatmeal is a low-glycemic food, certain varieties — especially with added sugar — [are] not ideal for people watching their blood sugar.”
Brown said oats are a fine source of fiber, but you should opt for steel-cut over flavored.
Nuts
Nuts are a good source of vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. When consumed skin-on, nuts are also a great source of dietary fiber.
While folks might balk at the high fat and calorie content of nuts, Khatri assures that “high protein and fiber levels make nuts very effective when it comes to weight loss.”
“These elements help in controlling hunger and making individuals feel full, thereby discouraging overconsumption of food,” she continued. “It has been indicated through research that those who include nuts in their diets have better weight management outcomes than those who do not, even if they take the same number of calories.”
And the benefits don’t end there.
Further research suggests daily consumption of nuts can lower the risk of heart disease and depression.
