If you are one of those people who takes chicken mayo on white bread and an apple to work, you probably find yourself experiencing mid-morning and mid-afternoon energy slumps - and getting too friendly with the pie man! However, once you understand what the concept 'low GI' means, you will be able to pack the correct energy giving foods into your lunch box. By following these easy tips, you will find you have sustained energy - and a lot more of it!
What is low GI:
All food has been measured against a scale of 1-100, called the ‘Glycemic Index’. A food that has a low Glycemic Index (low GI) has a score of between 1-55 on this determined scale. Intermediate Glycemic Index foods score between 56-69. High Glycemic foods are those that are calculated above 70. All low Glycemic foods will release their glucose slowly into the blood stream. This is what we want, to achieve sustained levels of energy and health!
The trick is to avoiding high GI foods as they have a high sugar content. These foods are very quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, causing an over production of insulin, leaving you drained and looking for your next sugar fix. High Glycemic foods do not only refer to foods that have an obvious sugar content. For example minute noodles and original pronutro both have a high glycemic index.
The basic concept is to pack your lunch box from a low Glycemic perspective. Here are some tips suggested by Bonny Swanepoel at Ignition Health: www.ignitionhealth.co.za
Do not:
- Eat white bread as it is high GI.
- Have only cheese and tomato or jam and syrups as fillings.
- Spread more mayonnaise than chicken on your sandwich.
- Eat banana bread and a sandwich because it is 2 carbohydrates too many.
- Consume sugar cereals as they only last one hour before you feel hungry again.
- Eat muffins often, except as a Friday treat. They are just like bread with raisins or carrot shavings.
- Indulge in potato crisps. They are high GI, so rather have them only once a week.
Do:
- Sustain your energy with rye or low GI bread.
- Enjoy raw oats that has no fruit, sugar or chocolate added, as this higher the GI.
- Grate Cheese, carrots and lettuce as a healthy, low GI Sandwich filler.
- Include fruit like sliced mango in your lunch box.
- Make healthy combinations with tuna, sliced cucumber, celery, and mayonnaise.
- Rather use cottage cheese than mayonnaise, as a sandwich spread.
- Take your fillings to work in separate containers, if you are afraid of your bread going soggy.
- Remove the pips before adding the tomato, to avoid bread from going soft.
- Eat 5/6 small meals a day.
- Pack in raw food like carrots, sliced cucumber, cocktail tomatoes, and olives.
- Always have breakfast, as it is the most important meal of the day.
- Snack at 10am with tasty varieties of fruit, nuts or raisins.
- Have a salad for lunch if possible.
- Add baby potatoes, chicken, couscous, lentils, brown rice into your salad for nutritional variety.
- Eat again at 3.30pm to avoid the "after-five-food-dive" into the bread tin.
- Try eating yoghurt and fruit at 3.30pm.
- Take chicken strips with you to snack on.
- Put the chicken strips frozen into your lunch box. They will defrost quickly.
- Use left overs to make tasty lunches.
- Have a piece of chocolate if you feel like it. But only one piece!
- Make sure you buy enough for whole week when you go shopping.
- Add a low GI food to your meal to keep your energy levels stable.
Reaping the benefits:
Eating healthy makes you feel healthy. Taking healthy food to work and eating at regular intervals means maintaining your sugar levels and your general health and outlook on life will be remarkably improved.
Evaluate just how healthy your lunch box is, make the the needed alterations or substitutions, and you will be on your way to a super productive day at the office!
Reference:
Liesbet Delport and Gabi Steenkamp. Eat smart and stay slim. "The Gi diet." Tafelberg pulishers. Cape Town: 2003
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