Low Glycemic Index Diet

[komalkg]

Hi, while low carb diets do help PCOS, It is very difficult for vegetarians to control carbs. In that case will a low GI diet help? What is a good carb intake for routine life. Can u suggest some foods that are veg and low in carbs.

Thanks.

[drheather]

Hi, while low carb diets do help PCOS, It is very difficult for vegetarians to control carbs. In that case will a low GI diet help? What is a good carb intake for routine life. Can u suggest some foods that are veg and low in carbs.

Thanks.

Hello,

You are right lower carb is more difficult when following a vegetarian diet. It certainly takes more planning but it can be done.

There are many sources of protein that come from non-animal sources. Nuts and seeds, soy/tofu/tempeh, and beans/legumes are all sources of plant based proteins. The key with vegetarians is to vary the type of protein you are eating and not overdo it in any one type. For example, beans are a good source of protein for vegetarians and they are high in fiber, but they are also higher in carbs so it is important not to consume too many beans while eating a low-carb diet. Dark, leafy greens also contain many amino acids that the body needs to make protein. Some of the most massive (in terms of muscle mass) mammals on earth are vegetarians (think elephants and gorillas).

As you are probably already aware, being a vegetarian in general takes some advanced planning to be balanced and healthy. Doing low carb vegetarian is no different. It will take some careful planning and preparation, but it can certainly be done. Especially since you also do occasional fish. Using a carb counter will help greatly with this. You can use an online carb counter like one found at http://www.carb-counter.org or you can purchase one at bookstores or health food stores. Another online resource that I have found to be quite helpful is www.fitday.com, at which you can get the carb, fat, and protein breakdown of many foods.

"The Best Low-Carb Cookbook" by Robert Rose ©2005 Robert Rose Inc. This cookbook has a section of vegetarian meals. But again, avoid the dessert recipes- they have high amounts of sugar and unrealistic serving sizes.

You can also search online for low-carb vegetarian recipes.

We also want you to to choose lower GI foods as well. This is important but if you are still having more of these foods you are still impacting insulin and glucose. So, for now, I would use the site above to see where you are in total carbs a day and start making changes towards healthier carbs and smaller amounts of these foods. Focusing the diet on healthy vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats.

Keep us posted on how you are doing and how we can help.

[mju22]

I have a question that somehow relates to the topic so I didn't create a new thread.
At your site I found a lot of information with regards to carb consumption and that unused excess carbs transfer into body fat because of insuline resistance. My question is how fat and proteins behave after they've been eaten. What happens to the fat, especially with the excess fat. In fact it also goes to our body storages, isn't it?
And the second question if a low carb diet presupposes about 60-80 grams of carbs per day how much should I consume fat and proteins and what is the ideal percentage of carbs, fat and protein should be for the person with PCOS.

I recently started to try to balance my diet and it appears that I consume not less than 120 grams of carbs per day, while the total calories are around 1500 even though like "fitday" calculates I have to consume around 2400. does it mean that if I continue with such diet I will lose weight? Or I won't since I take too much carbs comparing to what you suggested.

Thanks a lot for your answers in advance!

BR, Maria