EAT FOR ENERGY

There really are things you can eat that keep you feeling fuller for longer and give you more energy – and it’s all about a food’s GI. Turn the page to find out what that means, along with 10 recipes that rate highly on the feelgood scale

RECIPES AND FOOD STYLING: ELLA TARN AND LOTTIE COVELL. PHOTOGRAPHS: MIKE ENGLISH. STYLING: SARAH BIRKS. WORDS: ANNE MONTAGUE

NEW MID WEEK PROMISE

Your guarantee for every recipe in this section: NO MORE THAN...

• 10 ingredients

• 30 min hands-on time

• 650 calories per portion (but many of the recipes have fewer)

• 10g sat fat per portion

PLUS...

• No unnecessary added sugar

• Minimal washing up

What is GI?

A food’s GI, or glycaemic index, is a measure of how quickly it raises your blood sugar level when you eat it on its own. The index only applies to foods that contain carbohydrates. Foods that are broken down rapidly and send blood sugar levels shooting up, such as cakes, biscuits and white bread, have a high GI (56 or above). Beans, pulses and non-starchy veg cause only a gradual rise in blood sugar and have a low GI of 55 or below.

What are the benefits of eating low-GI foods?

They can help stabilise blood sugar, help you feel fuller for longer and may help with weight control. People with type 2 diabetes can also eat low-GI foods to manage blood sugar levels. But don’t rely on GI alone. The way you cook foods, the ripeness of fruit/veg and adding fat/protein (which slow down carb absorption) also affect GI. So crisps have a lower GI than potatoes but aren’t necessarily ‘healthier’. Chocolate is high in sugar but has a medium GI because it also contains fat.

Watch your portions

It’s easy to include low GI food but you still need to keep an eye on portion sizes, as the amount of carbohydrate you eat is also important. Watermelon, for example, has a higher GI than pasta but contains less carbohydrate. So if you eat similar quantities of both, the pasta will have more impact on your blood sugar levels because it contains more carbohydrate.

Low-GI foods for a healthy diet

• Dried or tinned beans, such as kidney beans, haricot beans and chickpeas

• Lentils

• Grainy breads: granary, pumpernickel, rye

• Porridge/wholegrain cereals

• Brown rice, quinoa, bulgur wheat, pearl barley

• Wholewheat pasta cooked al dente

• Green leafy vegetables, salad vegetables, green beans, peas, carrots, boiled sweet potato