5 Healthy Low-Glycemic Alternatives to High Sugar Foods

Teri Cochrane on
Strawberries are a sweet-tasting, low-glycemic food.

Are you a reformed sugar addict?

Most of us are! Studies in animal models show us that sugar can be even more addictive than drugs in the opioid family, and humans regularly report withdrawal symptoms like headache, drowsiness, and emotional changes when they cut out sugar completely.

We are hard-wired to seek out foods that provide the highest amount of easily converted and calorically dense energy – which is why we find ourselves regularly craving sugars and fats.

When we source our sugars and fats from natural sources, and balance them with water, fiber, protein and exercise, this can work out just fine. But when our diets go lopsided and we find ourselves consuming unbalanced amounts of simple carbs and other high-glycemic foods, we can end up in the clutches of insulin and blood sugar dysregulation.

100 years ago, the average American consumed about 9 pounds of sugar per year. Today the average is over 150 pounds per year, mostly from soft drinks and high-glycemic index foods.

To help you scale back the amount of high-glycemic foods you may be consuming, here are some alternatives that are lower in sugar or higher in protein – providing a better molecular foundation for your day!

Strawberries

1 cup of raw strawberries contains only 7 grams of sugar, and makes a nutritious replacement for high-sugar fruits like bananas, apples or oranges. For the oxalate-sensitive, an alternative to strawberries is papaya, which contains only 11 grams per cup!

Buckwheat

White rice and corn flour are two of the most common gluten-free alternatives we find at the store. However, corn converts to a simple sugar in the body (and is a mycotoxin, which I eschew!), and even rice can be a high-glycemic option for the blood-sugar sensitive. The gluten-free craze may be a road to diabetes! I like buckwheat as a gluten-free flour because it is a complete protein (a full amino acid profile), contains about 6 grams of protein per cup, and has plenty of healthy fiber!

Bell Peppers

These bright and crunchy peppers make for an excellent low-sugar snack, especially when paired with hummus or a low-sulfur guacamole.

Eggplant

Before you turn your nose up at eggplant, this veggie is extremely low in sugar and contains high fiber and manganese content, both of which are helpful for balancing blood sugar.

Kidney Beans, Chickpeas & Lentils

These legumes have a low glycemic index and are rich in molybdenum, which has been shown to have insulin-mimicking properties, supporting lower overall blood sugar.

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