OSTEOARTHRITIS – MAKE THE SWITCH TO LOW-GI FOODS

Knowing the right foods to eat can help you maintain an ideal weight. This may be the most important thing you can do to prevent osteoarthritis. If you have osteoarthritis, losing weight may help to improve your symptoms and relieve joint pain.
 

Carbohydrates provide our bodies with energy in the form of glucose. The Glycaemic Index (GI) is a classification system for the rate at which carbohydrates cause a rise in blood glucose. The Glycaemic Index is especially useful for two types of people:

• Those with type 2 diabetes, for whom the control of blood glucose is important.
• Those who want to control their weight. Low GI foods can help us feel satisfied longer and hence likely to eat less.

Foods that cause a quick rise in blood glucose have a high GI. Conversely, foods that cause a slow rise in blood glucose have a low GI
 

Here are some examples:
 

Studies have shown that people on a low-GI diet can achieve a similar level of weight loss as those on a conventional low-fat diet. A low-GI diet is also effective in helping to maintain weight loss, which is beneficial for people with osteoarthritis, since excess weight can cause osteoarthritis to progress more rapidly.