Smart carbs: the busy girls' six-week diet plan

Eating on the run: busy girls' six week diet plan

By registered dietician and TV nutritionist Azmina Govindji

The busy girls' six-week diet plan is based on healthy low GI carbs, which we like to call 'smart carbs'. Here are some practical tips.

Bread

Choose grainy, dense breads with whole seeds for your sandwiches or with your main meal. Multigrain, granary, stone ground, rye, 100 per cent stone-ground wholemeal, oat bran, barley and pitta breads are all good choices. Some manufacturers have managed to lower the GI of white bread by adding special ingredients.

Potatoes

Most potatoes will have a high GI, new potatoes are slightly lower. They are, however, a nutritious food, so rather than cutting them out, make sure you include other low GI carbohydrates with them. So, for example, add baked beans or reduced calorie coleslaw to baked potato. Alternatively, why not try sweet potatoes or even yam or plantain, as these have a lower GI and taste delicious when baked or mashed.

Pasta

A favourite lunchtime salad or as your main meal, most pasta has a low GI. Cook until al dente, and remember: watch what you serve it with! The sumptuous recipes in this plan will give you fantastic ideas as to how to dress up your pasta and still get into your jeans... how about penne pasta with roasted vegetables?

Rice

Choose basmati, long grain or brown rice rather than high GI rice such as sticky and jasmine rice. For an alternative to pasta or rice, bulgur wheat (cracked wheat) has an even lower GI and tastes great in salads or as an accompaniment to main meals. Try it spicy with our recipe for lemony cod strips with spicy bulgur wheat.

Beans and pulses

As well as being fantastic on the GI front, beans and pulses are also a great source of protein, iron and fibre. Use them frequently. Try stir-fries, casseroles and soups, or just chuck them into any salad where they will help to lower the GI of the whole meal.

Vegetables and salads

A must for any GI diet. They are great for lowering the GI of any meal. What's more, they're packed with important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Vegetables and salads should always feature in your lunch and main meals. Fresh, frozen and canned all count towards your five-a-day recommended amounts. The more variety and colour, the wider the range of nutrients.