EASY WAY TO START A LOW-CARB LIFE

MANY ‘carby’ foods have a high GI (glycaemic index) score, meaning they release sugar into the blood quickly. Grains, cereals and starchy vegetables are digested into a surprising amount of sugar, as are some fruits, juices and dried fruit — and, of course, sugar (including honey) itself.

One simple way to go low carb is to ‘turn the white part of your meal green’ — so instead of rice, pour your curry over a selection of green veg. The emphasis should be on foods that are rich in protein, good fats, low GI fruits and lots of leafy vegetables.

But how low carb should you go? Take our CarbScale quiz on the back page of this supplement to help you learn more about your metabolism, and possibly your body’s sensitivity to sugar.

Tracking your carb intake is not difficult. This can be done by following our recipes or by looking at a guide such as Carbs & Cals (available as a book or app).

However, you don’t need to count carbs for ever! You’ll find that once you are following a low-carb way of living, it becomes natural not to go overboard. The first step is to eliminate the starchy offenders by finding delicious alternatives. The recipes in this pullout will show you how. You can then make adjustments to meet your health goals.