Low-GI Cooking for Mood: How I Build Plates That Keep Energy Steady

People often ask me what they should remove from their diet. I usually start by changing how meals are built, not what’s banned.

Mood and energy are closely tied to how evenly the body receives fuel. Low-GI carbohydrates help with that by releasing glucose slowly, rather than flooding the system all at once.

How this looks in practice

In my kitchen, low-GI doesn’t mean numbers and charts. It means ingredients that behave gently in the body: lentils, beans, oats, yoghurt, berries, whole grains.

But the real difference comes from pairing. Carbohydrates on their own digest quickly. When I add protein, fats, and fibre, digestion slows naturally and energy lasts longer.

My default plate structure

Almost every meal I cook follows the same logic:

• one low-GI carbohydrate

• one clear protein source

• healthy fats

• vegetables for fibre and micronutrients

This creates meals that are filling without being heavy, and satisfying without triggering a crash.

Common pitfalls I see

The most frequent issues aren’t indulgent dinners — they’re:

• sweet or refined breakfasts

• carbohydrates eaten alone

• long gaps between meals

Small structural changes here often lead to noticeable improvements in mood and concentration.