Lower glycemic foods are characterized by a significant protein content. For instance fruit yogurt has roughly 30 g of carbohydrate but 7 g of protein. The protein will impede the conversion to blood sugar and provide more sustained energy. Something such as chicken or fish or any animal meat has a zero glycemic value because there is no carbohydrate in these foods. The key is to read the label and research a food before consuming it.
Timing is very important with carbohydrate ingestion.
It has been this author's experience that athletes training for one to three hours daily strive for a percentage of carbohydrate intake. In training a person requires 10 X body weight in pounds plus 400-600 calories per hour of exercise to maintain weight. This equation is based on this author's own research and other equations are available. An example would be a 140 lb female who exercises 3 hours per day. 357.5 grams of carbs per day.