Guide to the Glycemic Index

[Guest guest]

>

> The Good Carbs Amazing New Rx for (Just about) Everything!

>

> Exciting new way to pick the best foods to...lose weight, live longer,

> feel great

> by Janis Jibrin

>

> The glycemic index may be the next big nutrition breakthrough. It's

> already well accepted in Australia, Canada, and England. Now it can pay

> off for you!

>

> What is the glycemic index (or GI, for short)?

> It's a system that ranks foods by how they affect your levels of blood

> sugar. Low-GI foods (less than 55) produce a gradual rise in blood sugar

> that's easy on the body. Foods between 55 and 70 are intermediate-GI

> foods. Foods with high-GI numbers (more than 70) make blood sugar as well

> as insulin levels spike fast. We now realize that's a health threat.

>

> Can choosing more low-GI foods make you healthier?

> Mounting research suggests keeping blood sugar from spiking pays off in

> many ways. Low-GI foods appear to stave off heart disease, prevent type 2

> diabetes, help you evade serious side effects if you have diabetes, curb

> your appetite so you lose weight, perhaps even help you feel more

> energetic.

>

> Is it hard to use the GI in real life?

> Definitely not. Here are the general guidelines. Include at least one

> low-GI food at each meal or snack, advises top GI expert Jennie

> Brand-, PhD, University of Sydney, Australia. No one's suggesting

> you eliminate all high-GI foods, but you can use this guide to work

> toward more intermediate- and low-GI choices--with the exceptions noted

> below. So far, there's no fixed rule as to the number of GI points that

> you are " allowed " at each meal.

>

> Eat sparingly any low- or intermediate-GI foods, such as candy bars.

> These are high in empty calories. Eat too much, and you'll crowd out

> essential nutrients and gain weight.

>

> On the other hand, don't avoid or even limit high-glycemic index foods.

> These are low-calorie and very nutritious foods, such as carrots and

> watermelon.

>

> Let this guide put the glycemic index to work for you starting today.

>

> Low- GI Foods--Less Than 55

> *Eat sparingly foods with an asterisk; these are high in empty calories.

>

> 14 Low-fat yogurt, artificially sweetened

>

> 14 Peanuts

>

> 23 Fructose

>

> 24 Plum

>

> 25 Grapefruit

>

> 25 Pearled barley

>

> 28 Peach

>

> 30 Canned peaches, natural juice

>

> 31 Dried apricots

>

> 31 Soy milk

>

> 32 Baby lima beans, frozen

>

> 32 Fat-free milk

>

> 32 Fettuccine

>

> 33 Low-fat yogurt, sugar sweetened

>

> 33 *M&M's Chocolate Candies, Peanut

>

> 36 Apple

>

> 36 Pear

>

> 37 Whole wheat spaghetti

>

> 38 Tomato soup

>

> 41 Apple juice

>

> 41 *Snickers bar

>

> 41 Spaghetti

>

> 42 All-Bran

>

> 42 Canned chickpeas

>

> 43 Custard

>

> 43 Grapes

>

> 43 Orange

>

> 44 Canned lentil soup

>

> 45 Canned pinto beans

>

> 45 Macaroni

>

> 46 Pineapple juice

>

> 47 Banana bread

>

> 47 Long-grain rice

>

> 47 Parboiled rice

>

> 48 Bulgur

>

> 48 Canned baked beans

>

> 48 Grapefruit juice

>

> 48 Green peas

>

> 49 *Chocolate bar

>

> 49 Old-fashioned oatmeal

>

> 50 Cheese tortellini

>

> 50 *Low-fat ice cream

>

> 52 Canned kidney beans

>

> 52 Kiwifruit

>

> 53 Banana

>

> 53 100% stoneground whole wheat bread

>

> 54 *Potato chips

>

> 54 *Pound cake

>

> 54 Special K

>

> 54 Sweet potato

>

> Intermediate-GI Foods--55 to 70

> *Eat sparingly foods with an asterisk; these are high in empty calories.

>

> 55 Brown rice

>

> 55 Canned fruit cocktail

>

> 55 Linguine

>

> 55 Oatmeal cookies

>

> 55 Popcorn

>

> 55 Sweet corn

>

> 56 White rice

>

> 57 Orange juice from frozen concentrate

>

> 57 Pita bread

>

> 58 Canned peaches, heavy syrup

>

> 58 Mini shredded wheats

>

> 58 Multi-Bran Chex

>

> 59 Blueberry muffin

>

> 60 Bran muffin

>

> 60 Cheese pizza

>

> 61 Hamburger bun

>

> 61 *Ice cream

>

> 61 Quaker Chewy Granola Bar

>

> 63 *Coca-Cola

>

> 64 Beets

>

> 64 Canned apricots, light syrup

>

> 64 Canned black bean soup

>

> 64 Macaroni and cheese

>

> 64 Raisins

>

> 65 Couscous

>

> 65 Quick-cooking oatmeal

>

> 65 Rye crispbread

>

> 65 *Table sugar (sucrose)

>

> 66 Canned green pea soup

>

> 66 Instant oatmeal

>

> 66 Pineapple

>

> 67 Angel food cake

>

> 67 Grape-Nuts

>

> 67 Stoned Wheat Thins

>

> 68 American rye bread

>

> 68 Taco shells

>

> 69 Whole wheat bread

>

> 70 Life Savers

>

> 70 Melba toast

>

> 70 White bread

>

> High-GI Foods--More Than 70

> *Don't avoid or even limit high-glycemic index foods with an asterisk;

> these are low-calorie and very nutritious foods.

>

> 71 *Carrots

>

> 71 Golden Grahams

>

> 72 Bagel

>

> 72 Corn chips

>

> 72 *Watermelon

>

> 72 Honey

>

> 73 Kaiser roll

>

> 73 Mashed potatoes

>

> 74 *Bran flakes

>

> 74 Bread stuffing mix

>

> 74 *Cheerios

>

> 74 Cream of Wheat, instant

>

> 74 Graham crackers

>

> 74 Saltine crackers

>

> 75 Doughnut

>

> 76 French fries

>

> 76 Frozen waffles

>

> 76 *Total Cereal

>

> 77 Vanilla wafers

>

> 80 Grape-Nuts Flakes

>

> 80 Jelly beans

>

> 82 *Rice cakes

>

> 82 Rice Krispies

>

> 83 Corn Chex

>

> 83 Mashed potatoes, instant

>

> 83 Pretzels

>

> 84 Cornflakes

>

> 85 *Baked potato

>

> 89 Rice Chex

>

> 91 Rice, instant

>

> 95 French bread

>

> 97 *Parsnips

>

> 103 Dried dates

>

> 115 Tofu frozen dessert

>

>

>

>