GUIDE TO THE - Low Glycemic Diet

GUIDE TO THE
LOW GLYCEMIC DIET
Nutritional Information
for People with Diabetes
Making healthy ch
oices!
Gary Russell, President of FIFTY 50
with Johanna Burani (left),
Registered Dietitian, Certified
Diabetes Educator, and co-author
of The Glucose Revolution Life
Plan, and Pat Gawdun (right),
Vice President of FIFTY 50 and
also a Registered Dietitian.
My Glycemic
Index Story
Several years ago, I heard about
a new way to help control diabetes through diet.
It’s called the Low Glycemic Diet. I learned it is widely used
in Europe, Australia, and Canada. I thought I’d give it a try.
It works! The amount of insulin needed was reduced,
my blood sugars were better controlled, and even my
hemoglobin A1c, which was always pretty good, was
improved. Best of all, I did not need to make a major
adjustment to my lifestyle to follow the Low Glycemic Diet.
Over the past 20 years, researchers have taken a closer look at
carbohydrate foods and how they affect blood glucose. It turns
out that carbohydrates, all of which were thought to have the
same effect on blood sugar, were actually very different. Some
increase blood sugar quickly and dramatically. Others produce
a slower rise. There are now numerous clinical studies that
prove foods with a low glycemic index (those that produce
less of a rise in blood glucose) can better manage diabetes
and help people lose weight at the same time.
Following the Low Glycemic Diet is simply a matter of
being better informed about the carbohydrate choices you
make each day. And even simple changes in your diet can
have a profound effect.
I urge you to learn more about the glycemic index and see
what a low glycemic diet can do for you. We’ve developed
this Guide to the Low Glycemic Diet to get you started.
Gary Russell
President
Disclaimer: The information provided in this guide is intended for general
educational purposes only. You should consult your physician or other qualified
health care professional for guidance concerning your own specific dietary
needs. The Glycemic Index works within a prescribed meal plan specifying
overall caloric and carbohydrate intake. Individuals should receive their daily
caloric needs, nutrient recommendations, and dietary supervision from their
doctor or dietitian.
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INTRODUCTION
Because you have diabetes,
you know how important it
is to control your blood sugar
levels.* You also know that
the foods you eat affect your
sugar levels. You may do
your very best to follow the
taking care of my di
abetes
dietary advice of your doctor
or dietitian to keep those
levels under control. But even when you
carefully follow this advice, you may still be frustrated
by high blood sugar readings.
The answer to improved blood sugar control might
be in this booklet. It’s all about the glycemic index,
or GI for short. The GI is an approach to categorizing
carbohydrates that helps you make better choices –
choices that can improve daily blood sugar levels as
well as overall health. The GI can help you:
• Have better control of your blood sugar levels
• Feel less hungry
• Lose weight
• Improve your cholesterol levels
The GI can also help you feel better because you’ll
avoid dramatic swings in your blood sugar level.
Correctly using the GI will provide you with a
steady and consistent level of energy – the amount
of energy you need when you need it. And once
you’ve read this booklet, you’ll see that it’s easy, too.
* Some people use the term blood glucose, and others use
the term blood sugar. Both terms refer to exactly the same
thing – the amount of glucose (the kind of sugar the body
uses as its food) that’s present in your blood.
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THE GLYCEMIC INDEX
What is the glycemic index (GI)?
The glycemic index (GI ) is a scoring system that ranks
foods based on their effect on blood sugar levels.
The GI covers only carbohydrates – most of the foods
you eat – such as fruits and juices, potatoes, rice,
pasta, breads, cereals, etc, that contain sugars, starches,
and different types of fiber. That’s because foods that
are high in carbohydrates have the greatest impact on
your blood sugar. Other foods such as fats and
proteins, have little effect on blood sugar.
When you eat carbohydrates, they are broken down in
the mouth, stomach, and intestine to smaller units that
the body can use for fuel. These units are a sugar called
glucose. Glucose supplies power to every cell in the
body. Without it, you wouldn’t be alive. But when
people have diabetes, glucose may not get into the
cells easily and can build up in the blood. If blood
glucose levels get too high, people with diabetes have
symptoms such as fatigue, hunger, thirst, frequent
urination, and weight loss. If blood glucose levels
remain too high for a long period of time (years),
people with diabetes can develop very serious complications affecting the eyes, kidneys, peripheral nerves,
and heart. That’s why doctors, diabetes educators, and
dietitians believe it’s very important to keep blood
glucose levels under control.
Here’s where the GI comes in. Whenever you eat
foods that contain carbohydrates, they are completely
digested, releasing glucose into the bloodstream.
Scientists have learned, though, that different carbohydrate foods cause blood glucose levels to rise at
different rates. Some foods cause glucose levels to
rise quickly after you eat them. The result is a virtual
“gush” of glucose into the bloodstream. Other
carbohydrate foods cause glucose levels to rise
more slowly – a “trickle,” so to speak. The GI is a
system that separates the “gusher” foods from the
“trickler” foods. By eating less of the gushers and
more of the tricklers, you can keep your after-meal
blood glucose levels more in check.
4
In a nutshell, the GI is a number scale that ranges
from 1 to over 100. Think of it as an automobile’s
speedometer. When you drive, the higher the
speedometer reading, the faster you’re traveling.
When you eat, the higher the GI of your food, the
faster your blood sugar level will rise; the lower the
GI of your food, the more slowly your blood sugar
level will rise.
GI FOOD RATING SYSTEM
Food Rating
GI
High (gushers)
More than 70
Intermediate
55 to 70
Low (tricklers)
Less than 55
How is the GI measured?
The GI of carbohydrate food is determined by careful
scientific testing. All GIs are ranked in comparison
with a reference food, pure glucose. Glucose is what’s
known as a “simple” sugar. If you were to eat glucose, your body would not have to break it down.
Instead, it would go directly into your bloodstream.
The GI of glucose has been set at 100.
In order to calculate a food’s GI, volunteers eat a
carefully measured amount of a test food containing
50 grams of carbohydrates. Over the next 2 hours,
blood samples are taken to measure how high the
volunteers’ blood glucose rises. They are tested
again, in the same way, only this time the volunteers
consume 50 grams of glucose (the reference food).
The total rise in blood glucose levels for the test food
and glucose are noted and the test food is then
expressed as a percentage of the rise from glucose.
For example, a hard roll has a GI of 71; this means
that when you eat a hard roll, the rise in blood sugar
is 71% as great compared to the rise in blood sugar
when eating a similar amount of glucose. Since the
GI of pumpernickel is only 41, you can lower the rise
in blood sugar if you eat pumpernickel bread instead
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of a hard roll. That’s how the diet works. The following
graph shows the rise in blood sugar from two
common sweeteners, table sugar and fructose.
So far, scientists have measured the GIs of more than
2,000 common food products. Some popular examples
are listed on pages 24-29.
COMPARATIVE BLOOD GLUCOSE RESPONSE FOLLOWING
CONSUMPTION OF TABLE SUGAR OR FRUCTOSE
Table Sugar
Fructose
1 Hour
2 Hours
Table sugar creates a high-glycemic effect – that is, a fast peak (high) followed
by a trough (low) in blood glucose levels – compared to an equivalent amount
of a sweetener like fructose, whose low-glycemic effect causes blood glucose
levels to rise more slowly. Energy and insulin levels remain more constant
when blood glucose levels rise more gradually without the peak and trough
effect seen with high-glycemic foods.
Who supports the GI?
Scientific support for the GI is wide ranging. Since
the concept was first developed in 1981 by researchers
at the University of Toronto, extensive research
from around the globe has confirmed its usefulness.
Numerous studies on the GI have appeared in
medical and nutrition journals. What’s more, the GI
is now an important part of diabetes control and is
endorsed by diabetes associations in such countries
as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Great Britain,
France, and throughout Europe.
TEST YOUR CARBOHYDRATE CHOICES
This might be a good time to find out how your carbohydrate choices rate on the glycemic index. Do you
prefer gushers (GI more than 70)? Or are tricklers
(GI less than 55) more to your taste? Place a check
mark next to your preferred foods in each of the
categories on the next page. Then find your favorites
in the GI listing that begins on page 24.
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Which breakfast cereals are
you most likely to eat?
❏ All-Bran®
❏ Raisin bran
❏ Corn flakes
❏ Special K®
good food
❏ Oatmeal (instant)
❏ Shredded wheat
❏ Oatmeal (old-fashioned)
Which bread do you prefer?
❏ 100% stone-ground whole-wheat bread
❏ Bagel
❏ French bread
❏ Kaiser roll
❏ English muffin
❏ White bread
Which are your favorite fruits or juices?
❏ Apple
❏ Orange juice
❏ Apple juice
❏ Pineapple
❏ Grapefruit
❏ Watermelon
Which kind of potatoes do you prefer?
❏ French fries
❏ Sweet potatoes
❏ Mashed (from scratch) ❏ Mashed (Instant)
Which would you eat as a snack?
❏ Chocolate bar
❏ Pizza
❏ Graham crackers
❏ Popcorn
❏ Ice cream
❏ Pretzels
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CHECK YOUR BLOOD SUGAR TO FIND
OUT HOW HIGH- AND LOW- GI FOODS
AFFECT YOU.
You can see for yourself how the glycemic index
works. Try this:
1. Test your blood sugar right before a meal and
record the results.
2. Eat a meal containing 2 or 3 servings of high
glycemic index foods.
3. Between 90-120 minutes after you start eating,
test your blood sugar and record the results.
Determine your increase in blood sugar for the
meal (subtract your pre-meal number from your
90-120 minute number).
4. The following day, substitute equal amounts of lowGI foods for the higher GI foods in the same meal as
the day before.
5. Check your blood sugar in the same way – before
the meal and between 90-120 minutes after you
start eating the low-GI meal – and record both
results. Determine your increase in blood sugar for
the meal (subtract your pre-meal number from
your 90-120 minute number).
6. Now compare these two numbers to see how the
high- and low-GI foods affected your blood sugars.
LOW-GI MEALS/HIGH-GI MEALS
Like many people, you might find you rely far too
heavily on gushers for your carbohydrate needs. Look
at the sample meals shown below. You’ll see examples
of high-GI meals and low-GI makeovers These simple
meal makeovers are healthier alternatives that provide
all the nutrition you need without causing that aftermeal “gush” of blood sugar.
BREAKFAST
High-GI
• Corn flakes with skim milk
• English muffin with jelly
• Coffee (regular)
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Low-GI makeover
`
• Old-fashioned oatmeal with
skim milk and peaches
• 100% stone-ground wholewheat toast with FIFTY 50®
Sugar Free Fruit Spread
• Coffee (decaf)
starting the day off
right
LUNCH
High-GI
• Turkey sandwich on white bread
with lettuce and tomato
• Watermelon
• Ice tea (regular, sweetened)
Low-GI makeover
• Turkey sandwich on 100%
stone-ground whole-wheat
bread with lettuce and tomato
eating my favorite
• Apple
lunch
• Ice tea (decaf, diet)
DINNER
High-GI
• Broiled chicken breast
• Mashed potatoes (instant)
• Steamed green beans
• French bread
Low-GI makeover
• Broiled chicken breast
• Converted rice
• Steamed green beans
• Salad with vinaigrette
dressing
dinner and a movie
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WHY AFTER-MEAL BLOOD SUGAR
LEVELS MATTER
Hemoglobin A1c is a measure of the average level
of glucose in the blood over 3 months. Research has
shown you can achieve normal A1c control but still
be at risk of complications caused by abnormally
high blood glucose levels. If you eat high-GI foods,
your after-meal blood sugar will spike and then drop
severely. Because A1c averages highs and lows, it
will not reflect after-meal spikes that can damage
tissue in your eyes, kidneys, and blood vessels. You
may think you are in good control, but you’re not.
It is also important for people at risk of developing
diabetes to avoid high-GI foods. Here’s why: A spike
in your blood sugar sends a signal to your pancreas
to release insulin, which helps the sugar leave the
bloodstream and enter the body’s cells, where it can
be used later for fuel. High levels of insulin are associated with weight gain, high cholesterol levels, and
high blood pressure. The high levels can also lead to
insulin resistance, a component of the most common
form of diabetes (type 2 diabetes).
By using the GI when you select your foods, you
can help keep your insulin levels from rising too
high, too quickly. When you eat low-GI foods, your
blood sugar levels rise gradually. And, in response,
your pancreas releases insulin gradually. By reducing after-meal blood sugar gushes, you also reduce
after-meal insulin gushes and the health problems
they can cause.
FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE GI OF FOOD
Many factors come into play in determining the GI
of the foods we eat. Anything that makes it easier
for our bodies to convert food to blood sugar
increases the GI and blood sugar levels. As important as it is for our cells to have glucose, it’s the
rapid gush of glucose into the bloodstream that
we generally want to avoid.
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Starch. Starch is a important source of carbohydrate
in our diet. Examples of starchy foods include breads,
cereals, rice, pasta, and potatoes. There are two kinds
of starch in food and, yes, you guessed right, one
is quickly digested, and the other breaks down
more slowly. Thus, the GI of a starchy food depends
on which is the predominant kind of starch in that
particular food. Thanks to the GI researchers, we can
make our choices directly from the GI list.
Cooking. As a general rule, cooked foods have
higher GIs than uncooked foods. One of the reasons
is because cooking causes starches to swell, which
makes them easier to digest. The amount of cooking
time can affect the GI, too. When pasta is cooked
only until it’s al dente (firm), it has a low GI; when
pasta is overcooked and becomes soft and mushy,
it has a higher GI.
Processing. Much of the food we eat today is highly
processed, including our staple grains – wheat, corn,
and oats – which are finely ground into powdery
flours that produce many wonderful-tasting breads,
cookies, breakfast cereals, and baked goods. And
many processed foods have higher GIS than the
unprocessed version. For example, old-fashioned
oatmeal made from rolled oats has a GI of 49, while
Quaker® 1-minute oats has a GI of 66 – which raises
the blood sugar level 35% higher and faster. This
means the more processed 1-minute oats will raise
your blood sugar level higher and faster than the
old-fashioned oats.
Acids. The more acidity there is in food, the more
slowly it is emptied from the stomach, and, in turn, the
more slowly it is digested and turned into blood sugar.
Foods that are acidic, such as oranges and sourdough
bread, have low GIs. Adding acid to a meal, in the
form of vinegar (as in many salad dressings) or lemon
juice, can help lower the GI of a meal. In fact, research
has shown that adding in as little as 4 teaspoons of
vinegar in a vinaigrette dressing at an average meal
can lower blood sugar by 30%.
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Fiber. Soluble fibers, such as those found in apples,
rolled oats, and beans and other legumes, tend to
slow digestion, resulting in a low GI. Including kidney
beans or chickpeas in a salad or adding an apple as
the dessert to a meal will lower that meal’s overall
GI and thus produce a slower and more subtle rise
in after-meal blood sugar levels.
Fats. Although we all should limit the amount of
fat we eat, fatty foods slow the rate of stomach
emptying and, thus, digestion. Keep in mind, though,
one should never go overboard in terms of fats,
because too much fat in the diet will increase the
risk of heart disease and stroke. Experts agree that
daily fat consumption should fall between 20% and
35% of total caloric intake. The heart-healthiest fats
are the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats,
which are liquid at room temperature. They’re found
in most vegetable oils and the fats found in nuts,
olives and fatty fish.
Sugar. There are several kinds of sugars in the
foods we eat. Some were put there by Mother
Nature; examples include fructose (fruit sugar) and
lactose (milk sugar). These natural sugars have low
GIs and will not cause a spike in blood sugar levels.
Other sugars, such as sucrose (ordinary table sugar),
will spike your blood sugar levels. For example,
FIFTY 50® Fructose has a GI of only 19, compared
with a GI of 68 for ordinary table sugar (sucrose).
The take-home message is: all sugars are not equal.
MAKING SMART CARBOHYDRATE
CHOICES
Here’s a handy table that will
help you make healthier food
choices. For a low-GI lifestyle,
choose alternatives from the
column labeled Tricklers. Try to
avoid foods from the column
labeled Gushers.
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healthy whole grain
and vegetables s
TRICKLERS
GUSHERS
BEVERAGES
Soy millk
Soft drinks
Apple juice (unsweetened)
Sports drinks
BREADS
100% stoned-ground
whole wheat or multigrain made with wholegrain flour
Cracked or sprouted
whole wheat
Dark, heavy, coarse
breads with intact whole
grains, seeds, nuts,
flaxseed, oats, or oat bran
Bagels (white flour)
English muffins
Matzoh (white flour)
White breads, muffins,
rolls, and baguettes
Whole-wheat bread (less
than 100% whole wheat)
Pumpernickel
Rye
Sourdough
Whole-wheat pita bread
Whole-wheat tortilla
CANDY, SNACKS AND CRACKERS
FIFTY 50® Chocolate Bars
Jelly beans
FIFTY 50® Hard Candies
Life Savers®
Corn chips
Popcorn
Fruit leather
Pretzels
Nutella
Rice cakes
®
Nuts (cashews, peanuts)
Saltines
Whole-grain crackers
Water crackers
CEREALS
All-Bran®
Bran Buds®
Fiber One®
Muesli
Oatmeal (old-fashioned)
FIFTY 50® Hearty Cut Oatmeal
Bran or wheat flakes
Cheerios®
Corn flakes/Chex®/Pops®
Instant or quick-cooking
oatmeal (or other instant
hot cereal)
Puffed wheat or rice
Rice Krispies®/Chex®
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TRICKLERS
GUSHERS
COOKIES AND DESSERTS
FIFTY 50® cookies
and wafers
(different varieties)
Oatmeal cookies
Social Tea® biscuits
Angel food cake
Doughnuts
PopTarts®
Sponge cake
DAIRY PRODUCTS
All milk
Cooked puddings and
custards
“Light” (artificially or
fructose-sweetened)
or plain yogurt
Ice cream
Instant pudding
Tofutti®
FRUIT PRESERVES AND SYRUPS
FIFTY 50® Fruit Spreads
High-fructose corn syrup
FIFTY 50 Syrup
Pancake syrup
®
Jellies and Preserves
FRUITS
Apples
Apricots
Berries
Cherries
Citrus fruits
Grapes
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Prunes
Strawberries
Dates
Watermelon
beautiful and delic
ious
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TRICKLERS
GUSHERS
JUICES
Unsweetened juices –
apple, grapefruit, orange,
tomato
Sweetened juices and
juice drinks
LEGUMES AND BEANS
Baked beans
Black beans
Black-eyed peas
Butter beans
Cannellini beans
Chickpeas
Kidney beans
Lentils
Mung beans
Pinto beans
Soy beans
Split peas
Fava beans
PASTA AND GRAINS
Barley
Basmati rice
Brown rice
Buckwheat
Bulgur
Corn
Pasta cooked al dente
Tortellini
Uncle Ben’s® Converted®
Long-Grain Rice
(not instant)
Wild rice
healthy and tasty
Aborio rice
Glutinous rice
(sticky Chinese rice)
Jasmine rice
Short-grain, instant,
or quick-cooking rice
VEGETABLES
All green leafy vegetables
All “non-starchy”
vegetables (except beets)
Carrots
Corn
New potatoes
Peas
Sweet potatoes
Yams
Baked and mashed
potatoes
Beets
Parsnips
Pumpkin
Rutabaga
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PERFORM THIS EXERCISE: DESIGN YOUR
In the spaces provided below, jot down some of the
high-GI foods in your current diet. Then substitute 1
or 2 low-GI alternatives for each; use the list on the
previous pages and the one beginning on page 24
MY HIGH-GI FOODS
BEVERAGES
BREADS
CEREALS
COOKIES AND DESSERTS
CRACKERS AND SNACKS
DAIRY PRODUCTS
FRUIT PRESERVES AND SYRUPS
FRUITS
JUICES
LEGUMES AND BEANS
PASTA AND GRAINS
VEGETABLES
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LOW-GI DIET
Write these choices in the boxes below. If you are
unsure about the GIs of some of the foods you eat,
ask your dietitian or diabetes educator for help. Be
sure to put your new low-GI diet into practice!
MY LOW-GI FOODS
BEVERAGES
BREADS
CEREALS
COOKIES AND DESSERTS
CRACKERS AND SNACKS
DAIRY PRODUCTS
FRUIT PRESERVES AND SYRUPS
FRUITS
JUICES
LEGUMES AND BEANS
PASTA AND GRAINS
VEGETABLES
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MENU SUGGESTIONS
Here are some tasty and healthful meal suggestions
to help get you on your way to better health.
Healthy Breakfast Ideas
• 100% stone-ground whole-wheat toast with
FIFTY 50® Peanut Butter and FIFTY 50® Fruit Spread
• Light yogurt with fresh fruit and low-fat granola
or bran buds
• FIFTY 50® Hearty Cut Oatmeal with dried
apricots (cooked in fat-free milk)
• Low-GI cold cereal (see GI list of foods)
with skim milk
• Whole-wheat pita bread stuffed with
scrambled egg
• Sourdough French toast with FIFTY 50® Maple
Syrup and fruit
• Bran muffin with FIFTY 50® Strawberry Spread
• Buckwheat pancakes with FIFTY 50® Maple
Syrup and fruit
• Multi-grain waffles with natural applesauce
• Pumpernickel toast with melted low-fat cheese
• Rye toast and egg-white Western omelet and fruit
A low-GI breakfast includes whole-grain breads or
toasts, cereals rated as tricklers, and lots of fresh
fruits. Avoid syrups other than the ones listed
above, and stay away from instant hot cereals;
they’re gushers.
Healthy Lunch Ideas
• Homemade or canned soups made with low-GI
ingredients – vegetable, lentil, black bean, split
pea, minestrone, or barley (don’t be afraid to add
extra vegetables to make it extra chunky)
• Sandwiches made with lean meats on whole-grain
wheat, rye, pumpernickel or pita bread, along with
baby carrots and fruit salad
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• Pasta salad with vinaigrette dressing and assorted
fresh vegetables and reduced-fat cheese
• Mixed salad with grilled chicken and vinaigrette
dressing (Be sure to toss in some beans!)
• FIFTY 50® Peanut Butter and FIFTY 50® Fruit Spread
on low-GI bread and a salad
• Light yogurt with fruit and whole-grain muffin with
spreadable light cheese
At lunch time, steer clear of processed white bread and
rolls. Instead, make a sandwich using whole-grain
pumpernickel or rye bread. Try salads made with lots
of varied fresh vegetables and vinaigrette dressing.
Canned tuna or salmon is also a good protein addition.
Healthy Dinner Tips
• Pasta, grains, rice, beans, or whole-grain breads
• Fresh vegetables and salads
• Lean meats, chicken, and fish
• Substitute beans, peas, or lentils for protein
sources if you prefer
• Limit intake of high-GI starches – baked or instant
mashed potatoes, instant rice, boxed stuffing
mixes, processed white breads
Base your meal on a low-GI carbohydrate, with generous amounts of non-starchy vegetables and plenty of
fresh salads. Eat lean meats, poultry, and fish. End
your balanced meal with a serving of fresh fruit or
one of the healthy snacks and desserts listed below.
Snacks and Desserts
• No-sugar-added cocoa
• FIFTY 50® Fructose Sweetened Cookies
• Fresh or dried fruits (see GI list)
• Light yogurt with fruit
• Nuts (small serving)
• FIFTY 50® Sugar-Free Chocolate Bar (small serving)
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• Sugar-free Jell-O® (add some fruit)
• Sugar-free pudding in FIFTY 50® Pie Crust
• Low-fat ice cream with fresh fruit
• Whole-wheat pita chips or baked tortilla chips
• Natural applesauce with light whipped topping
You can have dessert! By choosing snacks with a low
GI or low-fat desserts, you can help prevent some of
the symptoms and complications associated with
gusher foods.
Eating Out
To some people, the thought of eating out and of
maintaining a low-GI diet might seem like a contradiction in terms. It’s not! Although you might not have as
much control over what you eat when you’re out of
the house, restaurants today offer a growing variety
of healthy and delicious low-GI foods. Many menus
feature grilled seafood, fresh vegetables, pastas, and
fruits; choices such as these are healthy also, because
they’re low in fat. And with the growing popularity of
ethnic foods, healthy choices are even broader. Here
are some tips:
Chinese food. Authentic Chinese food features plenty
of vegetables and is low in fat – a good, low-GI option.
Limit your intake of starchy, Asian-style sticky white
rice, though, which has a high GI. A low-GI alternative
would be oriental noodles (egg, rice or mung bean).
Try to stay away from deep-fried foods, also – not so
much from a GI standpoint, but because they’re very
high in fat.
Mexican food. Most Mexican restaurants in the United
States serve high-starch, high-fat foods (including
chips), that are denser in calories than they are in
nutrients. If possible, stick with grilled seafood and
chicken dishes, black beans, and entrees such as fajitas. Limit the sour cream.
Italian food. Pasta dishes, seafood dishes, and meat
dishes are nutritionally sound choices, as long as
they’re not overloaded with cheese. Thin-crust pizza
with vegetable toppings is a good choice. And
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remember, those bread calories eaten while waiting
for the meal to arrive still count! Ask for semolina
bread if it’s available.
Japanese food. Practically anything in an authentic
Japanese restaurant works into a low-GI meal plan,
even sushi (it’s prepared with vinegar). Canned
lychees, however, have a high GI.
Thai food. Thai dishes typically include small amounts
of meat, seafood, or tofu with vegetables and spicy
sauce. All are good choices from a GI standpoint.
Indian food. Indian cuisine is generally friendly to a
low-GI diet. It features legumes, chicken, fish, vegetables, and yogurt. Just be aware of the high-fat fried
foods and heavy, butter-based sauces.
Fast food. Fast-food restaurants can spell trouble for
low-GI diets. Hamburgers and other fast-food sandwiches are served on processed breads and rolls
having high GIs. Most fast foods are also very high in
fat and sodium. As a general rule, try to avoid fast
foods. If you can’t avoid fast-food restaurants, find one
that offers salads on the menu.
STOCKING YOUR LOW-GI PANTRY
To simplify the planning and preparing of low-GI
meals, make sure you always have the right ingredients at hand. Limit the high-GI foods that you buy and
keep your pantry stocked with lots of healthy staples.
Here are some pointers:
Grain-based foods
Foods made from grain products (especially
unprocessed grain products) are great for a low-GI
lifestyle. Stock your pantry with healthy and delicious
pasta products. Uncle Ben’s® Converted® Long Grain
Rice should be another pantry staple. Avoid quickcooking or instant starches.
Legumes
Canned and dried beans, peas, and legumes are good
sources of protein and are also low-GI carbohydrate
foods (except fava beans, which have a high GI). Keep
them on hand to add to soups, side dishes, salads,
and main courses.
21
Canned and Jarred Foods
Lots of canned and jarred foods are both delicious
and have low GIs; it’s a good idea to keep them well
stocked. Great choices found in cans include:
• Tuna (preferably in water)
• Salmon (preferably in water)
• Sardines (preferably in water)
• Tomatoes and tomato paste
• Corn
• Fruits (not packed in syrup)
• New white potatoes
• Vegetables (asparagus, carrots, green beans
mushrooms, etc.)
Marinated vegetables packed in jars are great as
snacks and side dishes. An added benefit is the vinegar
they contain, which helps lower the GI of the foods
you eat along with them. Here are some examples:
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Artichoke hearts
• Olives
• Capers
• Marinated vegetables
• Roasted peppers
• Pickles
love your vegetables
Oils and Vinegars
Many people use oils in the preparation of their foods.
Vegetable oils are mostly unsaturated and heart
healthy (exceptions: palm, palm kernel, and coconut).
But because oils are fats, the amount consumed
should be limited: aim for no more than one tablespoon per meal, per person. Good choices include:
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Canola oil
• Sunflower oil
• Sesame oil
• Peanut oil
22
There are many types of vinegar available, also. All
vinegars are acidic; therefore, when you include some
vinegar in a meal, it helps lower the GI of the meal.
Keep a variety of vinegars on hand to enhance the
different flavors in your healthy salads.
Snacks
Make sure you have plenty of fruits and vegetables on
hand. Also, stock dried nuts and FIFTY 50® Low
Glycemic Fructose Sweetened Cookies. Just remember to stay within your calorie and fat limits.
CONCLUSIONS–SECRETS TO GI SUCCESS
In conclusion, the glycemic index is a wonderful,
user-friendly health tool. A low-GI diet can help you
avoid after-meal gushes in blood glucose and in
insulin. By putting a low-GI diet into practice, you
can have better control of your blood glucose levels,
feel less hungry, lose weight, improve your cholesterol levels, and provide yourself with a consistent
and steady energy level throughout the day. Improved
cholesterol levels can reduce your risk of heart
attack and stroke.
Improving your health with the glycemic index is
simple. All you have to do is use the lists in this
booklet and those in other sources listed on pages
30 and 31. Check the GIs of foods you normally eat.
Then do this:
• Determine which high-GI foods you eat frequently
• Replace high-GI foods with low-GI foods; reduce
the quantity and/or frequency of high-GI foods
• Make sure your diet consists of balanced meals
and snacks based on your prescribed meal plan
and calorie level
• Enjoy your meals - enjoy good health!
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GI LISTING
Glycemic index values of some popular foods are
listed below.
BEANS AND PEAS
Low GI
Baked beans
Black-eyed peas, canned
Chana dal (Indian Bean)
Chickpeas, canned
Chickpeas, dried
Kidney beans, boiled
Kidney beans, canned
Lentils
Lima beans (frozen)
Yellow split peas
(less thn 55)
48
42
8
42
28
28
52
29
32
32
Intermediate
High GI
GI
(55 to 70)
(more than 70)
BREADS
Low GI
100% stone-ground
whole wheat
Bagel
Bread stuffing
Croissant
French baguette
Hamburger bun
Kaiser roll
Pita, whole wheat
Pumpernickel
Rye
Sourdough
Taco shell
White
Whole wheat
Intermediate
GI
High GI
53
72
74
67
95
61
73
57
41
58
54
68
70
69
BREAKFAST/BAKERY
Low GI
Angel food cake
Blueberry muffin
Bran muffin
Carrot muffin
Doughnut
Pancakes
Pastry pie crust
Pound cake
24
Intermediate
GI
67
59
60
62
High GI
76
67
59
54
BREAKFAST/BAKERY
Low GI
(less thn 55)
Scones
Sponge cake
Waffles
Intermediate
High GI
GI
(55 to 70)
(more than 70)
92
46
76
BREAKFAST CEREALS
Low GI
All-Bran®
Bran Buds®
Bran flakes
Cheerios®
Corn Chex®
Corn flakes
Cream of Wheat®, cooked
Cream of Wheat®, instant
Grapenuts®
Muesli, toasted
Multi-Bran Chex®
Oat bran, raw
Oatmeal (old-fashioned)
Puffed wheat
Quick (1-minute) oats
Raisin Bran®
Rice Krispies®
Shredded Wheat®
Special K®
Intermediate
GI
High GI
38
47
74
74
83
92
66
74
71
43
58
55
49
67
66
61
82
75
69
COOKIES
Low GI
FIFTY 50® Butter
Chocolate Chip
FIFTY 50® Chocolate Chip
FIFTY 50® Coconut
FIFTY 50® Hearty Oatmeal
FIFTY 50® Vanilla Creme
Filled Wafers
Oatmeal
Shortbread
Intermediate
GI
High GI
36
44
34
45
30
41
55
64
25
CRACKERS
Low GI
(less thn 55)
Intermediate
High GI
GI
(55 to 70)
(more than 70)
Graham crackers
Kavli crisp bread
Melba toast
Rice cakes
Ryvita crisp bread
Stoned Wheat Thins®
Soda crackers (saltines)
Water crackers
74
71
70
82
69
67
74
78
DAIRY FOODS
Low GI
Ice cream, premium,
French vanilla
Milk, skim
Milk, whole
Yogurt, low-fat, with fruit,
artificially sweetened
Yogurt, low-fat, w/fruit & sugar
Intermediate
GI
High GI
38
32
31
14
33
DINNERS/MEAL REPLACEMENTS
Low GI
Fish stick fingers
Cheese tortellini
Macaroni & cheese, packaged
Meat ravioli
Pizza
Intermediate
GI
High GI
38
50
64
39
60
FRUITS
Low GI
Apple
Apricots, canned in light syrup
Apricots, dried
Apricots, fresh
Banana
Cantaloupe
Cherries
Dates, dried
Figs, dried
Fruit cocktail, in natural juice
Grapefruit
Grapes, green
26
Intermediate
GI
High GI
38
64
30
57
52
65
22
103
61
55
25
46
FRUITS
Low GI
(less thn 55)
Kiwi
Mango
Orange, navel
Papaya
Peach, canned in juice
Peach, fresh
Pear, canned in natural juice
Pear, fresh
Pineapple, fresh
Plum
Prunes
Raisins
Strawberries
Intermediate
High GI
GI
(55 to 70)
(more than 70)
58
51
42
56
38
42
43
38
66
39
29
56
40
Watermelon
72
GRAINS
Low GI
Barley, pearled
Buckwheat
Cornmeal
Couscous
Intermediate
GI
High GI
25
54
68
65
JUICES
Low GI
Apple
Cranberry juice cocktail
Grapefruit
Orange, unsweetened
Pineapple
Tomato
Intermediate
GI
High GI
Intermediate
GI
High GI
40
52
48
53
46
38
PASTA
Low GI
Capellini
Fetuccini, egg
Linguine, thick
Macaroni
Rice vermicelli
Spaghetti, white
Spaghetti, whole wheat
Spiral pasta
Star pastina
45
32
46
47
58
38
37
43
38
27
POTATOES
Low GI
(less thn 55)
Baked
Canned
French fries
Instant, mashed
New, unpeeled
Red skinned, boiled
Sweet
White skinned, mashed
Yam
Intermediate
High GI
GI
(55 to 70)
(more than 70)
85
65
75
86
62
88
44
70
37
RICE
Low GI
Aborio
Basmati
Brown
Converted, white, long grain
Glutinous, sticky
Instant, white
Long-grain white
Short-grain white
Wild
Intermediate
GI
69
58
55
High GI
44
98
87
56
72
57
SNACKS
Low GI
Cashews
Corn chips
FIFTY 50® Milk Chocolate Bar
Hummus
Jelly beans
Kudos® Whole Grain Bar,
chocolate chip
Milk chocolate
Peanuts
Popcorn
Pretzels
Potato chips
Walnuts
28
Intermediate
GI
High GI
22
42
31
6
78
62
42
15
72
83
57
15
SOUPS
Low GI
(less thn 55)
Black bean
Lentil
Minestrone
Pea
Tomato
Intermediate
High GI
GI
(55 to 70)
(more than 70)
64
44
39
66
38
SWEETENERS
Low GI
FIFTY 50® Low Calorie
Fruit Spread
FIFTY 50® Maple
Flavored Syrup
FIFTY 50® Fructose
Honey
Smucker’s® Jam, strawberry
Marmalade, orange
Pancake syrup (maple)
Sucrose
Intermediate
GI
High GI
6
19
19
55
74
48
76
68
VEGETABLES
Low GI
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Corn, canned
Green peas
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Onions
Parsnips
Pumpkin
Red peppers
Tomatoes
Intermediate
GI
64
High GI
10
10
49
46
48
10
10
10
97
75
10
10
29
FOR MORE GI INFORMATION
To learn more about the GI, the benefits of a low-GI
diet, and how to make the GI work for you, look for
these books or visit these Internet sites:
Books
The New Glucose Revolution for Diabetes
By Brand-Miller, Foster-Powell, Colagiuri and Barclay. 2007
The New Glucose Revolution Shopper’s Guide to GI Values 2010
By Brand-Miller and Foster-Powell. 2010
Good Carbs, Bad Carbs - Lose Weight and Enjoy Optimum
Health and Vitality by Eating the Right Carbs
By Burani. 2004
30
Information on the Internet
FIFTY 50 Foods/Glycemic Index
http://www.fifty50.com
University of Sydney, Australia
http://www.glycemicindex.com/
Glycemic Index Related Information
http://www.mendosa.com
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