Everyone has heard about the good and bad carbs. We all know that we should stay away from our friendly, loving, nurturing comfort foods such as chocolate, sugar, candy, white bread, white rice and white potatoes. They have even told us- don’t eat anything white!
There is a reason for this, we need to find out about the glycemic levels of foods if we want to stay healthy.
There has been an increase in diabetes, ( even in people who are not overweight), because many people may not be eating quality foods.
The simple sugars such as cane sugar, honey, maple syrup can cause a fast raise in blood sugar- and a later crash of fatigue- causing a rush for another donut to make you feel better again, but if you had an apple instead of a donut, its slow glycemic index would keep you feeling energized for a longer time, believe it or not!
A low glycemic healthy way of eating can help prevent against many diseases. A low glycemic diet has great potential for treating and preventing chronic diseases. These carbs that I am talking about are in our fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and tubers.
Here are some examples of low glycemic index foods: ( the sugar in these foods breaks down into glucose very slowly)
Vegetables
Spinach 15-50 Zucchini 15-50
Turnip greens Asparagus
Lettuce Artichokes
Water Cress Okra
Cabbage Celery
Cucumbers Dill Pickles
Radishes Broccoli
Brussels sprouts Eggplant
Onions Tomatoes
30-50 30-50
Cauliflower Bell peppers
Green peas Squash
Heart of Palm
Grains
Barley: Pearled barley cooked 35
Barley kernel bread 64
Barley flour bread 94
Whole meal barley porridge 95
Buckwheat bread (50% de-husked/50% white) 66
Buckwheat, cooked 75
Corn
yellow 78
corn tortillas 78
cornmeal 95
taco shells 97
Millet
Millet, boiled 99
Oats
oat bran (45% oat bran with 50% white wheat flour) 66
Oatmeal (thick, de-hulled oat flakes) 77
Oat bread (80% oat kernels 20% white wheat flour) 91
Rice
Wild rice 81-85
rice cakes
Rice noodles
Rye
Whole kernels 48
Rye kernel bread (80% kernels/20% white wheat flour) 70
Wheat
Spaghetti, whole meal 52
Whole wheat bread 100
Gluten-free 129
Spelt
whole meal spelt bread 88
Multi-grains
Multi-grain bread 60
Fruit
Grapefruit 35 Strawberries 56
Apples 53 Oranges 59
Prunes 41 Pineapples 83
Pears 53 Kiwi 74
Plums 55 Bananas 77
Grapes 64 Raisins 90
Cantaloupe 91
Watermelon 100
Starchy Vegetables
Yams 52 Carrots 66 Potatoes (boiled and peeled) 81 Beets 64
Legumes
Soybeans cooked 25 Lentils (red) 36 Garbanzo beans 39 Lentils (green) 42
Kidney beans 39 Split peas (yellow) 45 Soy milk 50
Dairy
yogurt low fat, plain 20 whole milk 39 skim milk 46 yogurt low fat with fruit 47
Sweeteners
Homey 77
White sugar 95
Tips
A food is generally considered high in Glycemic index if it is above 60
People with problems maintaining their blood sugar levels should restrict their foods to only those with GI of 40 or less
Taken in part from: Bell, SJ, Sears, B. Low-Glycemic-Load diets: Impact on obesity and chronic diseases. Crit Rev food Sci Nutr. 2003; 43(4): 357-77