The Glycemic Index - Easy to Read Tables http://bit.ly/pxJLwK The glycemic index is a list of foods. It rates carbohydrate foods by comparing how much they raise blood sugar after eating a measured portion of the food compared to a reference food set to equal 100. The reference can be either glucose or white bread, depending on the researcher. All the foods in the glycemic index are high in carbohydrates. Foods low in carbohydrates and high in fat or protein don't cause a significant rise in blood sugar, so researchers don't bother to measure them.

How fast a food raises blood sugar is important, because it determines how much insulin is produced to keep the blood sugar from going too high. For some people, this isn't an issue. However, some people will produce an excess of insulin in response to high glycemic index foods, and that's where the trouble starts.

Insulin reduces blood sugar by sending it out of the blood and into the cells to be stored as fat. If there's too much insulin, then after the blood sugar goes up, the excess insulin causes it to fall too low, which can create the rollercoaster effect of a temporary lift, then fatigue and carbohydrate cravings.

In Summary: The Glycemic index measures how fast the carbohydrate of a particular food is converted to glucose and enters the bloodstream. The lower the number, the slower the conversion and therefore, the more stable the blood sugar.

The numbers are percentages with respect to a reference food. The scale here is with respect to white bread, with it being set at 100. I have listed a few foods which you would use quite frequently.

Overconsumption of high glycemic index foods appears to contribute to insulin resistance and diabetes, as well as an impressive list of common health problems, all of which result from the long-term effects of too much insulin in the body.

A simple tool for making better choices
Using white bread as the standard, sucrose (table sugar) has a glycemic index of 92. So white bread, with a glycemic index of 100, raises blood glucose slightly faster than table sugar. Baked potatoes may be the biggest surprise, with a glycemic index of 121, which is 29 points higher than table sugar!

Proponents claim that using the glycemic index in making food choices can help you lose weight, reduce your risk of heart disease, improve your energy level and athletic performance, stabilize your blood sugar and enjoy greater overall wellness.

For high glycemic baked potatoes (121), you can substitute pasta, prepared slightly al dente (typically 50 to 60), beans and legumes (typically 40 to 60) or sweet potatoes (77), all of which have less of a glycemic effect. Instead of regular rice (126), you can substitute basmati (83) or Uncle Ben's Converted Rice (63), or for part of the rice, substitute the much lower glycemic pearled barley (36). Instead of highly processed breakfast cereals, cookies, crackers, cakes and muffins, look for those made from unrefined cereals or those that add dried fruits, which have a lower glycemic index than refined flour. Instead of tropical fruits such as bananas (77) switch to temperate climate fruits such as apples (54) or peaches (60).

 





Glycemic Index



Cereals

Snacks

Pasta

Beans



All Bran
51
chocolate bar
49
cheese tortellini
50
baked
44


Bran Buds + psyll
45
corn chips
72
fettucini
32
black beans, boiled
30


Bran Flakes
74
croissant
67
linguini
50
butter, boiled
33


Cheerios
74
doughnut
76
macaroni
46
cannellini beans
31


Corn Chex
83
graham crakers
74
spagh, 5 min boiled
33
garbanzo, boiled
34


Cornflakes
83
jelly beans
80
spagh, 15 min boiled
44
kidney, boiled
29


Cream of Wheat
66
Life Savers
70
spagh, prot enrich
28
kidney, canned
52


Frosted Flakes
55
oatmeal cookie
57
vermicelli
35
lentils, green, brown
30


Grapenuts
67
pizza, cheese & tom
60
Soups/Vegetables

lima, boiled
32


Life
66
Pizza Hut, supreme
33
beets, canned
64
navy beans
38


muesli, natural
54
popcorn, light micro
55
black bean soup
64
pinto, boiled
39


Nutri-grain
66
potato chips
56
carrots, fresh, boil
49
red lentils, boiled
27


oatmeal, old fach
48
pound cake
54
corn, sweet
56
soy, boiled
16


Puffed Wheat
67
Power bars
58
green pea, soup
66
Breads



Raisin Bran
73
pretzels
83
green pea, frozen
47
bagel, plain
72


Rice Chex
89
saltine crakers
74
lima beans, frozen
32
baquette, Frnch
95


Shredded Wheat
67
shortbread cookies
64
parsnips
97
croissant
67


Special K
54
Snikers bar
41
peas, fresh, boil
48
dark rey
76


Total
76
strawberry jam
51
split pea soup w/ham
66
hamburger bun
61


Fruit

vanilla wafers
77
tomato soup
38
muffins



apple
38
Wheat Thins
67
Drinks

apple, cin
44


apricots
57
Crackers

apple juice
40
blueberry
59


banana
56
graham
74
colas
65
oat & raisin
54


cantalope
65
rice cakes
80
Gatorade
78
pita
57


cherries
22
rye
68
grapefruit juice
48
pizza, cheese
60


dates
103
soda
72
orange juice
46
pumpernickel
49


grapefruit
25
Wheat Thins
67
pineapple juice
46
sourdough
54


grapes
46
Cereal Grains

Milk Products

rye
64


kiwi
52
barley
25
chocolate milk
35
white
70


mango
55
basmati white rice
58
custard
43
wheat
68


orange
43
bulgar
48
ice cream, van
60
Root Crops



papaya
58
couscous
65
ice milk, van
50
french fries
75


peach
42
cornmeal
68
skim milk
32
pot, new, boiled
59


pear
58
millet
71
soy milk
31
pot, red, baked
93


pineapple
66
Sugars

tofu frozen dessert
115
pot, sweet
52


plums
39
fructose
22
whole milk
30
pot, white, boiled
63


prunes
15
honey
62
yogurt, fruit
36
pot, white, mash
70


raisins
64
maltose
105
yogurt, plain
14
yam
54


watermelon
72
table sugar
64








If you are confused about how the  Glycemic Index affects weight loss, please ask Atlanta NutritionistIlana Katz.

 

 

 

  atlanta nutritionist