Glycemic Index Food List

(Use when choosing carbohydrate-rich foods)

Low GI Medium GI High GI

*Consume most often *Consume less often *Consume rarely
BREADS: Sprouted grain bread or Whole grain bread ( White and whole
tortilla coarse) wheat flour bread
Heavy mixed grain Whole grain rye bread Bagels, croissants and
Pumpernickel Whole wheat pita bagels
Sourdough Whole wheat or flax Rice flour
tortilla Potato flour

BREAKFAST All Bran and Fibre 1 Grapenuts Bran flakes/Corn

CEREAL: Bran Buds with Shredded Wheat flakes
Psyllium Quick oats Rice Krispies
Slow Cooked Oatmeal Muesli, sweetened Cheerios
Oat Bran Raisin Bran Special K
Muesli, unsweetened Commercial granola

GRAINS / Brown basmati rice Basmati or long grain Short-grain rice

LEGUMES: Barley rice Millet
Bulgur Couscous Risotto
Pasta (al dente) Spelt Polenta, cornmeal
Quinoa Stoned Wheat Thins Pretzels
Lentils, chickpeas, kid- or Ryvita Rice cakes
ney beans, Black bean soup Soda crackers
split peas, pinto beans Green pea soup
Sweet corn

VEGETABLES Most whole vegetables Potato (new or red) Potato, baking (Rus-
AND FRUITS: & fruit Bananas set)
Sweet potato Beets French fries
Yam Raisins Fruit juices
Prunes Dates( in large
amounts)

OTHER: Milk and Soy Maple syrup Candy & Pop

Yogurt Honey Sports drinks
Fructose Ice-cream Glucose & Corn Syrup
(HFCS)

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What is the Glycemic Index of food?
Dr. David Jenkins, a Canadian nutritional sciences professor, developed this index in the early 1980s.
It ranks carbohydrate-rich foods by how much they raise blood glucose levels in comparison with
glucose or white bread.

When you eat food that contains carbohydrates, the sugar (glucose) breaks down during diges-
tion and gives you energy. After you eat, your blood glucose level rises. The speed at which
food increases your blood glucose level is called the glycemic response.
The glycemic index ranks carbohydrate-rich foods according to this response. Those that raise
blood glucose quickly have a higher GI rating. Foods that do so more slowly have a lower one.
Generally, the lower the rating, the better the quality of carbohydrate and overall nutritional ben-
efit.
Low GI foods are usually low in calories and fat, while high in fiber, nutrients and antioxidants.
Choosing low GI foods more often has many health benefits.

What are the benefits of eating low GI foods?

Eating foods with a low Glycemic Index may help you to:

Prevent obesity Low GI foods digest more slowly and stay in your stomach longer. This makes
you feel full longer. As a result, you may eat less and consume fewer calories making it easier to
control weight.

Control your appetite - Low GI carbohydrate rich foods are high in fiber and micronutrients, and as
a result leave you feeling satisfied for longer periods of time. When combined with a lean protein,
low GI carbohydrate rich foods will sustain you to your next meal by keeping cravings at bay.

Regulates energy levels throughout the day Eating low GI food helps sustain blood sugar levels
at optimal ranges. When blood sugar spikes up and then down from high GI foods the body is on a
rollercoaster and maintaining adequate energy levels becomes impossible. Low GI foods facilitate
sustained energy levels all day, every day.

Prevent type 2 diabetes High GI foods may increase the bodys demand for insulin and raise the
workload of the pancreas. Some researchers think that eating a diet rich in high GI foods for many
years may wear out the pancreas, resulting in type 2 diabetes. Eating low GI foods can ease the
demand on the pancreas, so it does not work too hard.

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Manage diabetes better Eating low GI foods helps control blood glucose levels and improves the
bodys sensitivity to insulin. These foods do not break down into sugar as quickly and so may keep
blood glucose from spiking. Your body is more able to keep up with insulin demands. Controlling
blood glucose levels is particularly important for helping those with diabetes to avoid serious compli-
cations of the disease.

Control your cholesterol level Avoiding highly refined carbohydrates, e.g. high GI foods, and eat-
ing low GI foods has been shown to increase high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, the good choles-
terol. High HDL levels are associated with a lower prevalence of cardiovascular disease.

Avert heart disease Elevated insulin levels may be the driving factor for heart disease. High GI
foods spike blood glucose levels and insulin demand. In contrast, consuming low GI foods keep
blood glucose and insulin levels in check resulting in reduced bad low density lipoprotein (LDL) cho-
lesterol.

Tips for Healthy Eating and Achieving a Healthy Weight

Start your day off with a Low Glycemic Breakfast! Breakfast is the most important meal of the
day and high glycemic choices can trigger you to eat 80 percent more calories all day!
Eat regular meal and snacks dont skip meals.
Choose a variety of foods from all food groups- emphasizing low glycemic food choices; and
include protein with meals and snacks to slow down the absorption of carbohydrates in the meal.
Limit sugars and sweets
Reduce the amount of fat you eat
Include foods high in fiber Read Labels
Limiting salt, alcohol and caffeine

For more information, visit our website at www.LowGImeals.com and view our Question and Answer
page under the Low G.I. Eating tab.

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Awesome Tofu Pizza
Bonus Recipe

Makes 3 servings - Calories 200

CARBS 8g PROTEIN 16g FAT 11g FIBER 2g

12 oz (350 g) extra firm tofu

2/3 cups (150 ml) chunky black bean salsa
cup (60 ml) black olives, pitted and coarsely
chopped (optional)
cup (125 ml) grated cheddar
cup (60 ml) feta, crumbled
2 green onions, thinly sliced
tsp (1 ml) dried oregano

1. Place oven rack in top third of oven. Preheat to 400 F.

2. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
3. Turn tofu block on edge and slice into six thin slices. Place tofu slices on cookie sheet.
4. In a bowl, stir salsa with olives and green onion, then spoon over tofu and spread to edges.
Sprinkle with cheddar, feta and oregano.
5. Turn oven to broil and cook until cheese melts, 6 to 8 minutes

WRITTEN BY: Laura Kalina, RD, MAdEd, a registered dietitian and co-author of Low GI Meals in
Minutes Cookbook which can help you put healthy eating into action. More than a cookbook, this
healthy lifestyle guide teaches a quick prep method, and also contains a menu plan, shopping lists,
fridge and pantry makeovers and success stories.

You can find out more at www.LowGImeals.com.

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