Making healthy choices!

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this guide is intended for general educational purposes only. You should consult your physician or other qualifiedhealth care professional for guidance concerning your own specific dietaryneeds. The Glycemic Index works within a prescribed meal plan specifyingoverall caloric and carbohydrate intake. Individuals should receive their dailycaloric needs, nutrient recommendations, and dietary supervision from theirdoctor or dietitian.

Gary Russell, President of FIFTY 50with Johanna Burani (left),Registered Dietitian, CertifiedDiabetes Educator, and co-authorof The Glucose Revolution LifePlan, and Pat Gawdun (right),Vice President of FIFTY 50 andalso a Registered Dietitian.

My Glycemic Index Story

Two years ago, I heard abouta new way to help control diabetes through diet.

It's called the Low Glycemic Diet. I learned it is widely usedin Europe, Australia, and Canada. I thought I'd give it a try. It works! The amount of insulin I needed was reduced, my blood sugars were better controlled, and even myhemoglobin A1c, which was always pretty good, wasimproved. Best of all, I did not need to make a majoradjustment to my lifestyle to follow the Low Glycemic Diet.

Over the past 20 years, researchers have taken a closer look atcarbohydrate foods and how they affect blood glucose. It turnsout that carbohydrates, all of which were thought to have thesame effect on blood sugar, were actually very different. Someincrease blood sugar quickly and dramatically. Others producea slower rise. There are now numerous clinical studies thatprove foods with a low glycemic index (those that produceless of a rise in blood glucose) can better manage diabetesand help people lose weight at the same time.

Following the Low Glycemic Diet is simply a matter ofbeing better informed about the carbohydrate choices youmake each day. And even simple changes in your diet canhave a profound effect.

I urge you to learn more about the glycemic index and seewhat a low glycemic diet can do for you. We've developed this Guide to the Low Glycemic Diet to get you started.

Gary RussellPresident

INTRODUCTIONBecause you have diabetes, you know how important it is to control your blood sugar levels.* You also know that the foods you eat affect yoursugar levels. You may do your very best to follow thedietary advice of your doctoror dietitian to keep those levels under control. But even when you carefully follow this advice, you may still be frustratedby high blood sugar readings.

The answer to improved blood sugar control mightbe in this booklet. It’s all about the glycemic index,or GI for short. The GI is an approach to categorizingcarbohydrates that helps you make better choices—choices that can improve daily blood sugar levels aswell 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’llavoid dramatic swings in your blood sugar level.Correctly using the GI will provide you with a steady and consistent level of energy—the amountof energy you need when you need it. And onceyou’ve read this booklet, you’ll see that it’s easy, too.

*Some people use the term blood glucose, and others usethe term blood sugar. Both terms refer to exactly the samething—the amount of glucose (the kind of sugar the bodyuses as its food) that’s present in your blood.

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taking care of my diabetes

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THE GLYCEMIC INDEXWhat is the glycemic index (GI)?

The glycemic index (GI) is a scoring system that ranksfoods based on their effect on blood sugar levels.

The GI covers only carbohydrates—most of the foodsyou 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 thatare high in carbohydrates have the greatest impact on your blood sugar. Other foods, such as fats andproteins, have little effect on blood sugar.

When you eat carbohydrates, they are broken down inthe mouth, stomach, and intestine to smaller units thatthe body can use for fuel. These units are a sugar calledglucose. Glucose supplies power to every cell in thebody. Without it, you wouldn’t be alive. But when people have diabetes, glucose may not get into thecells easily and can build up in the blood. If blood glucose levels get too high, people with diabetes havesymptoms such as fatigue, hunger, thirst, frequent urination, and weight loss. If blood glucose levelsremain too high for a long period of time (years), people with diabetes can develop very serious compli-cations affecting the eyes, kidneys, peripheral nerves,and heart. That’s why doctors, diabetes educators, anddietitians believe it’s very important to keep blood glucose levels under control.

Here’s where the GI comes in. Whenever you eatfoods that contain carbohydrates, they are completelydigested, releasing glucose into the bloodstream.Scientists have learned, though, that different carbo-hydrate foods cause blood glucose levels to rise atdifferent rates. Some foods cause glucose levels torise quickly after you eat them. The result is a virtual“gush” of glucose into the bloodstream. Other carbohydrate foods cause glucose levels to risemore 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 andmore of the tricklers, you can keep your after-mealblood glucose levels more in check.

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In a nutshell, the GI is a number scale that rangesfrom 1 to over 100. Think of it as an automobile’sspeedometer: When you drive, the higher thespeedometer reading, the faster you’re traveling.When you eat, the higher the GI of your food, thefaster your blood sugar level will rise; the lower the GI of your food, the more slowly your blood sugarlevel will rise.

How is the GI measured?

The GI of carbohydrate food is determined by carefulscientific testing. All GIs are ranked in comparisonwith a reference food, pure glucose. Glucose is what’sknown as a “simple” sugar. If you were to eat glu-cose, 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 care-fully measured amount of a test food containing 50grams of carbohydrates. Over the next 2 or 3 hours,blood samples are taken to measure how high thevolunteers’ blood glucose rises. They are tested again,in the same way, only this time the volunteers con-sume 50 grams of glucose (the reference food).

The total rise in blood glucose levels for the test foodand glucose are noted and the test food is thenexpressed as a percentage of the rise from glucose.For example, a hard roll has a GI of 71; this meansthat when you eat a hard roll, the rise in blood sugaris 71% as great compared to the rise in blood sugarwhen eating a similar amount of glucose. Since the GI of pumpernickel is only 41, you can lower the risein blood sugar if you eat pumpernickel bread instead

Food Rating GI

High (gushers) More than 70

Intermediate 55 to 70

Low (tricklers) Less than 55

GI FOOD RATING SYSTEM

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of a hard roll. That's how the diet works. The followinggraph shows the rise in blood sugar from two common sweeteners, table sugar and fructose.

So far, scientists have measured the GIs of more than600 common food products. Some popular examplesare listed on pages 24-29.

Who supports the GI?

Scientific support for the GI is wide ranging. Since the concept was first developed in 1981 by researchersat the University of Toronto, extensive researchfrom around the globe has confirmed its usefulness.Numerous studies on the GI have appeared in medical and nutrition journals. What’s more, the GIis now an important part of diabetes control and isendorsed by diabetes associations in such countriesas 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 car-bohydrate choices rate on the glycemic index. Do youprefer gushers (GI more than 70)? Or are tricklers (GI less than 55) more to your taste? Place a checkmark next to your preferred foods in each of the cate-gories below. Then find your favorites in the GI listingthat begins on page 24.

Table sugar creates a high-glycemic effect—that is, a fast peak (high) followedby a trough (low) in blood glucose levels—compared to an equivalent amountof a sweetener like fructose, whose low-glycemic effect causes blood glucoselevels to rise more slowly. Energy and insulin levels remain more constantwhen blood glucose levels rise more gradually without the peak and trougheffect seen with high-glycemic foods.

COMPARATIVE BLOOD GLUCOSE RESPONSE FOLLOWINGCONSUMPTION OF TABLE SUGAR OR FRUCTOSE

Fructose

1 Hour 2 Hours

Table Sugar

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Which breakfast cereals are

you most likely to eat?

❑ All-Bran®

❑ Raisin bran

❑ Corn flakes

❑ Special K®

❑ 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

good food

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LOW-GI MEALS/HIGH-GI MEALSLike many people, you might find you rely far tooheavily on gushers for your carbohydrate needs. Lookat the sample meals shown below. You’ll see examplesof high-GI meals and low-GI makeovers. These simplemeal makeovers are healthier alternatives that provideall the nutrition you need without causing that after-meal “gush” of blood sugar.

CHECK YOUR BLOOD SUGAR TO FINDOUT HOW HIGH- AND LOW-GI FOODSAFFECT YOU.You can see for yourself how the glycemic indexworks. Try this:

1. Test your blood sugar right before a meal andrecord the results.

2. Eat a meal containing 2 or 3 servings of highglycemic 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 low-GI foods for the higher GI foods in the same meal asthe day before.

5. Check your blood sugar in the same way – beforethe meal and between 90 - 120 minutes after youstart eating the low-GI meal – and record bothresults. Determine your increase in blood sugar forthe meal (subtract your pre-meal number from your 90 - 120 minute number).

6. Now compare these two numbers to see how thehigh- and low-GI foods affected your blood sugars.

BREAKFAST

High-GI

• Corn flakes with skim milk

• English muffin with jelly

• Coffee (regular)

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Low-GI makeover

• Old-fashioned oatmeal withskim milk and peaches

• 100% stone-ground whole-wheat toast with FIFTY 50®

no-sugar-added Fruit Spread

• Coffee (decaf)

LUNCH

High-GI

•Turkey sandwich on white bread with lettuce and tomato

• Watermelon

• Iced tea (regular, sweetened)

Low-GI makeover

•Turkey sandwich on 100%stone-ground whole-wheatbread with lettuce and tomato

• Apple

• Iced 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 vinaigrettedressing

starting the day off right

eating my favorite lunch

dinner and a movie

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WHY AFTER-MEAL BLOOD SUGARLEVELS MATTERHemoglobin A1c is a measure of the average level of glucose in the blood over 3 months. Research hasshown you can achieve normal A1c control but stillbe at risk of complications caused by abnormallyhigh blood glucose levels. If you eat high-GI foods,your after-meal blood sugar will spike and then dropseverely. Because A1c averages highs and lows, itwill not reflect after-meal spikes that can damage tissue in your eyes, kidneys, and blood vessels. Youmay think you are in good control, but you’re not.

It is also important for people at risk of developingdiabetes to avoid high-GI foods. Here’s why: A spikein your blood sugar sends a signal to your pancreasto release insulin, which helps the sugar leave thebloodstream and enter the body’s cells, where it canbe used later for fuel. High levels of insulin are asso-ciated with weight gain, high cholesterol levels, andhigh blood pressure. The high levels can also lead toinsulin resistance, a component of the most commonform of diabetes (type 2 diabetes).

By using the GI when you select your foods, youcan help keep your insulin levels from rising toohigh, too quickly. When you eat low-GI foods, yourblood sugar levels rise gradually. And, in response,your pancreas releases insulin gradually. By reduc-ing after-meal blood sugar gushes, you also reduceafter-meal insulin gushes and the health problemsthey can cause.

FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE GI OF FOODMany factors come into play in determining the GIof the foods we eat. Anything that makes it easierfor our bodies to convert food to blood sugarincreases the GI and blood sugar levels. As impor-tant as it is for our cells to have glucose, it’s therapid gush of glucose into the bloodstream that we generally want to avoid.

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Starch. Starch is an important source of carbohydratein our diet. Examples of starchy foods include breads,cereals, rice, pasta, and potatoes. There are two kindsof starch in food and, yes, you guessed right, one is quickly digested, and the other breaks downmore slowly. Thus, the GI of a starchy food dependson which is the predominant kind of starch in thatparticular food. Thanks to the GI researchers, we canmake our choices directly from the GI list.

Cooking. As a general rule, cooked foods havehigher GIs than uncooked foods. One of the reasonsis because cooking causes starches to swell, whichmakes them easier to digest. The amount of cookingtime can affect the GI, too. When pasta is cookedonly until it’s al dente (firm), it has a low GI; whenpasta is overcooked and becomes soft and mushy,it has a higher GI.

Processing. Much of the food we eat today is highlyprocessed, including our staple grains—wheat, corn,and oats—which are finely ground into powderyflours that produce many wonderful-tasting breads,cookies, breakfast cereals, and baked goods. Andmany processed foods have higher GIs than theunprocessed version. For example, old-fashioned oatmeal made from rolled oats has a GI of 49, whileQuaker® 1-minute oats has a GI of 66 – which raisesthe blood sugar level 35% higher and faster. Thismeans the more processed 1-minute oats will raiseyour blood sugar level higher and faster than theold-fashioned oats.

Acids.The more acidity there is in food, the moreslowly it is emptied from the stomach, and, in turn, themore slowly it is digested and turned into blood sugar.Foods that are acidic, such as oranges and sourdoughbread, have low GIs. Adding acid to a meal, in theform of vinegar (as in many salad dressings) or lemonjuice, can help lower the GI of a meal. In fact, researchhas shown that adding as little as 4 teaspoons ofvinegar in a vinaigrette dressing at an average mealcan 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 toslow digestion, resulting in a low GI. Including kidneybeans or chickpeas in a salad or adding an apple asthe dessert to a meal will lower that meal’s overallGI and thus produce a slower and more subtle risein after-meal blood sugar levels.

Fats. Although we all should limit the amount of fat we eat, fatty foods slow the rate of stomachemptying 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 therisk of heart disease and stroke. Experts agree thatdaily fat consumption should fall between 20% and35% of total caloric intake. The heart-healthiest fatsare the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats,which are liquid at room temperature. They’re foundin most vegetable oils and the fats found in nuts,olives, and fatty fish.

Sugar.There are several kinds of sugars in thefoods we eat. Some were put there by MotherNature; examples include fructose (fruit sugar) andlactose (milk sugar). These natural sugars have lowGIs 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, comparedwith a GI of 68 for ordinary table sugar (sucrose). The take-home message is: all sugars are not equal.

MAKING SMART CARBOHYDRATECHOICES Here’s a handy table that willhelp you make healthier foodchoices. For a low-GI lifestyle,choose alternatives from thecolumn labeled Tricklers. Try toavoid foods from the columnlabeled Gushers.

healthy whole grains and vegetables

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TRICKLERS GUSHERS

BEVERAGES

Soy milk

Apple juice (unsweetened)

BREADS

100% stone-groundwhole wheat or multi-grain made with whole-grain flour

Cracked or sproutedwhole wheat

Dark, heavy, coarsebreads with intact wholegrains, seeds, nuts,flaxseed, oats, or oat bran

Pumpernickel

Rye

Sourdough

Whole-wheat pita bread

Whole-wheat tortilla

FIFTY 50® Chocolate BarsFIFTY 50® Hard CandiesFIFTY 50® Peanut ButterSnack BarCorn chipsFruit leatherNutella®

Nuts (cashews, peanuts)Whole-grain crackers

All-Bran®

Bran Buds®

Fiber One®

MuesliOatmeal (old-fashioned)

Soft drinks

Sports drinks

Bagels (white flour)

English muffins

Matzoh (white flour)

White breads, muffins,rolls, and baguettes

Whole-wheat bread (lessthan 100% whole wheat)

Jelly beansLife Savers®

PopcornPretzelsRice cakesSaltinesWater crackers

Bran or wheat flakesCheerios®

Corn flakes/Chex®/Pops®

Instant or quick-cookingoatmeal (or other instanthot cereal)Puffed wheat or riceRice Krispies®/Chex®

CEREALS

CANDY, SNACKS AND CRACKERS

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TRICKLERS GUSHERS

FIFTY 50® cookies and wafers (different varieties)Oatmeal cookiesSocial Tea® biscuitsSponge cake

DAIRY PRODUCTS

All milkCooked puddings andcustards“Light” (artificially orfructose-sweetened) or plain yogurtIce cream

FIFTY 50® Fruit Spreads

FIFTY 50® Syrups

Apples

Apricots

Berries

Cherries

Citrus fruits

Grapes

Nectarines

Peaches

Pears

Plums

Prunes

Strawberries

Angel food cake

Doughnuts

PopTarts®

Instant pudding

Tofutti®

High-fructose corn syrup

Pancake syrupSmucker’s® StrawberryPreserves

Dates

Watermelon

COOKIES AND DESSERTS

FRUITS

beautiful and delicious

FRUIT PRESERVES AND SYRUPS

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TRICKLERS GUSHERS

JUICES

Unsweetened juices –apple, grapefruit, orange,tomato

LEGUMES AND BEANS

Baked beansBlack beansBlack-eyed peasButter beansCannellini beansChickpeasKidney beansLentilsMung beansPinto beans Soy beansSplit peas

PASTA AND GRAINS

BarleyBasmati riceBrown riceBuckwheatBulgurCornPasta cooked al denteTortelliniUncle Ben’s® Converted®

Long-Grain Rice [not instant]Wild rice

VEGETABLES

All green leafy vegetablesAll “non-starchy” vegetables (except beets)CarrotsCornNew potatoesPeasSweet potatoesYams

Sweetened juices andjuice drinks

Fava beans

Aborio riceGlutinous rice (sticky Chinese rice)Jasmine rice

Short-grain, instant, or quick-cooking rice

Baked and mashed potatoesBeetsParsnipsPumpkinRutabaga

healthy and tasty

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PERFORM THIS EXERCISE: DESIGN YOUR

MY HIGH-GI FOODSBEVERAGES

BREADS

CEREALS

COOKIES AND DESSERTS

CRACKERS AND SNACKS

DAIRY PRODUCTS

FRUIT PRESERVES AND SYRUPS

FRUITS

JUICES

LEGUMES AND BEANS

PASTA AND GRAINS

VEGETABLES

In the spaces provided below, jot down some of thehigh-GI foods in your current diet. Then substitute 1 or 2 low-GI alternatives for each; use the list on theprevious pages and the one beginning on page 24.

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LOW-GI DIET

MY LOW-GI FOODSBEVERAGES

BREADS

CEREALS

COOKIES AND DESSERTS

CRACKERS AND SNACKS

DAIRY PRODUCTS

FRUIT PRESERVES AND SYRUPS

FRUITS

JUICES

LEGUMES AND BEANS

PASTA AND GRAINS

VEGETABLES

Write these choices in the boxes below. If you areunsure about the GIs of some of the foods you eat,ask your dietitian or diabetes educator for help. Besure to put your new low-GI diet into practice!

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MENU SUGGESTIONS Here are some tasty and healthful meal suggestionsto help get you on your way to better health.

Healthy Breakfast Ideas

• 100% stone-ground whole-wheat toast withFIFTY 50® Peanut Butter and FIFTY 50® Fruit Spread

• Light yogurt with fresh fruit and low-fat granola or bran buds

• Steel-cut or old-fashioned rolled oats with driedapricots (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® MapleSyrup and fruit

• All-bran muffin with FIFTY 50® Strawberry Spread

• Buckwheat pancakes with FIFTY 50® BlueberrySyrup and fruit

• Multi-grain waffles with natural applesauce

• Pumpernickel toast with melted low-fat cheese

• Rye toast and egg-white Western omelet and fruit

• FIFTY 50® Ready to Mix Meal

A low-GI breakfast includes whole-grain breads ortoasts, cereals rated as tricklers, and lots of freshfruits. Avoid syrups other than the ones listedabove, and stay away from instant hot cereals;they’re gushers.

Healthy Lunch Ideas

• Homemade or canned soups made with low-GIingredients – vegetable, lentil, black bean, splitpea, minestrone, or barley (don’t be afraid to addextra vegetables to make it extra chunky)

• Sandwiches made with lean meats on whole-grainwheat, rye, pumpernickel or pita bread, along withbaby carrots and fruit salad

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• Pasta salad with vinaigrette dressing and assortedfresh vegetables and reduced-fat cheese

• Mixed salad with grilled chicken and vinaigrettedressing (Be sure to toss in some beans!)

• FIFTY 50® Peanut Butter and FIFTY 50® Fruit Spreadon low-GI bread and a salad

• Light yogurt with fruit and whole-grain muffin withspreadable light cheese

• FIFTY 50® Ready to Mix Meal or Ready to DrinkMeal, Social Tea® biscuits and a piece of fruit

At lunch time, steer clear of processed white bread androlls. Instead, make a sandwich using whole-grainpumpernickel or rye bread. Try salads made with lotsof 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 proteinsources if you prefer

• Limit intake of high-GI starches – baked or instantmashed potatoes, instant rice, boxed stuffingmixes, processed white breads

Base your meal on a low-GI carbohydrate, with gener-ous amounts of non-starchy vegetables and plenty offresh salads. Eat lean meats, poultry, and fish. Endyour balanced meal with a serving of fresh fruit orone of the healthy snacks and desserts listed below.

Snacks and Desserts

• No-sugar-added cocoa

• FIFTY 50® Fructose or Sugar-Free 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

• FIFTY 50® Apple Cinnamon and Brownie Bars

• 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 lowGI or low-fat desserts, you can help prevent some ofthe symptoms and complications associated withgusher foods.

Eating Out

To some people, the thought of eating out and ofmaintaining a low-GI diet might seem like a contradic-tion in terms. It’s not! Although you might not have asmuch control over what you eat when you’re out ofthe house, restaurants today offer a growing variety of healthy and delicious low-GI foods. Many menus feature grilled seafood, fresh vegetables, pastas, andfruits; choices such as these are healthy also, becausethey’re low in fat. And with the growing popularity ofethnic foods, healthy choices are even broader. Hereare some tips:

Chinese food. Authentic Chinese food features plentyof vegetables and is low in fat—a good, low-GI option.Limit your intake of starchy, Asian-style sticky whiterice, though, which has a high GI. A low-GI alternativewould be oriental noodles (egg, rice, or mung bean).Try to stay away from deep-fried foods, also—not somuch from a GI standpoint, but because they’re veryhigh in fat.

Mexican food. Most Mexican restaurants in the UnitedStates serve high-starch, high-fat foods (includingchips), that are denser in calories than they are innutrients. If possible, stick with grilled seafood andchicken dishes, black beans, and entrees such as faji-tas. Limit the sour cream.

Italian food. Pasta dishes, seafood dishes, and meatdishes are nutritionally sound choices, as long asthey’re not overloaded with cheese. Thin-crust pizzawith vegetable toppings is a good choice. And

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remember, those bread calories eaten while waitingfor the meal to arrive still count! Ask for semolinabread if it’s available.

Japanese food. Practically anything in an authenticJapanese restaurant works into a low-GI meal plan,even sushi (it’s prepared with vinegar). Cannedlychees, however, have a high GI.

Thai food. Thai dishes typically include small amountsof meat, seafood, or tofu with vegetables and spicysauce. All are good choices from a GI standpoint.

Indian food. Indian cuisine is generally friendly to alow-GI diet. It features legumes, chicken, fish, vegeta-bles, and yogurt. Just be aware of the high-fat friedfoods and heavy, butter-based sauces.

Fast food. Fast-food restaurants can spell trouble forlow-GI diets. Hamburgers and other fast-food sand-wiches are served on processed breads and rollshaving high GIs. Most fast foods are also very high infat and sodium. As a general rule, try to avoid fastfoods. If you can’t avoid fast-food restaurants, find onethat offers salads on the menu.

STOCKING YOUR LOW-GI PANTRYTo simplify the planning and preparing of low-GImeals, make sure you always have the right ingredi-ents at hand. Limit the high-GI foods that you buy andkeep your pantry stocked with lots of healthy staples.Here are some pointers:

Grain-based foods

Foods made from grain products (especiallyunprocessed grain products) are great for a low-GIlifestyle. Stock your pantry with healthy and deliciouspasta products. Uncle Ben’s® Converted® Long GrainRice should be another pantry staple. Avoid quick-cooking or instant starches.

Legumes

Canned and dried beans, peas, and legumes are goodsources of protein and are also low-GI carbohydratefoods (except fava beans, which have a high GI). Keepthem on hand to add to soups, side dishes, salads,and main courses.

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Canned and Jarred Foods

Lots of canned and jarred foods are both deliciousand have low GIs; it’s a good idea to keep them wellstocked. 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 assnacks and side dishes. An added benefit is the vinegarthey contain, which helps lower the GI of the foodsyou eat along with them. Here are some examples:

• Sun-dried tomatoes

• Artichoke hearts

• Olives

• Capers

• Marinated vegetables

• Roasted peppers

• Pickles

Oils and Vinegars

Many people use oils in the preparation of their foods.Vegetable oils are mostly unsaturated and hearthealthy (exceptions: palm, palm kernel, and coconut).But because oils are fats, the amount consumedshould be limited: aim for no more than one table-spoon per meal, per person. Good choices include:

• Extra-virgin olive oil

• Canola oil

• Sunflower oil

• Sesame oil

• Peanut oil

love your vegetables

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There are many types of vinegar available, also. Allvinegars are acidic; therefore, when you include somevinegar 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 onhand. Also, stock dried nuts and FIFTY 50® LowGlycemic Fructose Sweetened Cookies. Just remem-ber to stay within your calorie and fat limits.

CONCLUSIONS—SECRETS TO GI SUCCESSIn conclusion, the glycemic index is a wonderful,user-friendly health tool. A low-GI diet can help youavoid after-meal gushes in blood glucose and ininsulin. By putting a low-GI diet into practice, youcan have better control of your blood glucose levels,feel less hungry, lose weight, improve your choles-terol levels, and provide yourself with a consistentand steady energy level throughout the day. Improvedcholesterol levels can reduce your risk of heartattack 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 pages30 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; reducethe quantity and/or frequency of high-GI foods

• Make sure your diet consists of balanced meals and snacks based on your prescribed meal planand calorie level

• Enjoy your meals – enjoy good health!

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GI LISTINGGlycemic index values of some popular foods are listed below.

BEANS AND PEASLow GI Intermediate High GI

GI(less than 55) (55 to 70) (more than 70)

Baked beans 48Black-eyed peas, canned 42Chana dal (Indian Bean) 8Chickpeas, canned 42Chickpeas, dried 28Kidney beans, boiled 28Kidney beans, canned 52Lentils 29Lima beans (frozen) 32Yellow split peas 32

BREADSLow GI Intermediate High GI

GI100% stone-groundwhole wheat 53Bagel 72Bread stuffing 74Croissant 67French baguette 95Hamburger bun 61Kaiser roll 73Pita, whole wheat 57Pumpernickel 41Rye 58Sourdough 54Taco shell 68White 70Whole wheat 77

BREAKFAST/BAKERYLow GI Intermediate High GI

GIAngel food cake 67Blueberry muffin 59Bran muffin 60Carrot muffin 62Doughnut 76Pancakes 67Pastry pie crust 59Pound cake 54

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BREAKFAST/BAKERYLow GI Intermediate High GI

GI(less than 55) (55 to 70) (more than 70)

Scones 92Sponge cake 46Waffles 76

BREAKFAST CEREALSLow GI Intermediate High GI

GIAll-Bran® 38Bran Buds® 47Bran flakes 74Cheerios® 74Corn Chex® 83Corn flakes 92Cream of Wheat®, cooked 66Cream of Wheat®, instant 74Grapenuts® 71Muesli, toasted 43Multi-Bran Chex® 58Oat bran, raw 55Oatmeal (old-fashioned) 49Puffed wheat 67Quick (1-minute) oats 66Raisin Bran® 61Rice Krispies® 82Shredded Wheat® 75Special K® 69

COOKIESLow GI Intermediate High GI

GIFIFTY 50® Butter 36Chocolate chip 44FIFTY 50® Chocolate Chip 34FIFTY 50® Coconut 45FIFTY 50® Fudge Brownie 33FIFTY 50® Hearty Oatmeal 30FIFTY 50® Peanut Butter 32FIFTY 50® Vanilla CrèmeFilled Wafers 41Oatmeal 55Shortbread 64

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CRACKERSLow GI Intermediate High GI

GI(less than 55) (55 to 70) (more than 70)

Graham crackers 74Kavli crisp bread 71Melba toast 70Rice cakes 82Ryvita crisp bread 69Stoned Wheat Thins® 67Soda crackers (saltines) 74Water crackers 78

DAIRY FOODSLow GI Intermediate High GI

GIIce cream, premium,French vanilla 38Milk, skim 32

Milk, whole 31Yogurt, low-fat, with fruit,artificially sweetened 14Yogurt, low-fat, with fruit & sugar 33

DINNERS/MEAL REPLACEMENTSLow GI Intermediate High GI

GIFIFTY 50® Meal ReplacementChocolate Shake 35

Fish stick fingers 38Cheese tortellini 50Macaroni and cheese, packaged 64Meat ravioli 39Pizza 60

FRUITSLow GI Intermediate High GI

GIApple 38Apricots, canned in light syrup 64Apricots, dried 30Apricots, fresh 57Banana 52Cantaloupe 65Cherries 22Dates, dried 103Figs, dried 61Fruit cocktail, in natural juice 55Grapefruit 25Grapes, green 46

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FRUITSLow GI Intermediate High GI

GI(less than 55) (55 to 70) (more than 70)

Kiwi 58Mango 51Orange, navel 42Papaya 56Peach, canned in juice 38Peach, fresh 42Pear, canned in natural juice 43Pear, fresh 38Pineapple, fresh 66Plum 39Prunes 29Raisins 56Strawberries 40Watermelon 72

GRAINSLow GI Intermediate High GI

GIBarley, pearled 25Buckwheat 54Cornmeal 68Couscous 65

JUICESLow GI Intermediate High GI

GIApple 40Cranberry juice cocktail 52Grapefruit 48Orange, unsweetened 53Pineapple 46Tomato 38

PASTALow GI Intermediate High GI

GICapellini 45Fetuccini, egg 32Linguine, thick 46Macaroni 47Rice vermicelli 58Spaghetti, white 38Spaghetti, whole wheat 37Spiral pasta 43Star pastina 38

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POTATOESLow GI Intermediate High GI

GI(less than 55) (55 to 70) (more than 70)

Baked 85Canned 65French fries 75Instant, mashed 86New, unpeeled 62Red skinned, boiled 88Sweet 44White skinned, mashed 70Yam 37

RICELow GI Intermediate High GI

GIAborio 69Basmati 58Brown 55Converted, white, long grain 44Glutinous, sticky 98Instant, white 87Long-grain white 56Short-grain white 72Wild 57

SNACKSLow GI Intermediate High GI

GICashews 22Corn chips 42FIFTY 50® Milk Chocolate Bar 31Hummus 6Jelly beans 78Kudos® Whole Grain Bar,chocolate chip 62

Milk chocolate 42Peanuts 15Popcorn 72Pretzels 83Potato chips 57

Walnuts 15

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SOUPSLow GI Intermediate High GI

GI(less than 55) (55 to 70) (more than 70)

Black bean 64Lentil 44Minestrone 39Pea 66Tomato 38

SWEETENERSLow GI Intermediate High GI

GIFIFTY 50® Low CalorieFruit Spread 6FIFTY 50® Maple Flavored Syrup 19FIFTY 50® Fructose 19Honey 55Smucker’s® Jam, strawberry 74Marmalade, orange 48Pancake syrup (maple) 76Sucrose 68

VEGETABLESLow GI Intermediate High GI

GIBeets 64Broccoli 10Cabbage 10Carrots 49Corn, canned 46Green peas 48Lettuce 10Mushrooms 10Onions 10Parsnips 97Pumpkin 75Red peppers 10

Tomatoes 10

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FOR MORE GI INFORMATIONTo learn more about the GI, the benefits of a low-GIdiet, and how to make the GI work for you, look forthese books or visit these Internet sites:

Books

The Glucose Revolution: The Authoritative Guide to the GlycemicIndex, The Groundbreaking Medical Discovery.By Brand-Miller J, Wolever TMS, Colagiuri S, Foster-Powell K.New York: Marlowe & Company. 1998. ISBN 1-56924-660-2.

The Glucose Revolution Life Plan.By Brand-Miller J, Burani J, Foster-Powell K. New York:Marlowe & Company. 2001. ISBN 1-56924-609-2.

Good Carbs, Bad Carbs.By Burani J, Rao L. New York: Marlowe & Company. 2002.ISBN 1-56924-537-1.

The Good Carb Cookbook: Secrets of Eating Low on the Glycemic Index.By Woodruff S. New York: Avery Books. 2001. ISBN 1-58333-084-4.

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Information on the Internet

FIFTY 50 Foods/Glycemic Indexhttp://www.fifty50.com

The Glycemic Index Foundation of South Africahttp://www.gifoundation.com/

Glycemic Load, Diet, and Health. Harvard University Medical Schoolhttp://www.health.harvard.edu/article.cfm?id=48

University of Sydney, Australiahttp://www.glycemicindex.com/

Glycemic Index Related Informationhttp://www.mendosa.com