A Glycemic Index comparison of some common foods

A Glycemic Index comparison of some common foods:

Choosing lower GI foods over higher ones can help you maintain your weight

and stabilize your energy levels.

Here are a few types of foods compared on the GI (with a value of 100 for glucose).

To incorporate more low-GI foods into your diet, focus on fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads and cereals, beans and other high-fiber foods. You needn’t eliminate higher GI foods—simply eat them with low-GI foods or with protein and fat to help lower the overall GI of the meal. Consuming high-GI foods like pasta or potatoes as a side dish rather than a main course will also blunt their effects on blood sugar levels. Foods that are high in fiber will also slow digestion and lessen the impact of high-GI foods.

Finally, don’t forget one of the most compelling reasons to eat lower on the GI—a diet that favors low-GI foods rather than high ones may also help protect your health. Studies have found that people who consume high-GI diets are more likely to have high triglycerides, high total cholesterol and low HDL (the "good") cholesterol. High-GI foods may also increase your risk of developing Type II diabetes or heart disease.

On the other hand, low-GI foods tend to be high in fiber, vitamins and minerals and less processed than high GI ones. Eating more of the former and less of the latter can only benefit your health and your waistline in the long run.

More at: www.fitnessattitudes.com/GlycemicIndex.html