Too often, we don’t think about the value of the food we eat while easing our hunger pangs. This is especially true for those of us who live fast-paced lives, moving from one responsibility to the next on autopilot, without giving much thought to what we eat or how we eat it.
Before we know it, we’ve gained unwanted weight, are experiencing mood swings, and sometimes feel lethargic or cranky. A glycemic index list can help us determine which foods to eat and which to avoid in order to get the highest nutritional value from the foods we eat and also provide us with better overall health and well-being.
Based on studies conducted by the Stanford Center for Disease Prevention Research, the following Glycemic Index List can provide us with optimal overall health and well-being.
FOOD TO EAT
• Lean meats: lean beef, pork, lamb
• Chicken – without skin
• Shellfish: mussels, oysters, lobsters
• Fish – frozen and canned are fine.
• Vegetables: artichokes, asparagus, bean sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, raw carrots, cauliflower, peas, radishes, onion, olives, radishes, soybeans, tomatoes
• Fruits: apples, apricots, berries, grapes, grapefruit, kiwi, cantaloupe, orange, papaya, pear, pineapple, watermelon, cherries, cantaloupe
• Breads and cereals: whole grains, wheat, rye, multigrain, oats, rice bran
• Starch: whole wheat pasta, brown rice, couscous, lentils
• Dairy: low-fat or fat-free cheese, low-fat cottage cheese, egg whites, low-fat milk, tofu, low-fat/sugar-free yogurt
• Drinks: water, unsweetened coffee and cream, diet colas, unsweetened drinks, unsweetened tea
FOODS TO AVOID
• Bacon
• Fatty meats
• Fried chicken with skin
• Duck
• Fish sticks
• Hot dogs
• Liver
• Liver sausage
• Canned fish/seafood in oil
• Vegetables: avocado, beets, cooked carrots, corn, olives in oil, parsnips, gherkins, potatoes
• Fruits: bananas, canned fruits, coconut, dates, dried fruits, fruit juices, mangoes, jams, grapes
• Breads and Cereals: bagels, crackers, white bread, chips, cookies, croissants, cakes, muffins, popcorn, rolls, waffles, non-whole wheat tortillas, cakes
• Starch: baked or refried beans, ramen noodles, white pasta, pretzels, white or fried rice, soups unless they are vegetable broths, tacos
• Dairy: cheese not included in Takeout, cream cheese, frozen yogurt, ice cream, sherbet
• Drinks: alcoholic drinks, all kinds of sugary drinks
Considering all the types of foods on the glycemic index list that are okay for us to eat will help lower blood sugar, especially if we have diabetes, control our weight, and reduce the chance of heart disease.
We can post our own glycemic index list in plain sight in our kitchens so we can guide ourselves accordingly.
