(copied from World's Healthiest Foods)
What Is the Glycemic Index (GI)?
Glycemic Index (GI) is a measurement carried out on carbohydrate-containing foods and their impact on our blood sugar. GI is a relatively new way of analyzing foods. It looks at the impact of foods on our actual blood sugar. In other words, instead of counting the total amount of carbohydrates in foods in their unconsumed state, GI measures the actual impact of these foods on our blood sugar.
Why Is GI Important?
Over the past 15 years, low-GI diets have been associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, stroke, depression, chronic kidney disease, formation of gall stones, neural tube defects, formation of uterine fibroids, and cancers of the breast, colon, prostate, and pancreas. Taking advantage of these potential health benefits can be as simple as sticking with whole, natural foods that are either low or very low in their GI value. Below is a chart (again, from World's Healthiest Foods) that makes it super easy to see what foods will make the least impact on blood sugar levels. I am liking this!!*****************************************************************
| Group | Very Low GI | Low GI | Medium GI | High GI |
| 0-7 | 8-55 | 56-69 | 70 or greater | |
| Vegetables | asparagus | carrots | beets | potatoes |
| avocados | eggplant | corn | ||
| beet greens | garlic | leeks | ||
| bell peppers | green peas | sweet potatoes | ||
| bok choy | onions | |||
| broccoli | sea vegetables | |||
| Brussels sprouts | winter squash | |||
| cabbage | ||||
| cauliflower | ||||
| celery | ||||
| collard greens | ||||
| cucumbers | ||||
| fennel (bulb) | ||||
| green beans | ||||
| kale | ||||
| mushrooms, crimini | ||||
| mustard greens | ||||
| olives | ||||
| olive oil | ||||
| Romaine and other lettuce | ||||
| spinach | ||||
| summer squash | ||||
| Swiss chard | ||||
| tomatoes | ||||
| turnip greens | ||||
| Fruits | apples | apricots | ||
| bananas | cantaloupe | |||
| blueberries | figs | |||
| cranberries | kiwifruit | |||
| grapefruit | papaya | |||
| grapes | pineapple | |||
| lemons/limes | raisins | |||
| oranges | watermelon | |||
| pears | ||||
| plums | ||||
| prunes | ||||
| raspberries | ||||
| strawberries | ||||
| Nuts & Seeds | flaxseeds | almonds | ||
| sesame seeds | cashews | |||
| peanuts | ||||
| pumpkin seeds | ||||
| sunflower seeds | ||||
| walnuts | ||||
| Beans & Legumes | soybeans | black beans | ||
| tofu | dried peas | |||
| tempeh | garbanzo beans | |||
| kidney beans | ||||
| lentils | ||||
| lima beans | ||||
| navy beans | ||||
| pinto beans | ||||
| Seafood | cod | scallops | ||
| salmon | ||||
| sardines | ||||
| shrimp | ||||
| tuna | ||||
| Meats | beef, grass-fed | |||
| chicken-pasture-raised | ||||
| lamb, grass-fed | ||||
| turkey, pasture-raised | ||||
| Dairy | cheese, grass-fed | |||
| eggs, pasture-raised | ||||
| cow's milk, grass-fed | ||||
| yogurt, grass-fed | ||||
| Grains | barley | millet | ||
| brown rice | ||||
| buckwheat | ||||
| oats | ||||
| quinoa | ||||
| rye | ||||
| whole wheat | ||||
| World's Healthiest Spices and Herbs | black pepper | |||
| cayenne & chili pepper | ||||
| cilantro & coriander seeds | ||||
| cinnamon | ||||
| cloves | ||||
| cumin seeds | ||||
| dill | ||||
| ginger | ||||
| mustard seeds | ||||
| oregano | ||||
| parsley | ||||
| peppermint | ||||
| rosemary | ||||
| sage | ||||
| thyme | ||||
| turmeric |
