Glycemic Index

[sublime311]

Hi y'all! I had this posted in my WC weightloss journal and thought I would post it here for easy access and sharing (you don't have to be on South Beach Diet to find this helpful)!

What Is Glycemic Index?

(taken from http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/glycemicfoodchart.htm)

Glycemic Index or GI Index is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels. It measures how much your blood glucose increases after eating. Low Glycemic Index index food (less than 55) produce small rise in blood sugar and insulin level. Foods with GI index between 55 and 70 are consider intermediate-GI foods. High Glycemic Index food GI numbers (more than 70) make our blood sugar and insulin levels rise fast.

Research shown that low GI foods can

----improve glucose and lipid levels in people with diabetes.
----benefit weight control because they help control appetite and delay hunger.
----reduce insulin levels and insulin resistance.
----prevent heart disease.

South Beach Diet and Glycemic Index

The success of The South Beach Diet depends on glycemic index. Rule of thumb: always choose low glycemic index foods with good carbs. Phase one of South Beach Diet consists of low glycemic food. In later phase, you can mix foods with higher glycemic numbers.

[sublime311]

Glycemic Index Food Chart

(taken from http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/glycemicfoodchart.htm)

Low Glycemic Index food (less than 55)
Foods with GI index between 55 and 70 are consider intermediate
High Glycemic Index food GI (more than 70)


Notes: *high in empty calories **low-calorie and nutritious foods


Bakery Products

*Pound cake Low 54
Danish pastry Medium 59
Muffin (unsweetened) Medium 62
Cake , tart Medium 65
Cake, angel Medium 67
Croissant Medium 67
Waffles High 76
Doughnut High 76


Beverages

Soya milk Low 30
Apple juice Low 41
Carrot juice Low 45
Pineapple juice Low 46
Grapefruit juice Low 48
Orange juice Low 52


Biscuits

Digestives Medium 58
Shortbread Medium 64
Water biscuits Medium 65
Ryvita Medium 67
Wafer biscuits High 77
**Rice cakes High 77


Breads

Multi grain bread Low 48
Whole grain Low 50
Pita bread, white Medium 57
Pizza, cheese Medium 60
Hamburger bun Medium 61
Rye-flour bread Medium 64
Whole meal bread Medium 69
White bread High 71
White rolls High 73
Baguette High 95


Breakfast Cereals

All-Bran Low 42
Porridge, non instant Low 49
Oat bran Medium 55
Muesli Medium 56
Mini Wheats (wholemeal) Medium 57
Shredded Wheat Medium 69
Golden Grahams High 71
Puffed wheat High 74
Weetabix High 77
Rice Krispies High 82
Cornflakes High 83


Cereal Grains

Pearl barley Low 25
Rye Low 34
Wheat kernels Low 41
Rice, instant Low 46
Rice, parboiled Low 48
Barley, cracked Low 50
Rice, brown Medium 55
Rice, wild Medium 57
Rice, white Medium 58
Barley, flakes Medium 66
Taco Shell Medium 68
Millet High 71


Dairy Foods

Yogurt low- fat (sweetened) Low 14
Milk, chocolate Low 24
Milk, whole Low 27
Milk, Fat-free Low 32
Milk ,skimmed Low 32
Milk, semi-skimmed Low 34
*Ice-cream (low- fat) Low 50
*Ice-cream Medium 61


Fruits

Cherries Low 22
Grapefruit Low 25
Apricots (dried) Low 31
Apples Low 38
Pears Low 38
Plums Low 39
Peaches Low 42
Oranges Low 44
Grapes Low 46
Kiwi fruit Low 53
Bananas Low 54
Fruit cocktail Medium 55
Mangoes Medium 56
Apricots Medium 57
Apricots (tinned in syrup) Medium 64
Raisins Medium 64
Pineapple Medium 66
**Watermelon High 72


Pasta

Spaghetti, protein enriched Low 27
Fettuccine Low 32
Vermicelli Low 35
Spaghetti, whole wheat Low 37
Ravioli, meat filled Low 39
Spaghetti, white Low 41
Macaroni Low 45
Spaghetti, durum wheat Medium 55
Macaroni cheese Medium 64
Rice pasta, brown High 92


Root Crop

Carrots, cooked Low 39
Yam Low 51
Sweet potato Low 54
Potato, boiled Medium 56
Potato, new Medium 57
Potato, tinned Medium 61
Beetroot Medium 64
Potato, steamed Medium 65
Potato, mashed Medium 70
Chips High 75
Potato, micro waved High 82
Potato, instant High 83
**Potato, baked High 85
Parsnips High 97


Snack Food and Sweets

Peanuts Low 15
*M&Ms (peanut) Low 32
*Snickers bar Low 40
*Chocolate bar; 30g Low 49
Jams and marmalades Low 49
*Crisps Low 54
Popcorn Medium 55
Mars bar Medium 64
*Table sugar (sucrose) Medium 65
Corn chips High 74
Jelly beans High 80
Pretzels High 81
Dates High 103


Soups

Tomato soup, tinned Low 38
Lentil soup, tinned Low 44
Black bean soup, tinned Medium 64
Green pea soup, tinned Medium 66


Vegetable and Beans

Artichoke Low 15
Asparagus Low 15
Broccoli Low 15
Cauliflower Low 15
Celery Low 15
Cucumber Low 15
Eggplant Low 15
Green beans Low 15
Lettuce, all varieties Low 15
Low-fat yogurt, artificially sweetened Low 15
Peppers, all varieties Low 15
Snow peas Low 15
Spinach Low 15
Young summer squash Low 15
Tomatoes Low 15
Zucchini Low 15
Soya beans, boiled Low 16
Peas, dried Low 22
Kidney beans, boiled Low 29
Lentils green, boiled Low 29
Chickpeas Low 33
Haricot beans, boiled Low 38
Black-eyed beans Low 41
Chickpeas, tinned Low 42
Baked beans, tinned Low 48
Kidney beans, tinned Low 52
Lentils green, tinned Low 52
Broad beans High 79

Notes: *high in empty calories **low-calorie and nutritious foods

[sublime311]

Low Glycemic Index food (less than 55)

(taken from http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/glycemicfoodchart.htm)

Yogurt low-fat (sweetened) 14
Peanuts 15
Artichoke 15
Asparagus 15
Broccoli 15
Cauliflower 15
Celery 15
Cucumber 15
Eggplant 15
Green beans 15
Lettuce, all varieties 15
Low-fat yogurt, artificially sweetened 15
Peppers, all varieties 15
Snow peas 15
Spinach 15
Young summer squash 15
Tomatoes 15
Zucchini 15
Soya beans, boiled 16
Cherries 22
Peas, dried 22
Milk, chocolate 24
Pearl barley 25
Grapefruit 25
Milk, whole 27
Spaghetti, protein enriched 27
Kidney beans, boiled 29
Lentils green, boiled 29
Soya milk 30
Apricots (dried) 31
Milk, Fat-free 32
Milk ,skimmed 32
Fettuccine 32
*M&Ms (peanut) 32
Chickpeas 33
Rye 34
Milk, semi-skimmed 34
Vermicelli 35
Spaghetti, whole wheat 37
Apples 38
Pears 38
Tomato soup, tinned 38
Haricot beans, boiled 38
Plums 39
Ravioli, meat filled 39
Carrots, cooked 39
*Snickers bar 40
Apple juice 41
Wheat kernels 41
Spaghetti, white 41
Black-eyed beans 41
All-Bran 42
Peaches 42
Chickpeas, tinned 42
Oranges 44
Lentil soup, tinned 44
Carrot juice 45
Macaroni 45
Pineapple juice 46
Rice, instant 46
Grapes 46
Grapefruit juice 48
Multi grain bread 48
Rice, parboiled 48
Baked beans, tinned 48
Porridge, non instant 49
*Chocolate bar; 30g 49
Jams and marmalades 49
Whole grain 50
Barley, cracked 50
*Ice-cream (low- fat) 50
Yam 51
Orange juice 52
Kidney beans, tinned 52
Lentils green, tinned 52
Kiwi fruit 53
*Pound cake 54
Bananas 54
Sweet potato 54
*Crisps 54

Notes: *high in empty calories **low-calorie and nutritious foods

[sublime311]

Medium Glycemic Index Foods List (55-70)

(taken from http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/glycemicfoodchart.htm)

Oat bran 55
Rice, brown 55
Fruit cocktail 55
Spaghetti, durum wheat 55
Popcorn 55
Muesli 56
Mangoes 56
Potato, boiled 56
Pita bread, white 57
Mini Wheats (wholemeal) 57
Rice, wild 57
Apricots 57
Potato, new 57
Digestives 58
Rice, white 58
Danish pastry 59
Pizza, cheese 60
Hamburger bun 61
*Ice-cream 61
Potato, tinned 61
Muffin (unsweetened) 62
Shortbread 64
Rye-flour bread 64
Apricots (tinned in syrup) 64
Raisins 64
Macaroni cheese 64
Beetroot 64
Mars bar 64
Black bean soup, tinned 64
Cake , tart 65
Water biscuits 65
Potato, steamed 65
*Table sugar (sucrose) 65
Barley, flakes 66
Pineapple 66
Green pea soup, tinned 66
Cake, angel 67
Croissant 67
Ryvita 67
Taco Shell 68
Whole meal bread 69
Shredded Wheat 69
Potato, mashed 70

Notes: *high in empty calories * *low-calorie and nutritious foods

[sublime311]

High Glycemic Index List

(taken from http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/glycemicfoodchart.htm)

White bread 71
Golden Grahams 71
Millet 71
**Watermelon 72
White rolls 73
Puffed wheat 74
Corn chips 74
Chips 75
Waffles 76
Doughnut 76
Wafer biscuits 77
**Rice cakes 77
Weetabix 77
Broad beans 79
Jelly beans 80
Pretzels 81
Rice Krispies 82
Potato, micro waved 82
Cornflakes 83
Potato, instant 83
**Potato, baked 85
Rice pasta, brown 92
Baguette 95
Parsnips 97
Dates 103

Notes: *high in empty calories * *low-calorie and nutritious foods

[Evie]

bumping this up

sublime311 have you tried following this plan? How much of the "medium" foods are you allowed to eat?

It looks easier than following some of the diets, since I am a vegetarian and got too weak when trying to do South Beach or Atkins.

[sublime311]

bumping this up

sublime311 have you tried following this plan? How much of the "medium" foods are you allowed to eat?

It looks easier than following some of the diets, since I am a vegetarian and got too weak when trying to do South Beach or Atkins.
No, I didn't specifically follow the plan, but it is the backbone of South Beach which I had lots of success on.

I'm surprised that you were not able to stay healthy on South Beach. Do you not eat much tofu or soy? If not, then I guess it makes sense.

Sorry I wasn't much help!