Glycemic Index
"The
glycemic index ranking of carbohydrate-containing foods, based on the food's effect on blood glucose compared with a standard reference food.X, or GI, measures how a
carbohydrateAnother word for sugars. The main source of energy for the body. Carbs get digested quickly and easily into glucose. Carbs are the foods that affect blood glucose the most. Examples of carbs are fruits, starchy vegetables, breads, pastas, rice, sugar, syrup and honey.X-containing food raises
blood glucosethe main sugar found in the blood and the body's main source of energy. Also called blood sugar.X. Foods are ranked based on how they compare to a reference food — either
glucoseThe food you eat gets digested and broken down into a sugar your body's cells can use. This is glucose, one of the simplest forms of sugar.X or white bread.
A food with a high GI raises blood glucose more than a food with a medium or low GI.
Meal planning with the GI involves choosing foods that have a low or medium GI. If eating a food with a high GI, you can combine it with low GI foods to help balance the meal.
Examples of carbohydrate-containing foods with a low GI include dried beans and legumes (like kidney beans and lentils), all non-starchy vegetables, some starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, most fruit, and many whole grain breads and cereals (like barley, whole wheat bread, rye bread, and all-bran cereal).
Meats and fats don’t have a GI because they do not contain carbohydrate.
From:
http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/understanding-carbohydrates/glycemic-index-and-diabetes.html
You can purchase a Glycemic Index guide on Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.com
Other online sources for GI food numbers are:
http://www.glycemicindex.com/
and
http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm