Eating a Low Glycemic Diet

In each food categories below, I have listed:

Unacceptable options (High Glycemic)
Acceptable options (Low Glycemic)

And if possible:

Examples of brands to avoid
Examples of brands to choose

For exact GI figures for specific foods, I suggest this website which includes a complete table with GI and Load Values

http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm

Sweeteners

Avoid:

corn syrup (regular and anything labeled “high fructose corn syrup”)
dextrose
glucose
maltodextrins
invert sugar
sucrose
caramelized sugar
barley malt
aspartame
glucose polymers
cane sugar

Note: Honey, and pure maple syrup are better for you than the sweeteners above but use very sparingly because they are high glycemic too. Avoid commercial maple syrups

Instead:

Try these low glycemic sweeteners

fructose *
low glycemic fruit sweeteners
agave syrup
xylitol
erythritol
stevia *
mannitol
D-tagatose
Ki- Sweet
isomalt
maltitol
FOS
inulin
Trutin
Dulcem TD
thaumatin (talin)

Low Glycemic Sweeteners

You can find these sweeteners in a natural foods market, co-op or specialty foods market or in the healthier section of your super market. Fructose is available in bulk in the bins where you purchase sugar, flour and nuts. It has the same texture as sugar and can be substituted for sugar in baking. The same is true of xylitol. Stevia and agave syrup can be found on the shelves in the baking section. The others may be harder to find but look for them as acceptable low glycemic ingredients in other more processed foods.

*Personal favorites to add to foods, and cook/bake with. Adds the sweetness you’re looking for without the high GI. And they are all natural products. Read more on Stevia, on their website (www.stevia.com) I like to buy Trader Joe’s Stevia product, or Steviva powder (not the blend) www.traderjoes.com andwww.steviva.com . It has no additives and most importantly does not contain maltodextrin. For instance, Sugar in the Raw’s Stevia has maltodextrin and this added ingredient makes it a 150 on the GI index. I am currently also looking at Fructevia, a Steviva brand (www.steviva.com). It has fructose, stevia, and FOS. This is comprised of all good sugars. FOS is an abbreviation for fiuctooligosaccharides which is a naturally sweet, indigestible sugar derived from chicory roots. It is natural, nocaloric, low glycemic and a powerful probiotic (read more here to see how important this is: http://reid_j.tripod.com/blood_sugar.htm ) And from what I’ve heard so far, Fructevia is a great sugar substitute – great for baking and adding to cold and hot drinks.

**Additional Note for those trying to eat natural, non-genetically modified food… Be careful of the two new additions to the “Stevia market” : Truvia (owned by Coca Cola) and Pure Via (owned by Pepsi). These are not pure stevia (in the raw from the Stevia rebaudianaplant). They have other additives and are not GMO free.

Read these blog posts to get a better idea on how all “stevia” products are not made equal.

http://beautifulafterthebelly.blogspot.com/2010/01/stevia-vs-purevia-vs-truvia.html

http://www.loveyourreflection.net/healthy-foods/stevia-beware-of-sugar-ninjas/

http://polishingstone.org/articles/sweeteners-lee.html

Drinks

Avoid:

commercial and instant tea**
box drinks
sodas
energy drinks
sports drinks****
coffee**
commercial drinks
coffee creamers***
hot cocoa*
milk mixes
powdered drinks

Instead:

*Cocoa Mixes

Cocoa mixes without maltodextrins, dextrose, sugar or other high glycemic ingredients.
Carnation, fat free
Carnation, no sugar added
Swiss Miss, fat free

**Coffee and Tea

Caffeine increases insulin secretion. If you are a coffee drinker, limit yourself to 1 or 2 cups a day. Flavored coffee products also increase insulin secretion unless they have been specifically formulated to be low glycemic.
Tea from bags or leaves is low glycemic. No instant.

***Coffee Creamers

Nature’s First Natural Dairy Creamer
Non-fat dry milk, powdered, plain, instant

****Sports Drinks

Vitamin Water Zero ( Note: Regular Vitamin Water is higher in calories, but the sugar added is fructose)

Fruits

Avoid:

applesauce (w/added corn syrup or sugar)
apricots (fresh, dried, canned)
banana (very ripe)*
cantelope
dates
fruit cocktail (canned)
pineapple
prunes
kiwi (over ripe)
sultanas
raisins
watermelon
pumpkin
lychee
mango (very ripe)
paw paw
papaya (very ripe)
any canned fruit in syrup (lite or heavy)

Instead:

apples
banana (green/yellow)*
peach
tangerines
dried apples
raspberries
strawberries
blueberries
cherries
nectarines
oranges
melon
plum
lime
pear
grapes
lemon
mandarin oranges
blackberries
unsweetened applesauce
persimmon
figs (fresh)
boysenberries
casaba melon
grapefruit
honeydew melon
kiwi (just ripened)
starfish
tangelo
Jamaican plum
pomegranate
Tangelino

*bananas are borderline on the GI, at 54. The less ripe the better. Certainly a half a banana goes a long way in flavoring a smoothie or shake, so feel free to do so moderately.

Good Canned Fruit:

Libby’s Natural Lite, pear halves, sliced peaches super, peach halves, chunky mixed fruits, fruit cocktail
Mott’s Natural Applesauce unsweetened (try adding a little stevia to sweeten)
White House Natural Plus Applesauce

Vegetables

Avoid:

instant mashed potatoes
potatoes
French fries
potato chips
beets
cooked carrots
parsnips
turnips
corn
rutabaga
winter squash
pumpkin

Instead:

artichokes
escarole
garbanzo beans
asparagus
green beans
green pepper
brussels sprouts
red bell pepper
kale
bean sprouts
yellow bell pepper
kohlrabi
black eyed peas
leeks
lettuce
broccoli
mushrooms (a fungi, but for sake of organizing)
okra
cabbage
olives
onions
cauliflower
peas
hot peppers
celery
pickles
scallions
collard greens
radishes
swiss chard
cucumber
spinach
snow peas
eggplant
split peas
yellow squash
endive
sweet potatoes
yams
tomatoes
turnip greens
zuchinni
water chestnuts
arugula
avocado
lima beans (fresh)
chick peas
sauerkraut
mustard greens

Good Salads

avocado salad
salmon salad
crab louie
Caesar salad
cucumber salad
egg salad
chef’s salad
mixed greens
pasta salad
shrimp salad
vegetable salad
spinach
chicken salad
seafood salad
tuna salad
red cabbage salad
black bean salad
cobb salad
red potato salad
coleslaw

Note: As with any salad, you will have to analyze the dressing/mayo etc to determine if it is low glycemic, but this list is a good start.

Fruit and Vegetable Juices

Avoid:

Watermelon juice
beet juice
celery juice
carrot juice
white grape juice
prune juice
red grape juice

All juices except low glycemic vegetable can be a glycemic load so dilute low glycemic ones with water.

Instead:

Pure Unsweetened Fruit Juices:

Acceptable juices as listed below are 100% pure fruit juice, with no added grape juice, or white grape juice and do not contain added sugars, high fructose corn syrup, maltodextrins, or pineapple juice.
Juices can create a glycemic load so they have the potential to elevate blood sugar and should be limited. However, you can mix ½ cup juice with ½ cup water without raising your blood sugar. Juices that have pulp have a lower glycemic index.

Unsweetened apple juice (1/2 cup)
Unsweetened orange juice (1/2 cup)
Unsweetened peach juice (1/2 cup)
Unsweetened pear juice (1/2 cup)
Unsweetened grapefruit juice (1/2 cup)
Tropicana Grovestand Orange Juice (high pulp content) (1/2 cup)
Unsweetened pineapple juice (1/2 cup)
Special Harvest Pear Juice (pure pear juice)
After the Fall Products, Inc. Maryland

Butters and Oils

Avoid:

Nut Butters

Jif creamy and extra crunchy Simply Jif Peter Pan (all)
Jif Sensations Reese’s, creamy Skippy (all)
Laura Scudder’s reduced fat,smooth Smucker’s Goobers

Instead:

*These name brands do not contain sucrose or any appreciable amount of high glycemic ingredients.

Arrowhead Mills 100% Valencia Peanut Butter, Creamy or Crunchy
Kettle Roaster Fresh, Cashew Butter, Sunflower Butter
Laura Scudder’s Old Fashioned Peanut Butter, Smooth
Laura Scudder’s Old Fashioned Peanut butter, Nutty
Maranatha Natural Foods, Organic Raw Almond Butter, Natural Cashew Butter
Smuckers Natural Creamy Peanut Butter

**Better to buy nut butters in natural food stores (in bulk) or high quality in grocery outlets. Most commercial have too many high glycemic additives.

Avoid:

Fats and Oils

palm kernal oil
coconut oil
palm oil
saturated fats
butter

*Once you reach your goal weight you could use a little of the saturated fats, like butter sparingly.

Instead:

*Most fats, oils, butters and mayonnaise are low glycemic. That does not mean that they are necessarily the healthiest choice. They are just not high glycemic. Remember when it comes to fat to choose omega 3 fats (olive oil, nuts, avocado, seeds and fish) when you can and small amounts of the omega 6 fats that are in butter, other oils and meats. Best choices listed below:

Olive oil
Benecol spread (McNeil brand)
Canola oil
Corn oil
Safflower oil
Sunflower oil
Mayonnaise, homemade, Hellman’s Light Mayonnaise or Kraft Light Mayonnaise
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray
Smart Balance Soft Spread (no trans fats)

Salad Dressings, Spices, Salsas and Condiments

Avoid:

Sauces, Dressings, and Condiments with added sugar and sweeteners
Any spices with sugars, maltodextrins, dextrins

* Most of the fat free bottled Lite dressings in the grocery store are higher glycemic than the regular versions because of the added corn syrup, maltodextrins and other added high glycemic ingredients. Even the sugar free salad dressings are not glycemically acceptable beause they too contain high glycemic carbohydrates which are not labeled as sugars. Commercial mayonnaise is ok in small amounts if there are no added high glycemic sweeteners.

Instead:

Annie’s Naturals, Shitake & Sesame Vinaigrette
Brianna’s Homestyle Real French Vinaigrette
Cardini’s Zesty Garlic
Cardini’s Naturals, Romano Cheese Italian Dressing
Hellmann’s Creamy Caesar and Creamy Ranch
Ken’s Ranch and Chunky Blue Cheese
Kraft, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Creamy Roasted Garlic, Garlic Ranch
Newman’s Own, Olive Oil & Vinegar Dressing, Caesar. Basalmic
Seven Seas Free Viva Italian
Wishbone, Lite Italian and Fat Free Italian
Zeus Greek Salad Dressing, all natural

Soy sauce
Low salt broth
Catsup, sugar-free, no corn syrup, no white grape juice
Estee no sugar added ketchup
Mojo seasonings
Mustard, no sugar
Maitre Jacques Sweet Tarragon Mustard
Maitre Jacques All Natural Grained Mustard
Reese Hickory Liquid Smoke
La Victoria mild green taco sauce
hummus (no sugar)
La Victoria mild red taco sauce
Basha Hummus
Shotgun Willie’s medium picante sauce
Texas Pete sweet red pepper sauce
spices
low salt soy sauce
herbs
catsup (small amount)
mustard
Herdez Salsa Verde
J.Madrid salsas
J.Madrid chipotle hot sauce
Tostitos Salsa
Newman’s Own, All Natural Salsa
Taco Bell Home Originals Thick’ N Chunky Salsa
Most Pace Salsas and Picante’s

Bella – Cherry Peppers, Hot Chili Peppers, Greek Salad Peppers, Submarine Sandwich Peppers, Whole Sweet Banana Peppers
Louisiana Sliced Jalapeno Peppers
Victoria – Antipasto Peppers in Olive Oil and Vinegar, Cauliflower in Vinegar, Hot Cherry Peppers, Hot Crushed Peppers

Legumes

Avoid:

canned black bean soup
broad beans
fava beans

Instead:

baked beans (canned/dried)
black-eyed peas (dried/frozen)
black beans (dried/canned)
butterbeans (canned/frozen/fresh)
garbanzo beans
kidney beans
pinto beans
peas (yellow, green or split)
soybeans (dried/canned)
lentils
navy beans
chick peas
lima beans
white haricot, dried

Grains

Avoid:

couscous
buckwheat
corn flour
cornmeal
barley
rice
millet

Instead:

All other grains are acceptable

Dairy, Cheese, and Nut Milks

Avoid:

chocolate milk (high glycemic sugars)
instant pudding
tapioca
canned grated parmesan (maltodextrins)
soymilk (unless it’s unsweetened)
almond milk (unless it’s unsweetened)
rice milk
coconut milk
sweetened commercial whipped cream
sweetened condensed milk

Instead:

buttermilk
cottage cheese
custard
sour cream
yogurt
crème fraiche
goat milk
sheep milk
ice cream (low fat)
creamsicles (low fat)
soy milk (unsweetened)
almond milk (unsweetened)
Italian ice cream
buffalo milk
sugar free chocolate milk
Jello chocolate pudding sugar free
whole and low fat milk
evaporated milk
kefir
Dannon Light ‘n Fit Yogurt**
Breyer’s Light Fat Free Yogurt**
non fat dry milk

*Dairy products and nut milks need to be of high quality with no maltodextrins or additive and low sugar. Soybean and almond milks need to be unsweetened. Chocolate milk with fructose or other low glycemic sweeteners is acceptable.

**Look for high quality yogurt that does not have added sugar or maltodextrins. You can add fruit and a low glycemic sweetener. But, if you are like me, and also want to avoid aspartame. Dannon Light ‘n Fit has aspartame in it. Look for yogurt with only fructose.

Cheese and Creams

American
Blue
Brick
Brie
Camembert
Caraway
Cheddar, sharp or mild
Cheshire
Colby
Cottage cheese, regular and low fat
Cream cheese, heavy, light and regular
Whipping cream, no sugars added
Edam
Feta
Fontina
Goat
Gouda
Gruyere
Monterey
Mozzarella
Muenster
Neufchatel
Parmesan (in block)
Kraft shredded parmesan
Kraft shredded three cheese
Pimento
Port de Salut
Provolone
Ricotta
Romano
Roquefort
Swiss
Tilsit
Alpine Lace Free n’ Lean and Lite-Line

Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts

Avoid:

All low fat ice cream (sweetened with high glycemic sweeteners)
All commercial frozen desserts unless they are sweetened with low glycemic sweeteners.
Ice cream, sorbet, and other frozen desserts that do not contain high quality proteins will generally not be low glycemic. Tofu frozen desserts are very high glycemic.

Instead:

Ice cream and frozen desserts that are low in fat and contain high quality dairy proteins (milk, skim milk, non-fat milk, eggs) are low glycemic.
Most dairy products that contain real proteins and no high glycemic carbs or sugars will be low glycemic.
Ice cream that contains regular table sugar has a lower glycemic response than ice cream that contains maltodextrins, dextrose or high fructose corn syrup.High fructose corn syrup is NOT the same product as fructose which is low glycemic. If ice cream is made with plain fructose or other low glycemic sweeteners it is preferable.

*Limit your serving of ice cream to 2 scoops to control insulin-reaction and fat-storage.

Although some of the ingredients in the following products are considered high glycemic, they are not listed on the label as the first two ingredients in the product and the proteins used were of high quality.

Baskin-Robbins frozen yogurt, sugar-free, nonfat
Creamsicles, low or non-fat, artificially sweetened
Dryer’s Fat Free Frozen Yogurt
Dryer’s No Sugar Added Ice Cream
Dryer’s Fat Free, No Sugar Added Ice Cream
Frozen yogurt, nonfat made without maltodextrins or corn syrup
Ice cream, with dairy proteins, low-fat, no maltodextrins
Popsicles, sugar-free
Tropicana Fruit Juice Bars, fat-free, no sugar added
Yoglace (frozen yogurt from I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt)

Jams, Jellies, and Snacks

Avoid:

All commercial jams and jellies containing appreciable amounts of corn syrup, sucrose, maltodextrins, dextrose and other high glycemic sweeteners are unacceptable.
fruit leathers
fruit roll ups
Fruit by the Foot
fruit glazes and dips
corn chips
pretzels
rice cakes
popcorn until you have reached your goal weight.

Instead:

low glycemic jams and jellies that are made with low glycemic fruits, without grape juice, corn syrup or unacceptable sugars
Estee Strawberry Fruit Spread (fructose sweetened, low calorie)

Additives and Spices

Avoid:

Msg
Spices that contain sugar, sucrose, dextrose, maltodextrins

Instead:

Sea Salt
Pepper
Spices and Herbs (natural)
McCormick grinders
Mrs. Dash products (great because they are usually low sodium too)

Bottled Sauces and Dressings

Avoid:

sauces with high glycemic sweeteners

watch BBQ sauces – many are very high in sugar
home-cooked or canned pasta sauces that contain corn syrup, honey, sugar, maltodextrins, high fructose corn syrup.

Instead:

Cento All Natural Pasta Sauce
Cento Classic Hot Pasta Sauce
Colavita Premium Sauce
Gia Russa Pasta Sauce
Pastene California Pizza Sauce
Mom’s Spaghetti Sauce, Timpone’s (jar)
Annie’s Naturals – Roasted Veggie Sauce, Natural Vermont Chedder Sauce, Natural Mushroom Sauce
Mayacamas Hollandaise Sauce
Mayacamas Bearnaise Sauce
Mayacamas Pesto Sauce
Papa Demos Lemon Herb Sauce
Mario Batali sauces
Homemade BBQ sauce with reduced sugar content such as this one http://recipes.steviva.com/recipe/low-glycemic-reduced-sugar-barbecue-sauce-recipe

Pasta

Avoid:

canned pasta and canned noodles, with or without sauces
gnocchi
Kraft marcaroni and cheese dinner
commercial macaroni and cheese
rice pasta
Spaghetti O’s
rice vermicelli
any overcooked pasta

Instead:

Barilla high protein pasta
brown rice pasta
capellini
fettuccine
linguine
ravioli
spaghetti
spinach linguini
tortellino
vermicelli (not rice)
macaroni
Star pasta
tortellini, meat or cheese filled
Artesian Acres Kamut Pasta
Contadina Spinach Linguini, protein enriched
Contadina Lemon Dill Angel Hair
Eden Foods Kamut Pasta
Nutri-Mac Spaghetti
Papadini Hi Protein Pure Lentil Bean Pasta

Cereal

Avoid:

Obviously avoid most sugary cereals – be careful to read the labels

Some other ones to avoid that are not so obvious:

cream of rice
cream of wheat
instant oatmeal
muesli (non-toasted)
oat bran flakes
porridge oats
oatmeal
porridge wheatena

Instead:

All-Bran w/extra fiber (Kelloggs)
Special K
All Bran Fruit ‘N Oats (Kelloggs)
muesli (toasted)
Bran Buds w/psyllium (Kelloggs)
Buckwheat Kashi
Fiberwise
buckwheat groats
General Mills Fiber One
old fashioned oatmeal
pearled barley cereal
rice bran
Quaker Oats, oat bran
Quaker Oats oatmeal, 6 min. +
multigrain porridge (oats, wheat, rye, barley, rice)
Healthy Start Cereal
Bob’s Red Mill rolled oats
Ezekiel sprouted whole grain cereal

Breads, Baked Goods and Crackers/Snacks:

Avoid:

In general avoid foods made with white flour
Thick crust pizza
Pretzels
Rice cakes
Biscuits
Croisants
Doughnuts
Waffles
Cake
Muffin
Danish
Baguette
White Pita Bread

Instead:

Multi-grain bread
Whole grain bread
Bread made with whole wheat flour
Whole grain tortillas
Wheat pitas
Sourdough bread

100% sprouted whole wheat (Ezekiel) multigrain,
9 grain bread
oat bran bread
sprouted wheat pita bread
wholemeal barley bread
Breton wheat crackers
rye crisp bread
Stoned wheat thins
buckwheat kasha
100% sprouted wheat bagel
bulgar bread
Braunschlaggar Eur. Style Rye Bread
rye pumpernickel bread
rye bread (1st ingred. rye)
wholegrain pumpernickel bread
Alvarado Farms 100% wholegrain sprouted wheat pita bread
Alvarado Farms sprouted wheat bread barley (coarse) bread
Alvarado Farms sprouted wheat bagel
Bran-A-Crisp crackers
Ak-Mak stoneground wholewheat
Grain, 100% whole grain crackers
Food for Life sprouted grain bread Pita bread (Alvarado Farms)
Shiloh Farms sprouted wheat Rye, coarse European style
Shiloh Farms cracked wheat sourdough
Sprouted Wheat Bread (Shiloh Farms)
Stoneground wholewheat,
100% stoneground Rye,
100% wholegrain
pound cake
sponge cake

Other Things to Consider:

Omega-3 Foods

A great article that explains the importance of Omega 3 Foods (the good fats)

http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/good-fat-bad-fat-facts-about-omega-3

The benefits of omega-3s include reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke while helping to reduce symptoms of hypertension, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), joint pain and other rheumatoid problems, as well as certain skin ailments. Some research has even shown that omega-3s can boost the immune system and help protect us from an array of illnesses including Alzheimer’s disease. There have even been new links made between this good fat and the prevention of breast cancer.

http://www.007b.com/breast-cancer-prevention.php

Here’s a list of some Omega 3 rich foods:

striped bass
wild salmon
herring
mackerel
oysters
sablefish
wild trout
tuna
almonds
walnuts
brazil nuts
pecans
pumpkin seeds
sesame seeds
sunflower seeds
flaxseed meal
avocado
flaxseed oil
canola oil
olive oil
any nut/seed oil

*Nuts are low glycemic and a great source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids. Because they do have a lot of fat you do have to moderate how many you eat; a snack of 7 raw nuts at a time is reasonable. You can put them in a salad or on yogurt or ice cream to add more protein.

Cookies

There are some commercial cookies on the market now in natural foods stores that are sweetened with fructose and may be acceptable. Read the labels for sugar content. These would be eaten sparingly once you have reached your goal weight.

Flour

Regular Enriched Flour is a bad choice, but there are a few good ones to consider for your baked needs.

Arrowhead Mills Stoneground whole wheat flour
Carbolite Zero Carb Bake Mix
Ketogenics Low Carb Pancake Mix

Soups &Dry Soup Mixes

Dry soup mixes, and canned soups can full of additives and sugars, but here are some acceptable ones:

Bean Cuisine dry soup mix: Island Black Bean,
13 Bean Bouillabasse, White Bean Provencal
Dougan’s dry soup mix, Mixed Bean
Progresso, vegetable

Other acceptable choices for homemade or restaurant soups are:

bouillabaisse
chicken soup
chili
bean and pasta soup
lentil soup
gazpacho
Italian minestrone
curryfish (no potatoes)
onion
jambalaya (no rice)
vegetable (no corn or potato)
tomato
Manhattan clam chowder seafood gumbo (no rice)
Nile Spice

Pizza

If you are going to eat pizza after you have reached your goal weight, select one with a thin, crispy crust and no meats. Limit portions to 2 pieces and add a salad with an oil and vinegar dressing to reduce the glycemic impact.

Pepperoni and other meats combined with fats from cheeses elevate insulin and fat storage.

Candy, Chocolate and Sweets

You really should avoid altogether, but if you must, look for the low glycemic label or a sugar content of 10 grams or less and no high glycemic carbs like maltodextrins or high fructose corn sytup. If the sweetener is just plain fructose then it is low glycemic.

Estee Milk Chocolate Bar (made with fructose)
Estee Milk Chocolate with Almonds (made with fructose)
Fig Newtons, 2
M & M, peanut 10 pieces (not the plain)
M & M, almond 10 pieces
Chocolove xoxox dark chocolate or almonds and sea salt in dark chocolate

Oriental Cuisine

Most Chinese food is low glycemic without the rice and without MSG.

Thai food, Japanese, Korean, same thing. No rice, no MSG.

Some acceptable examples are:

crab soup
asparagus soup
watercress soup
chicken egg drop soup
BBQ pork appetizer
hot & sour soup
spinach and tofu soup beef w/ broccoli
cashew chicken
bean threads w/ meat or fish
Moo Goo Gai Pan
chicken w/ broccoli
Beijing or Peking Duck
chicken w/ green beans
orange beef
scallops in black bean sauce
mung bean noodles
ginger duck
shrimp w/ vegetables