The Glycemic Index (GI)

•Used in addition to carbohydrate counting to “fine tune” blood glucose management

•Measures how a food affects blood glucose levels

•Three levels of the GI include: high, medium, and low

•Using GI to plan meals involves choosing medium or low GI foods or combining high GI foods with low GI foods to balance blood glucose levels

•Foods are ranked based on how they compare to a reference food, such as white bread or glucose

High Glycemic Index (>70)

•Baked potato •French fries •Rice cakes •Bagels •Graham crackers •Refined cereal products •Sugar-sweetened beverages •Jelly beans •Candy bars •Couscous •Cranberry juice cocktail •White basmati rice •White-flour pasta

Medium Glycemic Index (56-69)

•Orange juice •Popcorn •Corn •Sweet potato •Peas •Brown/white rice •Oatmeal •Bulgur •Whole grain breads •Whole grain pasta •No-sugar added fruit juices

Low Glycemic Index (<55)

•High-fiber fruits and vegetables (apple, pear, green beans, apricots) •Milk •Yogurt •Legumes (chick peas, kidney beans, black beans, lentils, pinto beans