Glycemic Load and Glycemic Index Recommendations

 Great way to lose weight, control heart problems and diabetes.
 Plan healthier meals utilizing the Glycemic Index
The Glycemic Index is a unique system that gives values to carbohydrates such as breads, fruits and vegetables so that you can understand how rapidly a carbohydrate turns into glucose.
Because our blood sugar must be maintained at a certain level, the brain signals the pancreas to release insulin, in order to breakdown food and bring the blood levels down to normal range by then converting excess sugar to fat. (Avoid Sports Drinks?)
Carbohydrates that break down quickly during digestion are given higher glycemic values (indices), while others that breakdown slowly receive lower glycemic values (indices).

Some foods that break down rapidly are white breads and starchy vegetables: potatoes, corn, peas, various beans, winter squash, plantains, and yucca.  While other foods that break down slowly are whole grains and varied vegetables.

The Glycemic Load is then defined by the total amount of the glycemic loads for all foods consumed in the daily diet. This sum can change day by day depending on your eating habits.

What is the glycemic load (GL)?

• GL builds on the glycemic index concept to provide a measure of total glycemic response to a food or meal based on serving size
• GL = GI (%) x grams of carbohydrate per serving

GI and GL Range Values.  (Chart provided by: University of Michigan)

Glycemic Index (GI) Range	Glycemic Load (GL) Range	Glycemic Load per Day
Low GI = 55 or less	Low GL = 10 or less	Low GL < 80
Medium GI = 56-69	Medium GL = 11-19	High GL > 120
High GI = 70 or more	High GL = 20 or more

It would be ideal to stay on a low glycemic diet which reflects eating food with a value given under 55. With a total low glycemic load of an optimal value of 80 per day.

Glycemic Index
High GI = 70 or more  (These foods need to be carefully monitored.)

Glycemic Load Range per day: Not less than 80 and not more than 120.
(Glycemic Index Chart provided by the University of Sydney, Australia)

Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values for Selected Foods (Relative to Glucose)
Food	Glycemic Index (Glucose=100)	Serving size	Carbohydrate per serving (g)	Glycemic Load per serving
Dates, dried	103	2 oz	40	42
Cornflakes	81	1 cup	26	21
Jelly beans	78	1 oz	28	22
Puffed rice cakes	78	3 cakes	21	17
Russet potato (baked)	76	1 medium	30	23
Doughnut	76	1 medium	23	17
Soda crackers	74	4 crackers	17	12
White bread	73	1 large slice	14	10
Table sugar (sucrose)	68	2 tsp	10	7
Pancake	67	6″ diameter	58	39
White rice (boiled)	64	1 cup	36	23
Brown rice (boiled)	55	1 cup	33	18
Pasta, semola/white; boiled 10-15 min	44	1 cup	40	18
Pasta, semola/white; boiled 5 min	38	1 cup	40	15
Pasta, whole wheat; boiled	37	1 cup	37	14
Rye, pumpernickel bread	41	1 large slice	12	5
Oranges, raw	42	1 medium	11	5
Pears, raw	38	1 medium	11	4
Apples, raw	38	1 medium	15	6
All-Bran™ cereal	38	1 cup	23	9
Skim milk	32	8 fl oz	13	4
Lentils, dried; boiled	29	1 cup	18	5
Kidney beans, dried; boiled	28	1 cup	25	7
Pearled barley; boiled	25	1 cup	42	11
Cashew nuts	22	1 oz	9	2
Peanuts	14	1 oz	6	1

For additional Information pertaining to the Glycemic Load and Glycemic Index visit these following sites.

http://www.med.umich.edu/umim/clinical/pyramid/grains.htm

http://www.glycemicindex.com/

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/foods/grains/gigl.html

http://www.nutritiondata.com/topics/glycemic-index