All food, from apples to zucchini can be classified as carbohydrates, fats and proteins, but it is carbohydrates that are of particular interest to the diabetic. Carbohydrates are in many of your favorite foods---baked goods, fruits, vegetables, juices and even snacks and candy. Obviously, some types of carbohydrates are better for diabetics than others, and that's where the glycemic index comes in. The glycemic index (GI) is a rating system that helps you understand how quickly carbohydrates cause blood glucose levels to spike. Low GI foods are rated from 0 to 54. Medium GI foods are rated from 55 to 70. High GI foods rate higher than 70. The goal is to either avoid high GI foods or combine them with lower GI foods, to stabilize your blood glucose levels.
High GI Breakfast Foods
Since many breakfast foods are high in carbohydrate, it's no surprise that they could have high glycemic index ratings. Some culprits to stay away from (with their GI ratings in parenthesis) include all forms of corn Chex cereals (83), cornflakes (83) and rice Chex (89). And while bran flakes are a great source of fiber, they also have a high GI of 74.
High GI Fruits
The glycemic index of fruit runs from one extreme to another. They can have GI ratings as low as 22 for cherries to over 103 for dates. Other high GI fruits to avoid include watermelon (72), pineapple (66), dates (103) and cantaloupe (65).
High GI Soups and Vegetables
There are a number of soups and vegetables that rate high on the GI scale---especially those that are commercially prepared. While they may be good sources of fiber, red baked beans have a GI of 93. Others soups and vegetables to stay away from are mashed potatoes (70) and parsnips (97).
High GI Snacks
The GI of many snacks might surprise you. For instance, the GI of a Snickers bar (41) is half of pretzels (83). Other high GI snacks to avoid include vanilla wafers (77), doughnuts (76), jelly beans (80) and even saltine crackers (74).
