Low glycemic foods are the best foods to eat if you are trying to control your blood sugar, but it also works well to eat low glycemic foods if your goal is weight loss.

But just what are low glycemic foods?

The Glycemic Index

The glycemic index is a listing of foods and how each of those foods increases our blood sugar. As you might imagine, eating straight sugar increases your blood sugar but here is the strange thing: other foods increase your blood sugar too (some even more than eating straight sugar).

The glycemic index came about when a scientist decided to check someone’s blood sugar and then give them a single food and then test to see what that food did to their blood sugar. It is a simple enough experiment, but it yielded some surprising results. Foods that we thought would increase blood sugar did, but some of those foods act more sugary that sugar itself. Part of this has to do with what we are measuring and part of it has to do with how readily available the sugars in foods are when we eat them.

Here is a breakdown of a typical glycemic index chart:

What you will notice about the chart is that most of high and medium glycemic index foods are grains, sugars and simple starches. These are the foods you want to avoid

Low Glycemic Foods

Here is the list of the some of the low glycemic foods (for a database, go to www.glycemicindex.com )

GRAINS

• Pearl barley

Grain Products

• Fettuccine, egg
• Lasagna
• Linguine
• Macaroni
• Ravioli
• Spaghetti

FRUITS (RAW)

• Apple
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Cherries
• Dried apricots
• Grapes
• Kiwi fruit
• Mango
• Orange
• Peach
• Pear
• Pineapple
• Plums
• Raspberries
• Strawberries

VEGETABLES

• Avocados
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots, raw
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Chard
• Eggplant
• Garlic
• Kale
• Onions
• Radish
• Sprouts
• Squash (most)
• Tomato Juice
• Tomato soup
• Tomatoes
• Yam (Canada)

Lettuce of all kinds

• Green leaf
• Iceberg
• Red leaf
• Romaine

Mixed greens

• Arugula
• Beet greens
• Collard Greens
• Dandelion greens
• Endive
• Escarole
• Radicchio
• Red mustard
• Spinach

BEANS

• Baked Beans
• Black eyed beans
• Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans)
• Hummus (chickpea salad dip)
• Lentils, red
• Pinto beans
• Red Kidney Beans
• Romano beans
• Soya beans

DAIRY

• Full-fat cows’ milk
• Cheese (most)

NUTS AND SEEDS

• Almonds
• Cashews
• Macadamia
• Mixed nuts
• Peanut butter (no sugar)
• Peanuts
• Pecans
• Pistachio
• Sunflower seeds
• Walnuts

PROTEIN

• Beef
• Chicken
• Eggs
• Fish
• Pork
• Poultry (all)
• Sausages
• Wild game

MUSHROOMS

• Maitake
• Reishi
• Shitake

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ADHD DRUGS AND HALLUCINATIONS: A new study released by the journal Pediatrics showed that children who are taking drugs such as Ritalin, Concerta and others may experience hallucinations. The side effects of these drugs included hallucinations of worms or snakes crawling on the children and also included other side effects such as psychosis and mania.

Dr. Scott’s Comments: The rate of these side-effects were fairly low (around 2 percent), but represent yet another serious complication of these medications. Why we turn to drug therapy to help these children is beyond my understanding, when diet and nutritional therapy can do so much to change the thought patterns and actions of our children.

original article

MERCURY IN HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP: Mercury was found in almost one-half of all samples of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) tested in two recent studies. The mercury in the high fructose corn syrups appears to be a product of the manufacturing of the sweetener and not because of some other contamination. Caustic soda, used in the processing of the HFCS seems to be the source of the mercury.

Dr. Scott’s Comments: Did you really need another reason to stay away from HFCS? Eating high amounts of HFCS is associated with weight gain and insulin insensitivity and diabetes. Mercury in any amount in our diets, and especially in the diets of our children is very dangerous.

original article

STROKE HIGH IN PEOPLE WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME: Metabolic syndrome, which is characterized by abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, low HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides has been associated with an increased risk of stroke.

Dr. Scott’s Comments: While it has long been known that people with diabetes have a greater risk for cardiovascular diseases (including stroke), there has been a question about people who are not yet diabetic, but have impaired blood sugar control. This study, along with others, shows that being pre-diabetic carries many of the same risk that being diabetic does. Eating foods that are low and below the glycemic index is the only way to control your blood sugar and stave off these devastating diseases.

original article

WINTER WEATHER WORKOUTS: The American Cancer Society has posted winter weather workouts:

It’s easier to exercise regularly during the winter months than you realize – you just need to think creatively.

If it’s not too cold:

• Take the dog for a walk.
• Try a winter sport, like skiing, snow-shoeing, or ice-skating.
• Shovel snow. (Shoveling snow can be really strenuous. If it’s been a while since you’ve exercised regularly, discuss your plan and your health with your doctor.)

If it’s unbearably cold outside, try these indoor activities to get your heart pumping:

• Meet a friend at the mall and walk some laps.
• Do leg lifts or sit ups while you watch your favorite TV show.
• Put on your favorite music and dance.
• Clean your house. Scrubbing, mopping, and vacuuming all burn calories.

Dr. Scott’s Comments: Great recommendations! My favorite suggestion for exercising during winter months is to “pay” for the television you watch. Put a stationary bike or other exercise equipment in front of the TV and ride it for a half-hour or hour of the shows you watch.

original article

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You may have heard of high and low glycemic index foods and that you should eat as many low glycemic foods as you can if you want to keep your blood sugar low or if you are diabetic, but you may not have heard of the concept of Eating Below the Glycemic Index.

A typical glycemic index chart looks something like this:

What you should notice about this chart, or any glycemic index chart, is that there are a number of foods that are missing. The reason why these missing foods are not on the chart is that they don’t have any effect on your blood sugar at all. But just because these foods are not on the glycemic index doesn’t mean they are not important, in fact the opposite is true.

Below the Glycemic Index Foods:

Here are the foods that are below the glycemic index. You can safely eat as much as you want of them and they will have no impact on your blood sugar:

• Onions and garlic
  
• Cruciferous vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, chard, kale, and cabbage
• Lettuce of all kinds: red leaf, green leaf, iceberg…
• Mixed greens: spinach, arugula, endive, dandelion greens, escarole, radicchio, red mustard and various lettuces: red leaf, green leaf, romaine
• Avocados
  
• Meats: fish, chicken, beef, pork, wild game
• Eggs
  
• Mushrooms: Shitake, Maitake, Reishi and others
  

What is amazing about all these foods is that they are not only low on the glycemic index, but many of them are what I call Disease Busing Power Foods because they pack that additional nutritional punch that makes them not only good for you, but can actually prevent (and maybe even treat) many common diseases (such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and others).

By choosing foods from below the glycemic index, you are picking the very best nutrition you can find. You are not only keeping your blood sugar low, but you are also giving your body that extra boost it needs to navigate our stressed-out over-processed and sometimes toxic world.

Cannot Live on “Below” Alone?

You may look at the Below the Glycemic Index foods and think that you cannot live on those foods alone. Fair enough. The next best place to choose your foods from is the low glycemic index foods, the best of these include:

• Nuts: peanuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts…
• Fruits: apples, kiwi, cherries, berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries…)
• Beans: pinto, chickpea, butter beans, lima bean, black beans, lentils…
• Grains: while I’m not a big fan of grains, if you want to include them in your diet try to prepare them as most people make rice: boil and eat them. The whole grain with the lowest glycemic index is barley. You should also choose the whole-grain versions and not the “white” versions. If you simply must have your grains ground and processed, choose pasta as it generally is very low on the glycemic index.

Below or Low

As you can see, the best way to eat is to choose foods low or below the glycemic index. While it can be difficult at times, these foods are what your body need to thrive.

Take the plunge and try the 30 sugar free days challenge:

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