Glycemic index and glycemic load for 100+ foods

Glycemic Index
The Glycemic Index (GI) is a system of ranking carbohydrate-containing foods based on their immediate effect on blood sugar levels. The GI ranks the quality of carbohydrates, on a scale from 0 to 100, with pure glucose having the highest GI value of 100. Choosing low GI carbs more often, the ones that produce only small fluctuations in blood sugar, is the key to achieving lasting weight loss, long term health and reducing the risk of disease. A GI of 55 or less ranks as low, a GI of 56 to 69 is medium, and a GI of 70 or more ranks as high.

Glycemic Load
The Glycemic Load takes into account both the quality (GI), as well as the quantity of carbohydrate being consumed in a serving of food. These two elements determine how much the blood glucose will rise after consuming a food or meal. How high your blood glucose rises, and how long it remains high, depends on the quality (GI) and quantity (GL) of carbohydrates you ate. Both measurements are useful. The GL helps you select portion sizes; while GI helps you differentiate between good and bad carbohydrate choices.

Glycemic index and glycemic load offer information about how foods affect blood sugar and insulin. The lower a food’s glycemic index or glycemic load, the less it affects blood sugar and insulin levels.

FOOD	Glycemic index (glucose = 100)	Serving size (grams)	Glycemic load per serving
BAKERY PRODUCTS AND BREADS
Banana cake, made with sugar	47±8	80	18
Banana cake, made without sugar	55±10	80	16
Sponge cake, plain	46±6	63	17
Vanilla cake made from packet mix with vanilla frosting (Betty Crocker)	42±4	111	24
Apple, made with sugar	44±6	60	13
Apple, made without sugar	48±10	60	9
Waffles, Aunt Jemima (Quaker Oats)	76	35	10
Bagel, white, frozen	72	70	25
Baguette, white, plain	95±15	30	15
Coarse barley bread, 75-80% kernels, average	34±4	30	7
Hamburger bun	61	30	9
Kaiser roll	73	30	12
Pumpernickel bread	50±4	30	6
50% cracked wheat kernel bread	58	30	12
White wheat flour bread	70±0	30	10
Wonder™ bread, average	73±2	30	10
Whole wheat bread, average	71± 2	30	9
100% Whole Grain™ bread (Natural Ovens)	51±11	30	7
Pita bread, white	57	30	10
Corn tortilla	52	50	12
Wheat tortilla	30	50	8
BEVERAGES
Coca Cola®, average	58±5	250	15
Fanta®, orange soft drink	68±6	250	23
Lucozade®, original (sparkling glucose drink)	95±10	250	40
Apple juice, unsweetened, average	40±1	250	12
Cranberry juice cocktail (Ocean Spray®)	68±3	250	24
Grapefruit juice, unsweetened	48	250	11
Orange juice, average	50±4	250	13
Tomato juice, canned	38±4	250	4
BREAKFAST CEREALS AND RELATED PRODUCTS
All-Bran™, average	42±5	30	4
Coco Pops™, average	77	30	20
Cornflakes™, average	81±3	30	21
Cream of Wheat™ (Nabisco)	66	250	17
Cream of Wheat™, Instant (Nabisco)	74	250	22
Grapenuts™, average	71±4	30	15
Muesli, average	66±9	30	16
Oatmeal, average	58±4	250	13
Instant oatmeal, average	66±1	250	17
Puffed wheat, average	74±7	30	16
Raisin Bran™ (Kellogg’s)	61±5	30	12
Special K™ (Kellogg’s)	69±5	30	14
GRAINS
Pearled barley, average	25±1	150	11
Sweet corn on the cob, average	53±4	150	17
Couscous, average	65±4	150	23
White rice, average	64±7	150	23
Quick cooking white basmati	60±5	150	23
Brown rice, average	55±5	150	18
Converted, white rice (Uncle Ben’s®)	38	150	14
Whole wheat kernels, average	41±3	50	14
Bulgur, average	48±2	150	12
COOKIES AND CRACKERS
Graham crackers	74	25	14
Vanilla wafers	77	25	14
Shortbread	64±8	25	10
Rice cakes, average	78±9	25	17
Rye crisps, average	64±2	25	11
Soda crackers	74	25	12
DAIRY PRODUCTS AND ALTERNATIVES
Ice cream, regular	61±7	50	8
Ice cream, premium	37±3	50	4
Milk, full fat	27±4	250	3
Milk, skim	32±5	250	4
Reduced-fat yogurt with fruit, average	27±1	200	7
FRUITS
Apple, average	38±2	120	6
Banana, ripe	51	120	13
Dates, dried	103±21	60	42
Grapefruit	25	120	3
Grapes, average	46±3	120	8
Orange, average	42±3	120	5
Peach, average	42±14	120	5
Peach, canned in light syrup	52	120	9
Pear, average	38±2	120	4
Pear, canned in pear juice	44	120	5
Prunes, pitted	29±4	60	10
Raisins	64±11	60	28
Watermelon	72±13	120	4
BEANS AND NUTS
Baked beans, average	48±8	150	7
Blackeye peas, average	42±9	150	13
Black beans	30	150	7
Chickpeas, average	28±6	150	8
Chickpeas, canned in brine	42	150	9
Navy beans, average	38±6	150	12
Kidney beans, average	28±4	150	7
Lentils, average	29±1	150	5
Soy beans, average	18±3	150	1
Cashews, salted	22±5	50	3
Peanuts, average	14±8	50	1
PASTA and NOODLES
Fettucini, average	40±8	180	18
Macaroni, average	47±2	180	23
Macaroni and Cheese (Kraft)	64	180	32
Spaghetti, white, boiled 5 min, average	38±3	180	18
Spaghetti, white, boiled 20 min, average	61±3	180	27
Spaghetti, wholemeal, boiled, average	37±5	180	16
SNACK FOODS
Corn chips, plain, salted, average	63±10	50	17
Fruit Roll-Ups®	99±12	30	24
M & M’s®, peanut	33±3	30	6
Microwave popcorn, plain, average	72±17	20	8
Potato chips, average	54±3	50	11
Pretzels, oven-baked	83±9	30	16
Snickers Bar®	55±14	60	19
VEGETABLES
Green peas, average	48±5	80	3
Carrots, average	47±16	80	3
Parsnips	97±19	80	12
Baked russet potato, average	85±12	150	26
Boiled white potato, average	50±9	150	14
Instant mashed potato, average	85±3	150	17
Sweet potato, average	61±7	150	17
Yam, average	37±8	150	13
MISCELLANEOUS
Hummus (chickpea salad dip)	6±4	30	0
Chicken nuggets, frozen, reheated in microwave oven 5 min	46±4	100	7
Pizza, plain baked dough, served with parmesan cheese and tomato sauce	80	100	22
Pizza, Super Supreme (Pizza Hut)	36±6	100	9
Honey, average	55±5	25	10

* Compared with pure glucose, which is assigned a glycemic index of 100

The complete list of the glycemic index and glycemic load for 750 foods can be found in the article “International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2002,” by Kaye Foster-Powell, Susanna H.A. Holt, and Janette C. Brand-Miller in the July 2002 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 62, pages 5–56.

Study Links Monsanto’s Roundup to Cancer

A study by eminent oncologists Dr. Lennart Hardell and Dr. Mikael Eriksson of Sweden [1], has revealed clear links between one of the world’s biggest selling herbicide, glyphosate, to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of cancer [2].

In the study published in the 15 March 1999 Journal of American Cancer Society, the researchers also maintain that exposure to glyphosate ‘yielded increased risks for NHL.’ They stress that with the rapidly increasing use of glyphosate since the time the study was carried out, ‘glyphosate deserves further epidemiologic studies.’

Glyphosate, commonly known as Roundup, is the world’s most widely used herbicide. It is estimated that for 1998, over a 112,000 tons of glyphosate was used world-wide. It indiscriminately kills off a wide variety of weeds after application and is primarily used to control annual and perennial plants.

71% of genetically engineered crops planted in 1998 are designed to be resistant to herbicides such as glyphosate, marketed by Monsanto as Roundup. Companies developing herbicide resistant crops are also increasing their production capacity for the herbicides such as glyphosate, and also requesting permits for higher residues of these chemicals in genetically engineered food. For example, Monsanto have already received permits for a threefold increase in herbicide residues on genetically engineered soybeans in Europe and the U.S., up from 6 parts per million (PPM) to 20 PPM.

According to Sadhbh O’ Neill of Genetic Concern, ‘this study reinforces concerns by environmentalists and health professionals that far from reducing herbicide use, glyphosate resistant crops may result in increased residues to which we as consumers will be exposed in our food.’

‘Increased residues of glyphosate and its metabolites are already on sale via genetically engineered soya, common in processed foods. However no studies of the effects of GE soya sprayed with Roundup on health have been carried out either on animals or humans to date,’ she continued.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics from 1997 show that expanded plantings of Roundup Ready soybeans (i.e. soybeans genetically engineered to be tolerant to the herbicide) resulted in a 72% increase in the use of glyphosate. According to the Pesticides Action Network, scientists estimate that plants genetically engineered to be herbicide resistant will actually triple the amount of herbicides used.  Farmers, knowing that their crop can tolerate or resist being killed off by the herbicides, will tend to use them more liberally.

O’ Neill concluded: ‘The EPA when authorizing Monsanto’s field trials for Roundup-ready sugar beet did not consider the issue of glyphosate. They considered this to be the remit of the Pesticides Control Service of the Department of Agriculture. Thus nobody has included the effects of increasing the use of glyphosate in the risk/benefit analysis carried out. It is yet another example of how regulatory authorities supposedly protecting public health have failed to implement the ‘precautionary principle’ with respect to GMOs.’

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

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