Asian soups

Hot and Sour Soup (Betty Foo; Hunan Restaurant)


1/2 cup dried lily buds (day lilies)
1/2 cup dried mushroom ("wood ears" or "tree ears")
1/2 lb firm tofu, julienned (this will usually be 1 block or cake of tofu)
3/4 cup pork, finely julienned (see comments for vegetarian alternative)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup bamboo shoot, julienned (canned or fresh)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
5 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
5 ounces soy sauce (see comments)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (see comments)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, ground
1 teaspoon white pepper, ground
6 cups chicken broth (see comments for vegetarian version)
2 tablespoons scallions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons gingerroot, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional, made from toasted sesame seeds preferred)

Possible additions:
bell pepper strips
chopped fresh cabbage
cilantro


Directions:

1
Clean the dried day lilies, soak them in warm water for about 20 minutes.
2
Cut off the hard, tough tip of the stem and then cut the day lilies in half lengthwise.
3
Clean and soak the wood ear mushrooms in warm water for about 20 minutes, then cut into small pieces. To clean, just wipe with a damp cloth -- don't soak or wash!
4
Bring the chicken broth to a boil and then add the pork (or vegetarian alternative -- see below), skimming the surface of any fat.
5
Cook the pork for 3-4 minutes, until the broth comes to a boil again.
6
Add the tofu, mushroom pieces, bamboo shoots, and day lilies.
7
Let the pot return to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a low boil.
8
Add the soy sauce, spices, vinegar, salt and sugar.
9
Taste the soup, adjusting the vinegar (you may need to modify up or down by an ounce) for the "sour" and salt for balance.
10
Mix the corn starch and water to create a paste for thickening.
11
Add the corn starch mixture slowly, stirring constantly.
12
Drizzle the beaten eggs in slowly while stirring, so that you get "strings" of egg.
13
Turn off the heat.
14
Presentation -- ladle the soup into bowls, then garnish with 1/2 tsp of scallion per bowl and a drizzle of sesame oil.
15
Comments on ingredients & substitutions:.
16
Dried lily pods and wood ears (also called "tree ears", "black fungus" or "Hu Bei") available in most oriental markets.
17
Chicken stock -- use home made or a low sodium canned variety. For Vegetarians use a Vegetarian Chicken stock or a Vegetable Stock.
18
Pork -- For kosher alternative, use shredded chicken or turkey; for vegetarian alternative, replace pork with a mix of fresh flavorful mushrooms, e.g., shiitake, oyster, or portobellos.
19
Soy sauce -- Betty uses regular soy sauce -- if using a "lite soy" variety, you may have to adjust the amount of salt to taste.
20
Vinegar -- the vinegar is the essence of the "sour" aspect of this soup, and distilled white vinegar gives you the strongest taste; rice vinegars, wine vinegars, apple cider vinegars, etc, will either be too dilute (not enough acidity) or add extraneous flavors.
21
Garlic -- garlic powder is preferred in this recipe, but if you choose to use cloves, leave them whole, add them only to flavor the chicken broth and remove them before adding other ingredients.
22
Sesame oil -- adds a shimmer and smoky flavor to the final product. Chinese sesame oil is typically from toasted seeds; Japanese is typically untoasted, so the flavor will be subtly different.

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Insulin triggering foods and insulin response

http://inthezonefitness.com/Bodyfat.htm

Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas to help maintain optimal blood sugar level.  Insulin's job is to remove sugar from the blood and store it, either as glycogen in the muscles and liver or, more frequently, as fat.  Insulin is good.  It helps maintain balance in the body.  However, when triggered at the wrong times and in great amounts, insulin will make you fat.  Preventing frequent and intense insulin responses is the single most critical step in reducing bodyfat for many people.

Insulin also has a negative affect on resting metabolic rate.  Depending on the frequency and the severity of the insulin response, it may reduce the number of calories burned at rest by as much as eight percent!  Over time, this could add up to a significant amount of extra bodyfat.

Carbohydrates are very simple molecules, which digest very quickly and easily.  Even the most complex carbohydrate is nothing more than strings of sugars loosely tied together.  Digestion of carbohydrates begins right in the mouth with an enzyme called Salivary Amylase, which is located in the saliva.  By the time carbohydrates even reach the stomach, digestion is well underway and much of the carbohydrate you just ate is already sugar.

When you eat carbohydrates by themselves, they digest too quickly and the sugar enters the bloodstream all at once, sending your blood sugar level soaring.  This sets off an alarm and the pancreas secretes insulin into the bloodstream to take some of the sugar out

Preventing the Insulin Response

The way you consume carbohydrate may be making you fatter than you want to be, but carbohydrate is not the enemy.  Depending on how you structure your food consumption, carbohydrate may be stored mostly as fat (bad), stored mostly as carbohydrate in the muscles (good), or not stored at all, but burned as fuel (good).  Managing the insulin response is a critical aspect of this.  Carbohydrate in the bloodstream provides energy right now.  Carbohydrate in the muscles gives energy for tomorrow's workout.  DEPLETING CARBOHYDRATE WILL NOT MAKE YOU LEAN.  

The key is structuring meals and snacks so that you can consume carbohydrates in your diet, but keep from suddenly elevating your blood sugar level.  Three strategies come into play here:

1. Choose carbohydrates that digest more slowly and therefore enter the bloodstream gradually.
2. Combine carbohydrate with other types of food that digest more slowly, essentially "time-releasing" carbohydrate.
3. Consume concentrated carbohydrates, such as sugar, pasta, rice, cereal, bread, corn, rice and potatoes only after workouts.  Consumed immediately after workouts, calories from concentrated carbohydrate sources are likely to be stored in the muscles as fuel for tomorrow's workout instead of in your fat cells.

 Glycemic Index

The glycemic index (G.I.) of a food is a measurement of how quickly the carbohydrate in that food enters the bloodstream compared to pure glucose.  Glucose has a glycemic index of 100.  A food that has a G.I. of 70 enters the bloodstream 70% as quickly as pure glucose.  For someone trying to lose bodyfat, a diet comprised largely of low G.I. foods prevents excessive insulin secretion and ensures that the carbohydrates in the diet are available as fuel instead of being stored as fat.

A list of the glycemic index of common carbohydrates is at the end of this article.  Carbohydrates with a glycemic index of 40 or lower may be considered low G.I. foods, which are the best choices.  Carbohydrates with an index between 40 and 70 may be considered moderate G.I. foods and are good choices.  Carbohydrates with an index over 70 will tend to trigger an insulin response and should be eaten primarily right after workouts or in combination with lower G.I. foods (to create a combined G.I. of less than 70). 

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index (G.I.) of a food is a measurement of how quickly the carbohydrate in that food enters the bloodstream compared to pure glucose.  Glucose has a glycemic index of 100.  A food that has a G.I. of 70 enters the bloodstream 70% as quickly as pure glucose.  For someone trying to lose bodyfat, a diet comprised largely of low G.I. foods prevents excessive insulin secretion and ensures that the carbohydrates in the diet are available as fuel instead of being stored as fat.

A list of the glycemic index of common carbohydrates is at the end of this article.  Carbohydrates with a glycemic index of 40 or lower may be considered low G.I. foods, which are the best choices.  Carbohydrates with an index between 40 and 70 may be considered moderate G.I. foods and are good choices.  Carbohydrates with an index over 70 will tend to trigger an insulin response and should be eaten primarily right after workouts or in combination with lower G.I. foods (to create a combined G.I. of less than 70).  

Combining Foods

Protein is the friend of an active person trying to decrease bodyfat.  Consuming protein with carbohydrate helps ensure that the carbohydrate is not stored as fat.

Choosing low to moderate glycemic index carbohydrates is a useful strategy for reducing insulin secretion, but properly combining foods in meals and snacks can be just as powerful.  Learn to make this strategy a natural part of your lifestyle and you will become leaner.

Carbohydrate is a very simple molecule that digests very rapidly and easily.  Protein, on the other hand, is a very large, complex molecule, which digests much more slowly.  Remember that when you eat different types of food together, they move through the digestive tract together, being digested and absorbed at the same rate.  If you eat protein and carbohydrate together, the protein dramatically slows the carbohydrate digestion.  Instead of a large amount of carbohydrate entering the bloodstream all at once and driving the blood sugar level up dramatically, the carbohydrate trickles slowly into the bloodstream.  Protein "time-releases" carbohydrate.  As digestion occurs, blood sugar is gradually burned off almost as quickly as it enters, preventing quick increases in blood sugar level that cause the insulin response.  Blood sugar remains just slightly elevated for a long period of time.  This creates the perfect situation: good mood, feelings of energy, minimized hunger, and a slow, steady supply of sugar to be burned with fat to provide the body with energy for daily activities.

Fat digests very slowly, just as protein, so logically it could be combined with carbohydrate to prevent dramatic blood sugar fluctuations.  While this will prevent the insulin response, think carefully about the logic behind consuming fat to be sure that the carbohydrate you eat will not be stored as fat.  You store fat calories as fat calories instead of storing carbohydrate calories as fat calories.  You get fat for a different reason.    Fat is the most calorie-dense of all biological fuels, having about 2¼  times more calorie per gram than either protein or carbohydrate.  Better to stick with lowglycemic index carbohydrates and combine them with protein in a relatively low fat diet.

Make a habit of eating protein every time you eat carbohydrate (except during workouts), eating concentrated carbohydrates only after workouts, and choosing carbohydrates that fall lower on theglycemic index.  Your energy level will increase while the extra pounds melt away.

================================

http://thesmarterscienceofslim.com/up-close-and-personal-with-the-hormone-insulin/

Insulin’s job is to get energy into cells. For example, after we eat lunch, our body digests it and then releases insulin to carry those freshly digested calories into our cells. Since insulin is activated only when we need to get fuel into our cells, our metabolism “hears” insulin in the bloodstream “communicating” that we have energy on its way to our cells and therefore do not need to use any stored energy—aka burn body fat. So the hormone insulin—not the calories we ate—blocks the burning of body fat. That point is extremely important.

We can cut calories all day and will not burn body fat effectively if we are eating low-quality calories which trigger excess body-fat-storing hormones such as insulin. Why? Hormones like insulin remove our abilityto burn body fat regardless of whether or not we need to according to calorie quantity. That is why scientists refer to the hormone insulin as the “principal regulator of fat metabolism.”

Not only does all the excess insulin destroy our ability to burn body fat, it makes the metabolism resistant to insulin. How does this process work? Compare becoming resistant to the effects of insulin with becoming resistant to the effects of alcohol. When people drink alcohol in moderation, everything is fine. It takes relatively little alcohol to generate the desired effect, so people don’t drink too much of it. However, if people drink too much alcohol, they become resistant to alcohol’s effects. Then they have to drink more alcohol to get the desired effect. This volume of alcohol eventually destroys their liver and makes them gain body fat. This leaves heavy drinkers in an unfortunate place where they have become resistant to alcohol and have to drink an unhealthy amount of it to get the desired effect.

Similarly, when people eat mostly SANE foods and just a little inSANE starch and sweets, everything is fine. It takes little insulin to get energy into cells, so the body doesn’t produce too much of it. However, if people eat mostly starch and sweets, their bodies become resistant to insulin’s effects.

All this excess insulin forms the backbone of the hormonal dysfunction causing us to gain fat. Not only does it crush our ability to burn body fat, it also increases the rate at which we store body fat because excess insulin preferentially puts calories into our fat tissue. This happens because no matter how resistant other tissues become to insulin, our fat tissue is always receptive.

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http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/glycemic-index-diet/MY00770

Sugar (glucose) is a main source of energy for the cells that make up your muscles and other tissues. Glucose comes from two major sources: carbohydrates in food and extra stores in your liver. Carbohydrates come in the form of sugar, starch and fiber. After you eat or drink something with carbs, your body breaks down each type of carbohydrate in essentially the same way, converting it into sugar. The exception is fiber, which passes through your body undigested. The sugar then enters your bloodstream. From there, it enters individual cells throughout your body to provide energy. Extra sugar is stored in your liver and muscles in a form called glycogen.

Two hormones from your pancreas help regulate the level of blood sugar. The hormone insulin moves sugar from your blood into your cells when your blood sugar level is high. The hormone glucagon helps release the sugar stored in your liver when your blood sugar level is low. This process helps keep your body fueled and ensures a natural balance in blood sugar.

Typical menu for a glycemic index dietMany commercial diets are based on the glycemic index. What you can eat depends on the specific commercial diet you follow. Sydney University's glycemic index website doesn't promote specific commercial weight-loss plans or label carbs as good or bad. Rather, it recommends that you use the glycemic index to help you choose what foods to eat and suggests that you:

• Focus on breakfast cereals based on oats, barley and bran
• Choose breads with whole grains, stone-ground flour or sourdough
• Eat fewer potatoes
• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
• Avoid oversized portions of rice, pasta and noodles

Results

Weight lossCommercial diets that are based on the glycemic index say that you'll lose weight without having to count carbs or calories. Foods that have a low glycemic index ranking are said to make you feel full longer and to balance your blood sugar.

Results from research studies are mixed, and some studies have been of poor quality. Some studies show that calorie for calorie, there's little difference in hunger after eating a high GI food or a low GI food. Other studies, though, conclude that you're more likely to lose weight and reduce your body mass index (BMI) with a glycemic index diet than with a traditional diet, even if you're obese and need to lose a significant amount of weight. That may be, at least in part, because it's easier to stick to the glycemic index diet for the long term since it's not considered an extreme diet.

Still other studies suggest that there's little if any evidence that having an elevated blood sugar level leads to weight gain if you're healthy. These studies note that insulin is vital to good health, and that insulin becomes a problem only when insulin resistance develops. Insulin resistance doesn't develop from eating certain carbs or proteins but from being overweight. Weight loss from any type of diet improves blood sugar control.

Health benefitsProponents of the glycemic index diet say that you can improve or reduce the risk of serious diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Almost any diet can reduce or even reverse risks factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease — if it helps you shed excess weight. And most weight-loss diets can improve blood cholesterol or blood sugar levels, at least temporarily.

On the other hand, the glycemic index doesn't rank foods according to how healthy they actually are. Indeed, some foods with the preferred lower GI ranking may, in fact, be less healthy because they contain large amounts of calories, sugar or saturated fat, especially packaged and processed foods. Both potato chips and ice cream, for instance, have a lower glycemic index ranking than do baked potatoes, even though baked potatoes are generally considered healthier. So while lower GI items may help blood sugar balance, choosing them indiscriminately could lead to other health problems.

Other concernsOne major concern with the glycemic index is that it ranks foods in isolation. But in reality, how your body absorbs and handles carbs depends on many factors, including how much you eat; how the food is ripened, processed or prepared; the time of day it's eaten; other foods you eat it with; and health conditions you may have, such as diabetes. So the glycemic index may not give an accurate picture of how one particular food affects your blood sugar. Glycemic load is a related concept that scores a food product based on both carb content and portion size. But the larger the portion size, the greater the calories consumed whether the glycemic index is high or low.

It also can be difficult to follow a glycemic index diet on your own. For one thing, most foods aren't ranked by glycemic index. Packaged foods don't generally list their GI rank on the label, and it can be hard to estimate what it might be. And for some types of food, the glycemic index database has multiple entries — you may not be sure which entry is accurate.

On the other hand, many generally healthy foods are naturally low on the glycemic index, such as whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits and dairy products. If you eat a healthy diet, based on fresh foods that aren't highly processed, you may get the same benefits of the glycemic index diet. But if you need extra guidance toward healthier choices, the glycemic index may help.

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http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-meals/the-glycemic-index-of-foods.html

Low GI Foods (55 or less)

• 100% stone-ground whole wheat or pumpernickel bread
• Oatmeal (rolled or steel-cut), oat bran, muesli
• Pasta, converted rice, barley, bulgar
• Sweet potato, corn, yam, lima/butter beans, peas, legumes and lentils
• Most fruits, non-starchy vegetables and carrots

Medium GI (56-69)

• Whole wheat, rye and pita bread
• Quick oats
• Brown, wild or basmati rice, couscous

High GI (70 or more)

• White bread or bagel
• Corn flakes, puffed rice, bran flakes, instant oatmeal
• Shortgrain white rice, rice pasta, macaroni and cheese from mix
• Russet potato, pumpkin
• Pretzels, rice cakes, popcorn, saltine crackers
• melons and pineapple

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http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/glycemic-index-diet?page=2

lycemic Index Controversy

The GI is not a perfect tool and is no guarantee of healthy fare. Brown and white rice rank comparably on the index scale as do white and whole wheat bread, yet clearly the whole grain choices are healthier.

Some scores are confusing. For example, carrots are a nutrient-rich, high-fiber vegetable that can range from low to high on the GI scale. Likewise, some candy that includes nuts gets a better GI score than a potato. Ripe bananas have higher GI scores than under-ripe bananas. Cook pasta al dente and it ranks lower than fully cooked pasta.

Not only do the food scores vary, but so does the response from person to person. It can even vary within the same person from day to day, according to research reported in the June 2007 issue of Diabetes Care.

Furthermore, no one eats a single food in isolation. When carbs are paired with other foods, it impacts how blood sugars are affected -- that's the glycemic load, which ranks foods based on carbs and portion size.

Some nutrition experts don’t put much stock in the GI as an effective weight loss tool because of all the variability associated with the numbers.

"Using the GI to lose weight is unnecessarily complicated, and it does not simplify the task of choosing healthier food to lose weight or manage blood sugar," says Hope Warshaw, MMSc, RD, a certified diabetes educator and author of books about diabetes including Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy.

Some experts see the glycemic index as just another gimmick because there is little evidence that an elevated blood sugar level leads to weight gain if you are healthy.

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http://www.livestrong.com/article/434360-list-of-foods-that-do-not-cause-insulin-release/

Olive Oil and Other Plant-Derived Oils

Oil is pure plant-source fat, whether it is olive, canola, sunflower, sesame, peanut, coconut, soy or corn. One ounce of oil is about 28 grams of fat because 1 ounce converts to about 28 grams in the metric system. It makes no difference to this equation whether the fat is saturated or unsaturated. It is probably more helpful, and certainly more accurate, to think of oil as being fat, rather than containing fat. Dietary fat by itself, including these foods, does not cause insulin release.

Butter

Two tbsp. butter, about 1 ounce, contain 22 grams of fat and no carbohydrates or protein. The other 6 grams in the 28 grams ounces of butter is made up mostly of water, along with a small amount of milk solids. Butter eaten by itself does not stimulate the release of insulin.

Cream Cheese

Nearly all of cream cheese's macronutrient value is in fat, as 1 ounce of cream cheese contains 9 grams of fat, but only 1 gram of carbs and 2 grams protein. That would mean that it stimulates little insulin release.

Macadamia Nuts

One ounce of macadamia nuts contains 21grams fat, with only 4 grams carbohydrate and 2 grams protein. Almonds, by contrast, contain only 15 grams fat, coupled with 5 grams carbohydrate and 6 grams protein. That means that although macadamia nuts will stimulate some insulin production, it won't be as much as almonds. Dr. Robert Atkins, creator of the low-carbohydrate Atkins Diet, recommended that people who are extremely resistant to the action of insulin eat macadamia nuts, which have the highest ratio of fat to carbohydrate and protein combined.

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http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Glycemic_index_and_glycemic_load_for_100_foods.htm

This list seems to be very incomplete and in conflict with some other sources I am seeing online. Plus I am now sure how to read GI index versus G-load per serving

FOOD	Glycemic index (glucose = 100)	Serving size (grams)	Glycemic load per serving
BAKERY PRODUCTS AND BREADS
Waffles, Aunt Jemima (Quaker Oats)	76	35	10
Bagel, white, frozen	72	70	25
Baguette, white, plain	95	30	15
Pumpernickel bread	56	30	7
50% cracked wheat kernel bread	58	30	12
Whole wheat bread, average	71	30	9
100% Whole Grain™ bread (Natural Ovens)	51	30	7
Pita bread, white	68	30	10
Corn tortilla	52	50	12
Wheat tortilla	30	50	8
BEVERAGES
Apple juice, unsweetened, average	44	250 mL	30
Orange juice, unsweetened	50	250 mL	12
Tomato juice, canned	38	250 mL	4
BREAKFAST CEREALS AND RELATED PRODUCTS
Cream of Wheat™ (Nabisco)	66	250	17
Cream of Wheat™, Instant (Nabisco)	74	250	22
Muesli, average	66	30	16
Oatmeal, average	55	250	13
Instant oatmeal, average	83	250	30
GRAINS
Pearled barley, average	28	150	12
Sweet corn on the cob, average	60	150	20
Couscous, average	65	150	9
Quinoa	53	150	13
White rice, average	89	150	43
Quick cooking white basmati	67	150	28
Brown rice, average	50	150	16
Converted, white rice (Uncle Ben's®)	38	150	14
Whole wheat kernels, average	30	50	11
Bulgur, average	48	150	12
DAIRY PRODUCTS AND ALTERNATIVES
Ice cream, regular	57	50	6
Ice cream, premium	38	50	3
Milk, full fat	41	250mL	5
Milk, skim	32	250 mL	4
Reduced-fat yogurt with fruit, average	33	200	11
FRUITS
Apple, average	39	120	6
Banana, ripe	62	120	16
Dates, dried	42	60	18
Grapefruit	25	120	3
Grapes, average	59	120	11
Orange, average	40	120	4
Peach, average	42	120	5
Peach, canned in light syrup	40	120	5
Pear, average	38	120	4
Pear, canned in pear juice	43	120	5
Prunes, pitted	29	60	10
Raisins	64	60	28
Watermelon	72	120	4
BEANS AND NUTS
Baked beans, average	40	150	6
Blackeye peas, average	33	150	10
Black beans	30	150	7
Chickpeas, average	10	150	3
Chickpeas, canned in brine	38	150	9
Navy beans, average	31	150	9
Kidney beans, average	29	150	7
Lentils, average	29	150	5
Soy beans, average	15	150	1
Cashews, salted	27	50	3
Peanuts, average	7	50	0
PASTA and NOODLES
Fettucini, average	32	180	15
Macaroni, average	47	180	23
Spaghetti, white, boiled, average	46	180	22
Spaghetti, white, boiled 20 min, average	58	180	26
Spaghetti, wholemeal, boiled, average	42	180	17
SNACK FOODS
Corn chips, plain, salted, average	42	50	11
Microwave popcorn, plain, average	55	20	6
Potato chips, average	51	50	12
VEGETABLES
Green peas, average	51	80	4
Carrots, average	35	80	2
Parsnips	52	80	4
Baked russet potato, average	111	150	33
Boiled white potato, average	82	150	21
Instant mashed potato, average	87	150	17
Sweet potato, average	70	150	22
Yam, average	54	150	20
MISCELLANEOUS
Hummus (chickpea salad dip)	6	30	0
Chicken nuggets, frozen, reheated in microwave oven 5 min	46	100	7
Pizza, plain baked dough, served with parmesan cheese and tomato sauce	80	100	22
Pizza, Super Supreme (Pizza Hut)	36	100	9
Honey, average	61	25	12

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http://www.the-gi-diet.org/lowgifoods/

High, Medium and Low GI Foods

Breakfast Cereal Low GI All-bran (UK/Aus) 30 All-bran (US) 50 Oat bran 50 Rolled Oats 51 Special K (UK/Aus) 54 Natural Muesli 40 Porridge 58 Medium GI Bran Buds 58 Mini Wheats 58 Nutrigrain 66 Shredded Wheat 67 Porridge Oats 63 Special K (US) 69 High GI Cornflakes 80 Sultana Bran 73 Branflakes 74 Coco Pops 77 Puffed Wheat 80 Oats in Honey Bake 77 Team 82 Total 76 Cheerios 74 Rice Krispies 82 Weetabix 74 Staples Low GI Wheat Pasta Shapes 54 New Potatoes 54 Meat Ravioli 39 Spaghetti 32 Tortellini (Cheese) 50 Egg Fettuccini 32 Brown Rice 50 Buckwheat 51 White long grain rice 50 Pearled Barley 22 Yam 35 Sweet Potatoes 48 Instant Noodles 47 Wheat tortilla 30 Medium GI Basmati Rice 58 Couscous 61 Cornmeal 68 Taco Shells 68 Gnocchi 68 Canned Potatoes 61 Chinese (Rice) Vermicelli 58 Baked Potatoes 60 Wild Rice 57 High GI Instant White Rice 87 Glutinous Rice 86 Short Grain White Rice 83 Tapioca 70 Fresh Mashed Potatoes 73 French Fries 75 Instant Mashed Potatoes 80

Bread Low GI Soya and Linseed 36 Wholegrain Pumpernickel 46 Heavy Mixed Grain 45 Whole Wheat 49 Sourdough Rye 48 Sourdough Wheat 54 Medium GI Croissant 67 Hamburger bun 61 Pita, white 57 Wholemeal Rye 62 High GI White 71 Bagel 72 French Baguette 95 Snacks & Sweet Foods Low GI Slim-Fast meal replacement 27 Snickers Bar (high fat) 41 Nut & Seed Muesli Bar 49 Sponge Cake 46 Nutella 33 Milk Chocolate 42 Hummus 6 Peanuts 13 Walnuts 15 Cashew Nuts 25 Nuts and Raisins 21 Jam 51 Corn Chips 42 Oatmeal Crackers 55 Medium GI Ryvita 63 Digestives 59 Blueberry muffin 59 Honey 58 High GI Pretzels 83 Water Crackers 78 Rice cakes 87 Puffed Crispbread 81 Donuts 76 Scones 92 Maple flavoured syrup 68 Legumes (Beans) Low GI Kidney Beans (canned) 52 Butter Beans 36 Chick Peas 42 Haricot/Navy Beans 31 Lentils, Red 21 Lentils, Green 30  Pinto Beans 45 Blackeyed Beans 50 Yellow Split Peas 32 Medium GI Beans in Tomato Sauce 56

Vegetables Low GI Frozen Green Peas 39 Frozen Sweet Corn 47 Raw Carrots 16 Boiled Carrots 41 Eggplant/Aubergine 15 Broccoli 10 Cauliflower 15 Cabbage 10 Mushrooms 10 Tomatoes 15 Chillies 10 Lettuce 10 Green Beans 15 Red Peppers 10 Onions 10 Medium GI Beetroot 64 High GI Pumkin 75 Parsnips 97 Fruits Low GI Cherries 22 Plums 24 Grapefruit 25 Peaches 28 Peach, canned in natural juice 30 Apples 34 Pears 41 Dried Apricots 32 Grapes 43 Coconut 45 Coconut Milk 41 Kiwi Fruit 47 Oranges 40 Strawberries 40 Prunes 29 Medium GI Mango 60 Sultanas 56 Bananas 58 Raisins 64 Papaya 60 Figs 61 Pineapple 66 High GI Watermelon 80 Dates 103 Dairy Low GI Whole milk 31 Skimmed milk 32 Chocolate milk 42 Sweetened yoghurt 33 Artificially Sweetened Yoghurt 23 Custard 35 Soy Milk 44 Medium GI Icecream 62