The End of Diabetes by Joel Fuhrman Page B

alone ignores many other factors that may make that food favorable or unfavorable. Because a carrot has a higher GI than a slice of bacon does not make the bacon a better food for a diabetic or heart patient. There are other important nutritional considerations besides GI, including the toxicity, micronutrient density, and fiber. Good examples of such nutritional nonsense include Dr. Barry Sears of the Zone Diet, who warns against the consumption of lima beans, papayas, and carrots because of their GI; and Dr. Robert Atkins, who excludes fruits and vegetables with powerful anticancer benefits from his diet.

    Â 
    Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load of Common Carbohydrate-Containing Foods 3
    Carrots are a good example of the lack of precision inherent in using only the glycemic index. They are high in fiber and nutrient rich, but their GI is 35. Carrots are relatively low in calories, and when they are eaten raw their glycemic effect is lessened further, as the body does not absorb all of the calories in raw foods. The GL is the accurate measurement here, not the GI. Carrots are not a negative food, even for the diabetic, as the GL is only 3. This is why raw carrots are a favorable weight loss–promoting food. Instead of focusing narrowly on the concept of GI, we have to consider the other values of the food as well as the healthful qualities and GL of the entire meal when put together. By the way, weight loss and micronutrient adequacy are more important than minor and temporary fluctuations in blood sugar, because they lead to long-term wellness and resolution of the diabetic condition.
    Studies evaluating the negative effects of a higher glycemic diet revealed that foods composed of low-nutrient, low-fiber, processed grains and sweets have deficiencies, and they harm far beyond their glycemic response. Processed foods are also low in fiber, phytonutrients, and antioxidants and are rich in toxic acrylamides. In addition to having a high GL, they are disease-promoting foods. When a diet is rich in nutrients, the disease-protective qualities of these foods and their weight-loss benefits overwhelm any insignificant drawback from their moderate GL.
----
    U NDERSTANDING THE G LYCEMIC I NDEX
Food
Glycemic Index
Glycemic Load
White Potato (1 medium baked)
90
29
White Rice (1 cup cooked)
68
29
Brown Rice (1 cup cooked)
58
24
White Pasta (1 cup cooked)
53
21
Chocolate Cake (1⁄10 box cake mix + 2T frosting)
38
20
Raisins (1⁄4 cup)
64
19
Corn (1 cup cooked)
52
18
Sweet Potato (1 medium baked)
69
14
Black Rice (1 cup cooked)
65
14
Grapes (1 cup)
59
14
Rolled Oats (1 cup cooked)
55
13
Whole Wheat (1 cup cooked)
30
11
Mango (1 cup)
51
11
Lentils (1 cup cooked)
40
9
Apple (1 medium)
39
9
Kiwi (2 medium)
58
8
Green Peas (1 cup cooked)
53
8
Butternut Squash (1 cup cooked)
51
8
Kidney Beans (1 cup cooked)
22
7
Blueberries (1 cup)
53
7
Black Beans (1 cup cooked)
20
6
Watermelon (1 cup)
76
6
Orange (1 medium)
37
4
Carrots (1 cup cooked)
39
3
Carrots (1 cup raw)
35
2
Cashews (1 ounce)
25
2
Strawberries (1 cup)
10
1
Cauliflower
negligible
negligible
Eggplant
negligible
negligible
Tomatoes
negligible
negligible
Mushrooms
negligible
negligible
Onions
negligible
negligible
----
    Recently a systematic review was performed of published human intervention studies comparing high- and low-GI foods or diets and their effects on appetite, food intake, energy expenditure, and body weight. In a total of thirty-one short-term studies, the conclusion was that there is no evidence that low-GI foods are superior to high-GI foods in regard to long-term body weight control. 4 More recent research compared the exact same caloric diets, one with a lower and one with a higher GL, and demonstrated that lowering the GL and GI of weight-reduction diets does not provide any added benefit to calorie restriction in promoting weight loss in obese subjects. 5 So the GI and GL are important, but they cannot be the primary focus of a healthy diet. They are just one