Patient Education Section 4 Page 1 Ideal Low Glycemic Index Heart-healthy food choices The glycemic index compares the impact on blood sugar levels of the carbohydrate in foods to an equivalent amount of glucose. For example, if one gram of glucose causes blood sugar levels to rise 10 points, one gram of the carbohydrate found in a potato or a serving of potato that contains one gram of carbohydrate will cause blood sugar levels to rise 7 or 8 points (70 to 79 percent of the 10-point rise caused by glucose). To learn more about the glycemic index, visit these Web sites: www.glycemicindex.com www.mendosa.com 100% 60-69% Glucose Bread (white) Rice (brown) 80-89% Muesli Cornflakes Shredded Wheat Carrots Ryvita Parsnips Water Biscuits Potatoes (instant mashed) Beetroot Maltose Bananas Honey Raisins Mars Bars 70-79% Bread (whole meal) Millet Rice (white) Weetabix Broad beans (fresh) Potato (new) Swede
Section 4 Page 2 50-59% 30-39% Buckwheat Butter beans Spaghetti (white) Sweet corn All-bran Digestive biscuit Oatmeal biscuit Rich tea biscuit Peas (frozen) Yam Sucrose Potato chips Haricot beans Black-eyed peas Chick peas Apples (Golden Delicious) Ice cream Milk (skim) Milk (whole) Yogurt Tomato soup 20-29% 40-49% Kidney beans Spaghetti (whole meal) Porridge oats Potato (sweet) Lentils Fructose Beans (canned navy) 10-19% Peas (dried) Oranges Orange juice Soya beans Soya beans (canned) Peanuts
Section 4 Page 3 Glycemic Index Foods < 50% Legumes Servings: per day (1 serving = 110 calories) Serving size = ½ cup cooked or as indicated Yellow and green split peas All beans: garbanzo, pinto/refried, kidney, black, lima, cannelloni, navy, mung Soy - green beans, tempeh ½ cup Red and green lentils ½ cup Hummus ¼ cup Bean soups ¾ cup Category 1 Vegetables Servings: Unlimited (½ cup = 10-25 calories) Asparagus Artichoke Bamboo shoots Bean sprouts Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cauliflower Bell peppers Celery Cabbage: red, green, Chinese Chives, onion, leeks, garlic Cucumber Eggplant Green beans Greens: bok choy, swiss chard, kale, collard greens, watercress, spinach, dandelion greens Lettuce/mixed greens: Romaine, red and green leaf, spinach, arugula Mushrooms Radishes Salsa, unsweetened Snow peas Sprouts Tomatoes Zucchini
Section 4 Page 4 Category 2 Vegetables Servings: servings per day (1 serving = 50 calories) Serving size = ½ cup cooked 1 cup raw or as indicated Carrots, beets, winter squash Acorn squash, butternut squash Sweet potatoes or yams ½ medium baked Yukon gold new potato (80 calories / ½ cup) Concentrated Protein Sources Servings: servings per day, including 1 fish per day Serving size = 3 oz (after cooking) = 1 serving = 150 calories Eggs: 2 whole or 2/3 cup egg substitute Fish, shellfish, chicken breast, turkey, lean leg of lamb, lean pork, lean beef Elk or buffalo 4 oz. Nonfat cottage cheese ¾ oz. Ricotta ½ cup Parmesan cheese 4 Tbsp. grated Tofu 8 oz. or 1 cup Soy burger 4 oz. Oils Servings: teaspoons per day (1 teaspoon = approx. 40 calories) Expeller cold-pressed olive, canola, walnut and sesame oils Flax seed oil (keep refrigerated) Mayonnaise made with canola oil Tofu mayonnaise Ripe or green olives 10 medium 1/8 avocado Nuts and Seeds Servings: per day (1 serving = 100 calories) (Servings = 10-12 whole almonds, cashews, or hazel nuts; 2 tbsp. seeds; 7-8 walnut or pecan halves) Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts) Seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame) 1 tbsp. of nut butter (from nuts above)
Section 4 Page 5 Fruits Servings: servings per day (1 serving = 80 calories) Serving size = 1 whole fruit or ½ cup canned in juice or water, or ½ cup sliced; berries and melons 1 cup Apple Apricot Berries-all Cherries (12) Figs (fresh) Grapes (12) Grapefruit (½) Kiwi fruit (2) Melons except watermelon Nectarine Papaya Peach Pear Plum Orange, Mandarin orange, tangerine Star fruit Dairy Servings: servings per day (80 cals) Low-fat soy yogurt, plain 4 oz. Low-fat or fat-free yogurt, plain 6 oz. Nonfat sour cream 2 tbsp. Nonfat cream cheese 2 tbsp. Plain buttermilk, nonfat or 1% milk, or soy milk, low-fat plain 6 oz. Whole Grains Servings: servings per day (100 calories) Serving size = ½ cup cooked grains Rice: Basmati, white or brown (any) Whole wheat, spelt or kamut berries Pasta: 100% whole wheat, soy, or brown rice Bread: whole wheat, rye (1 slice) Whole barley, whole oats, oatmeal Crackers: whole grain rye such as Ryvita, WASA (3 crackers) Grains: wild rice, millet, buckwheat groats, amaranth, teff and quinoa Whole wheat low-carb tortilla or pita bread (½) Grape Nuts cereal ¼ cup
Section 4 Page 6 Questions? Call 206-598-4882 Your questions are important. Call your doctor or health care provider if you have questions or concerns. UWMC Clinic staff are also available to help at any time. Notes: 206-598-4882 Box 356176 1959 N.E. Pacific St. Seattle, WA 98195 206-598-4882 University of Washington Medical Center 11/2002 Rev. 01/2004