The glycemic index is a system which measures how quickly a carbohydrate will cause blood sugar to rise. It is based on glucose (blood sugar) which has an index of 100. The standard American diet (SAD) has too much high glycemic foods. This is helping to fuel the obesity epidemic.

The higher the index, the faster the food eaten will raise blood sugar. Refined products such as white bread, white rice, white potatoes, sugar, etc. will create a fast surge in blood sugar. Their index is high. Whole grains such as whole wheat bread, sweet potatoes, most vegetables, etc. have a lower index. Blood sugar is raised slowly when these foods are eaten.

The exceptions are corn and white potatoes. Both have a high GI.

Index ranges are:

1. low glycemic index (GI): 55 or less
2. moderate GI: 56 to 69
3. high GI: 70 and over.

Low index foods include: lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, lima peas, split beans; most fruits including apples, cherries, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, strawberries, grapefruit; non-starchy vegetables including asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, green and yellow beans, tomatoes, zucchini; whole wheat pasta, nuts and peanuts.

Moderate glycemic index foods include: yams, sweet potatoes, corn, peas, canned beans, slow-cooking oatmeal. High index food include: refined (white) bread, crackers and pretzels, popcorn, corn chips, instant rice, instant oatmeal, cookies, cakes, muffins, doughnuts, danishes, ice cream, jams and jellies, potatoes (white), turnips; some fruits such as dates, raisins, canned fruits in syrup, kiwi, mango, papaya, watermelon, pineapple, and honey.

Foods in the low to moderate glycemic index ranges should be eaten for effective weight loss. The majority of the foods however should be in the low glycemic range. Foods from the high glycemic group should be eaten only occasionally.

What type of bread is best for weight loss? The answer may surprise you:

Pumpernickel ranks lowest on the GI scale.

The following benefits of a low glycemic index diet are common with exercise. They both:

A low glycemic diet is essential for diabetics. It is also beneficial for those who wish to avoid diabetes. The following is a list of non-starchy vegetables (low GI):

List of low glycemic index fruit: