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Dr. Donsbach's Condensed

GLYCEMIC INDEX

Designed for Those of Us Who Need to Watch What We Eat

Because We Have Cancer, Hypoglycemia, Diabetes,

or It Seems Everything We Eat Turns to Fat

©2001

All Rights Reserved

Kurt W. Donsbach, DC, ND, Ph.D.

Glycemic Index

The Glycemic Index is a numerical system of measuring how fast a carbohydrate triggers a rise in circulating blood sugar - the higher the number, the greater the blood sugar response. A low glycemic index food will cause a small rise; while a high glycemic index food will trigger a dramatic spike of insulin, which can then produce hypoglycemia and eventually diabetes, if allowed to continue.

Dr. Julian Whitaker, in his article, "My Latest Thinking on Diet: All Carbohydrates are not created Equal: "Foods with a high glycemic index enter the bloodstream rapidly, while low glycemic foods promote a slower release of glucose and insulin. This means you should go easy on high glycemic foods. The bulk of your diet should be low glycemic complex carbohydrates." Dr. Julian Whitaker's Health & Healing, 1998

There are two published glycemic indexes; one based on white bread as being 100 and one based on glucose as 100. Although they are both correct, I have chosen to work with the glucose-based; because it makes more sense to me - we are talking about sugar and not white bread, even though it too has a very high index.

Flour Containing Products

French baguette....................... 95

Wheat bread, gluten free........... 90

White bread............................. 78

Waffles....................................76

Donuts, plain........................... 76

Bread stuffing.......................... 74

Kaiser rolls...............................73

Bagel, white............................ 72

Melba toast............................. 70

Tortilla, corn............................ 70

Whole wheat bread................... 69

Most cakes & pastries............... 65

Rye flour bread..........................64

Hamburger bun..........................61

Cheese pizza............................60

Pita bread................................57

Pumpernickel bread................... 50

Oat bran bread..........................48

Mixed grain bread..................... 48

Cake, banana, w/ sugar............. 47

Sponge cake............................ 46

Breakfast Cereals

Puffed Rice.............................. 90

Rice Chex................................ 89

Cornflakes............................... 83

Corn Chex................................ 83

Rice Krispies............................ 82

Post Flakes.............................. 80

Coco Pops............................... 77

Total...................................... 76

Cheerios...................................74

Puffed Wheat........................... 74

Golden Grahams....................... 71

Cream of Wheat....................... 70

Shredded Wheat....................... 69

Sustain................................... 68

Grape Nuts.............................. 67

Nutri-Grain.............................. 66

Life........................................ 66

Oatmeal, quick......................... 61

Kelloggs Just Right....................59

Bran Chex................................ 58

Kelloggs Mini-Wheats................ 57

Muesli..................................... 56

Kelloggs Honey Smacks............. 55

Oat Bran................................. 55

Special K................................. 54

Bran Buds................................ 53

Red River Cereal....................... 49

Oatmeal, regular...................... 49

All-Bran................................... 42

Kelloggs Guardian..................... 41

All Bran Fruit & Oats................. 39

Cereal Grains

Rice, white, instant - 6 min........ 90

Tapioca, boiled w/milk................81

Millet.......................................71

Corn meal.................................69

Taco shells...............................68

Barley, rolled............................66

Couscous..................................65

Rice, white...............................58

Rice, brown...............................55

Sweet corn...............................55

Buckwheat................................55

Wheat, quick cooking.................54

Barley, cracked..........................50

Rice, parboiled..........................48

Rice, instant - 1 min..................46

Wheat kernels...........................41

Rye.........................................34

Barley, pearled..........................25

Rice Bran..................................19

Please note the differences in cereal grains in the way they are presented, such as in rice and barley. The more some of them are cooked, the more they affect blood sugar.

Pasta

Rice pasta, brown......................92

Gnocchi....................................67

Macaroni & Cheese....................64

Spaghetti, durum.......................55

Instant noodles.........................47

Linguini....................................46

Macaroni................................. 45

Spaghetti, white........................41

Ravioli, durum, meat filled..........39

Spaghetti, wholemeal.................37

Vermicelli.................................35

Fettuccini.................................32

Spaghetti, protein enriched.........27

These findings have been verified, butthey can seem confusing. As anexample - why should macaroni alonehave a reading of 45, while macaroniwith cheese (cheese has a rating ofless than 10) result in a reading of 64?

Because the processed cheese used in the macaroni and cheese had sugar added to it.

Cookies & Crackers

Puffed crispbread.......................81

Morning coffee cookies.............. 79

Rice cakes............................... 77

Vanilla wafers.......................... 77

Graham crackers...................... 74

Wheat Thins............................ 67

Rye crispbread......................... 65

Shortbread................................64

Chocolate chip cookies.............. 64

Oatmeal cookies w/o raisins........55

Sugars

Maltose................................. 105

Maltodextrin........................... 105

Glucose................................. 100

Sucrose................................... 64

High fructose corn syrup............ 62

Honey..................................... 58

Lactose................................... 46

Fructose................................ 21*

Agave nectar........................... 10

Artificial sweeteners................. >5

Stevia Liquid Extract....................0

 

Root Vegetables

Parsnips............................ 97

Potato, baked......................85

Potato, instant................... 83

Potato, french fries............. 75

Potato, boiled.................... 73

Potato mashed................... 70

Rutabaga........................... 72

Beets................................ 64

Sweet potato...................... 54

Yam.................................. 51

Carrots.............................. 49

Carrot juice........................ 45

Carrots, cooked................... 39

Fresh Vegetables

Pumpkin............................ 75

Sweet corn......................... 55

Peas, green........................ 48

Peas, dried......................... 22

Green vegetables, all........ >30

Legumes

Broad beans....................... 79

Butter beans, +15 g. sucrose 54

Lentils, canned................... 52

Kidney beans, canned.......... 52

Baked beans, canned........... 48

Romano beans.................... 46

Pinto beans, canned............ 45

Garbanzo beans, canned...... 42

Black-eyed peas.................. 41

Pinto beans........................ 39

Navy beans........................ 38

Garbanzo beans.................. 33

Split peas.......................... 32

Lima beans........................ 32

Butter beans...................... 31

Kidney beans...................... 29

Lentils............................... 29

Soybeans........................... 18

Note the big difference between canned and home prepared!

Fruits

Watermelon....................... 72

Pineapple........................... 66

Cantaloupe........................ 65

Raisins.............................. 64

Apricots, canned................. 64

Apricots............................. 57

Mangos.............................. 56

Fruit cocktail, canned........... 55

Bananas............................ 54

Kiwifruit............................. 53

Orange juice....................... 52

Grapefruit juice................... 48

Peaches, canned................. 47

Pineapple juice................... 46

Grapes.............................. 46

Oranges............................. 44

Pears, canned..................... 44

Peaches............................. 42

Apple juice......................... 41

Plums................................ 39

Apples............................... 38

Pears................................. 37

Strawberries....................... 32

Apricots, dried.................... 31

Grapefruit.......................... 25

Cherries............................. 22

Soups

Black bean soup.................. 64

Split pea soup.................... 60

Lentil soup, canned............. 44

Tomato soup...................... 38

Lima beans broth................
. 36

I know there are many more soups, but these are all that have been tested.

Any soup with potato in it would most likely have a high to very high rating.

Dairy

Yogurt, sweetened.............. 63

Ice Cream.......................... 61

Ice Cream, low fat..............
. 50

Chocolate milk w/sugar........ 34

Skim milk........................... 32

Whole milk......................... 27

Chocolate milk, artif. sweet...24

Yogurt, artif. sweetened...... 14

Beverages

Gatorade........................... 95

Soft drinks......................... 68

Diet soda, with caffeine....... 30

Soy milk............................ 30

Diet soda, without caffeine.... 0

Snack Foods

Dates.............................. 103

Pretzels............................. 81

Jellybeans....................
.......80

Corn chips.........................
. 74

Life Savers......................... 70

Skittles.............................. 69

Mars bar............................ 64

Muesli bars........................
. 61

Kudos, whole grain bars....... 61

Popcorn............................. 55

Potato chips....................... 55

Most jams & jellies.............
. 50

Chocolate bars.................... 49

Twix cookie bars................. 43

Snickers bar....................... 40

Peanut M&M’s..................... 32

Peanuts............................. 15

Specialty Foods

Tofu frozen dessert.............105

Cactus jam......................... 91

Breadfruit.......................... 68

Taro.................................. 54

Sustagen Hospital Formula... 43

Fish fingers........................ 38

Sausages.......................... 28

Nopales, prickly pear cactus..
. 7

 

* I must comment that although fructose has a very low glycemic index, it causes high triglyceride levels if used in any quantity. High triglycerides cause insulin insensitivity which leads to adult onset diabetes, the very thing we are trying to avoid! Therefore, I have always been very cautious in suggesting the use of fructose as a sweetener.

(I recommend the use of Stevia Liquid Extract as a natural sweetener and for baking, Kurlu, the granulated sugar-substitute I formulate.)

What Does This All Mean?

I can only imagine the incredulity that you must have as you look over these numbers. Some foods or drinks that you thought were loaded with sugar do not really cause the sugar spikes that were imagined. Of all people, I must confess that I was most shocked on reviewing this. I didn't believe it at first, because of my strong beliefs founded on years of reading, studying and practicing nutrition and healing.

But there it is - and it will be particularly confusing to all those who followed my advice to avoid almost all fruits and fruit juices if they have cancer, based upon the fact that cancer cells are absolutely dependent upon sugar. My opinion has not changed!

I have long recommended cantaloupe and watermelon in limited quantities for my patients. Yet, according to the glycemic index, watermelon has a score of 72, while grapes have a score of 46. But if you eat 1/2 cup of grapes you will have 36 grams of carbohydrates (sugars), while 1/2 cup of watermelon will only offer 5 grams of carbohydrates (sugars).

And, therein, lies the need for full education. A person who has diabetes or cancer might avoid watermelon and consume quantities of grapes on the assumption from this chart that the high score for watermelon indicates it is an unwelcome food and the grapes, because of a lower glycemic index, were preferable. I have checked out several of the fruits and fruit juices to authenticate this contradiction. For example:

Glycemic Index Grams of Carb.

Orange Juice 52 27

Apple Juice 41 30

What does this example show?

Orange juice has a considerably higher glycemic index than does apple juice, indicating it will cause blood sugar to rise faster than apple juice. BUT, apple juice has more grams of carbohydrate which will convert to sugar eventually and wreak havoc for the diabetic or cancer patient.

So.......

My advice to cancer patients and diabetics remains what it has been for years: Be careful about the amount of fruit you eat under any circumstances and avoid fruit juices, because they are absorbed so quickly. Your body does not need these concentrations of carbohydrates, which contain no protein or fat.

I believe the real value of this index is to get an idea as to the vegetables, pastas, breads and other foods normally consumed. In general, my feeling is to stay away from any food which has a glycemic index above fifty almost all the time, but you can "sin" once in a while (but no more than one day a week).

This does not apply to the individual who has no problems with weight, diabetes, hypoglycemia or cancer. At this time, you can probably pretty much eat what you wish - but beware! Your body was not designed to eat refined carbohydrates, except in very small quantities. You will eventually pay the price, if you continue to eat "foodless" foods. Chronic degenerative disease is the result and it will strike you wherever you are genetically weak.

These diseases are picking up speed at an epidemic rate - and I am sure you do not wish to be a statistic. Consider carefully what you consume. Meat, fish, eggs, dairy products were put on this earth for man and contain the proteins and fats necessary for cell replacement, repair and rejuvenation. Pure seeds, beans and nuts can replace these foods to some extent for the vegetarian. Of all foods, the carbohydrates are the least necessary - not that they are inherently bad - until you consume them in preference to the building block foods.

May God Bless Your Efforts in Your Search for Better Health!

KWD


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The Donsbach Foundation
Health and Wellness Information for You and Your Family
Compiled from the Clinical Experience and Research of
Dr. Kurt W. Donsbach

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