High and Low Glycemic Foods
See which foods rank high on the glycemic index...so you can be sure to avoid them.
High-glycemic foods cause a spike in blood sugar and increase the amount of insulin in your body. A recent study found that high-glycemic foods may be a major risk factor for developing lung cancer — and a whole subset of cancers, including breast, prostrate, and colon, which are highly responsive to insulin. See below for a list of high- and low-glycemic foods, so you can know which foods to avoid, and which to favor.
High-Glycemic Foods
- Sugar
- Flour
- Rice
- White potatoes
- Some fruits: bananas, grapes, cherries, watermelon
- Raisins
- Many breakfast cereals, including puffed rice and corn flakes
- Bread
- Soda
- Cookies and crackers
Low-Glycemic Foods
- Sweet potatoes
- Many vegetables, including leafy greens, asparagus, cauliflower
- Steel-cut oatmeal
- Farrow
- Quinoa
- Legumes, including lentils, chickpeas
- Ezekiel bread
- Skim milk
- Reduced-fat yogurt
- Sesame seeds, peanuts, flax seeds