For people with diabetes, it’s important to know that of all the things that you eat, carbs impact your blood sugar levels the most, so it is important to carefully monitor the types and serving of these foods. Some carbs release glucose into the blood rapidly (high GI), while others have little effect on blood sugar (low GI). Therefore, high GI carbs are more likely to cause blood sugar to spike quickly.

Tips to Select Low GI Foods:

1. Choose non-starchy, fiber-rich vegetables, beans, and fruits like apples, pears, and berries.
   
2. Eat grains in the least-processed state possible, such as whole-kernel bread, brown rice, whole barley, and wheat berries. Or, choose traditionally processed grains such as stone-ground bread, steel-cut oats, natural granola, or muesli breakfast cereals.
   
3. Limit refined-grain products to small side dishes, such as white bread and white pasta.
   
4. Limit pastries, cakes, cookies, and ice cream to occasional treats.
   
5. Reduce fruit juice and try to eliminate sugar-sweetened drinks.
   
6. Consider other factors that impact a food’s GI, such as:
   • Ripeness and storage time—the more ripened a fruit or vegetable is, the higher the GI
   • Processed juice has a higher GI than whole fruit; mashed potatoes have a higher GI than a whole baked potato; stone-ground whole wheat bread has a lower GI than whole wheat bread.
   • Cooking methods can affect GI, too. For instance, the length of time a food is cooked can increase GI. (Example: al dente pasta has a lower GI than soft-cooked pasta).