Earthly Eating

The glycemic index (GI) assigns carbohydrate-containing foods a number based on how they affect your blood sugar, or blood glucose, after you eats them. Foods with a GI less than 55 case only a little hiccup in your blood sugar, those in the 55 to 70 or higher range, raise it a little higher; and carbs with GIS more than 70 send your blood sugar soaring over the top. Low GIs are carbs that are healthy7; high GI carbs in excess, are not good for your body or your blood sugar.

The problem with eating lots of high GI foods, is when you blood sugar soars, so does the hormone insulin. Insulin’s main duty is to scoop up excess blood sugar and store it safely in the muscle tissue. In moderation, insulin is a good thing. But, it can be a killer when the levels spike repeatedly, trigger diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and possibly even cancers.

The Glycemic index experts say that the acid in vinegar or lemon juice can substantially blunt the effect of a food on your blood sugar. That means that adding vinegar to your French fries or making potato salad with a vinaigrette dressing are two ways to lower the GI of potatoes.

Here are six ways to make your own bodies glycemic index work in your favor:

1. One low GI per meal: Try to choose one-third to one-half of your daily starches from the low-GI list. Get the list here.

2. Go with the whole grains: There are exceptions, but in general whole grain foods such as barley and bulgur have a how GI, mainly because their high fiber content serves to slow digestion.

3. Roughing it up: The least processed and rougher the grain of flour, the lower the GI.

4. Bring it all on: Just ass some beans to rice. Throwing in a low GI food brings down the GI rating of the entire meal.

5. Be snack savvy: If you are having a high GI bagel or doughnut with hundreds of calories, the glucose won’t get blunted by other foods. So avoid starchy high GI foods as snacks.

6. Load up on frits, veggies and even legumes: Most have a low GI, and you would have to eat pounds and pounds of the ones that don’t affect the blood sugar in your body.
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Earthly Eating Recipe

Sweet and Sour Vegetable Salad
Serves: 8

1 pkg. organic vegetable spirals
1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, drained
1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans, drained
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained
1/2 cup green onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely minced
1 medium cucumber, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

Dressing:
1/3 cup organic brown rice vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup barley malt syrup or maple syrup
2 tbs. soy sauce, or to taste
1 1/2 tbs. dried basil

Cook the pasta, rinse and drain and combine with al salad vegetable. Mix dressing ingredients, pour over salad, toss and serve.

Happy Eating!