The Human Nutrition Unit in the School of Molecular Biosciences at

the University of Sydney developed the GI and GL ranking systems

and they created a comprehensive list of foods with the rankings.
Several studies evaluated a glycemic index diet, and they found
that choosing foods with a low GI and a low GL can lead to improved
glucose control and decreased cholesterol. However, a GI diet should
not be the foundation of a meal plan alone. We cannot evaluate what
happens to GI and GL when you mix foods together or eat high and
low GI foods at the same time.
The best way to use glycemic index is by strategically choosing
healthy foods that have a low GI and GL. This will minimize your
blood sugar spike after the meal and keep your blood sugar steadier
throughout the day. Also, choosing low GI and GL foods for meals and
snacks will help you make healthy food choices in general.
Bottom Line
Base your carbohydrate choices on the total grams of
carbohydrates listed on food labels but you can also
use the GI and GL food lists to learn which foods have
a lower blood sugar spike. Work these foods into your
meal plan more often than the foods that have high GI
and GL rankings.
Warning: Some foods that contain a lot of carbohydrates or fat
can have a low GI ranking. (examples: pasta and potato chips
have a low GI even though they are higher carb foods). Take the
total grams of carbohydrates, the glycemic load number and what
youve learned about healthy carb choices into account and do
not rely solely on the glycemic index.
Understanding Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load
What It Is
Glycemic index (GI) is a
ranking of foods on a scale
from 0 to 100. The number
assigned to each food is
based on how much the
carbohydrates in that food
raise blood sugar after
eating. Foods with a high GI get in your blood stream
quickly so they spike blood sugar levels high in a short
amount of time. Low GI foods are slowly digested and
absorbed so they cause a slower and smaller rise in
blood sugar and insulin levels.
Glycemic Load (GL) was
developed after glycemic
index because it gives a
fuller picture by taking the
amount of carbohydrates
into account too. GL ranks
the food 0 to 60 according
to the quality and the quantity of carbohydrates. For
example, a food like watermelon has a high glycemic
index (it breaks down to blood sugar quickly) but
there is only a small amount of total carbohydrate in
watermelon so the glycemic load is low.
Glycemic Index
70 or more High
56 to 69 Medium
55 or less Low
Glycemic Load
20 or more High
11 to 19 Medium
10 or less Low
EAT BETTER. MOVE MORE. LIVE WELL.
Balanced Living
Summer 2012, Issue 12
Inside:
Glycemic Index
Testing In Pairs
Seasonal Blackberries
How You Can Use It to Control Your Diabetes
GLUCOCARD

blood glucose meters

are integral tools in your care plan.
Testing in Pairs:
Interpreting Your Blood Glucose Numbers
Do you get frustrated when you are told check your glucose
more often or use your glucose numbers? Your healthcare
team tells you that glucose numbers are important, but why?
The testing in pairs concept
By testing your blood glucose with before and after checks, you can
learn how much your blood glucose changes. This information can help
you make good decisions in the future to keep your blood glucose in
your goal range.
Check your blood glucose right before and two hours after a meal.
Testing in pairs can also be applied to testing before and after exercise,
before and after eating a new food, before and after taking a
medication or any other number of situations.
Once you see the numbers, you can think quickly about what
changed your blood glucose. If your second number was too high, you
can plan what youll do differently next time (choose different carbs,
make sure you dont get overheated while exercising, ignore sugary
drinks, take a walk after dinner, skip the chips or bread bowl, take your
medication on time, etc). If your numbers are within your goal range, pat
yourself on the back knowing you made good choices and your blood
glucose is in control!
Start small and just check your blood sugar before and after one meal this
week. When youre ready, move it up to before and after one meal each day of
the week. Look at these numbers and take a few seconds to think about them
(why and how much changed). Make the changes that you learn about and see
improvement in your overall numbers.
You Can Learn from
Your Glucose Numbers
how certain foods affect
your blood glucose
how many carbohydrates
are too much
how many carbohydrates
are not enough
how different exercises
or activities affect your
glucose
how the timing of your
meals can affect your
glucose
how a medication affects
your blood glucose
Goal
Do a before and after
blood glucose check for
one meal this week and think
about what made your numbers
change the most.
BEFO
RE AFTER
A REAL LIFE Testing in Pairs Story
Sarah goes out to eat lunch with a friend at a new restaurant. She checks
her blood sugar a few minutes before the waiter brings her meal to the
table. It is 118 mg/dL which is within her goal range of less than 130 mg/dL
before meals. She eats her meal and lingers at the table talking with her
friend for about an hour and a half.
After saying goodbye and driving home, she checks her blood glucose
again and nds that it is 210 mg/dL. Because this number is outside her
goal range of less than 180 mg/dL two hours after eating a meal, she takes
some time to think back to her food choices. She decides she made good
food choices and ate around the same amount of carbohydrates as usual for
lunch; but she realizes the lemonade she drank must have had more sugar
than she thought.
This information from testing prepares her to make two decisions: she will
not order the lemonade at that restaurant again and she is going to t in a
quick 15 minute walk before she leaves to run errands that afternoon.
Use your daily journal
to track your testing
in pairs and show your
healthcare team.
G
rocery List
Fruit
Blackberries
Strawberries
Peaches
Mangos
Dairy
Skim milk
Part skim
string cheese

Vegetables
Broccoli
Asparagus
Summer Squash
Meat, sh and poultry
Salmon
Boneless skinless
chicken breast
95% lean
ground beef
Stock your kitchen with these
healthy and tasty foods.
Blackberry Scones
For your life
Practice Using the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load to
Make Healthy Food Choices
Goal: Eat at least one healthy, low-GI and low-GL food with each meal
and as a snack for 2 days in a row each week.
Tip: GI and GL do not consider ber. A higher GI food that has a lot of
ber (more than 5g per serving) is still a good food choice. Remember
to check the total grams of carbs too.
Lets Practice: Keep in mind: GI doesnt necessarily reect how
healthy a food is.
What is the GI of a Snickers

Bar:
What is the GI of a Sweet Potato:
Now, what is the GL of a Snickers Bar:
and GL of a sweet potato:
After looking at a Snickers food label, which food do you think is the
better choice?
Even though the Snickers has a lower GI than the sweet potato and
the GLs are fairly similar, the Snickers has 270 calories, 14 grams of fat,
5 grams of saturated fat and 35 grams of carbohydrates. The sweet
potato has 100 calories, no fat, 24 grams of carbs and 4 grams of ber.
We know the sweet potato is the better choice, but the glycemic index
does not reect that. Keep this in mind when using GI and GL; always
read food labels too.
How do these low glycemic
foods affect your blood sugar
compared to higher GI foods?
Apple: GI 38 GL 6
BG before eating ________________mg/dL.
BG 30 minutes after eating _________mg/dL.
BG 2 hours after eating ____________mg/dL.
Carrots: GI 47 GL 3
BG before eating ________________mg/dL.
BG 30 minutes after eating _________mg/dL.
BG 2 hours after eating ____________mg/dL.
Peach: GI 42 GL 5
BG before eating ________________mg/dL.
BG 30 minutes after eating _________mg/dL.
BG 2 hours after eating ____________mg/dL.
Black beans: GI 30 GL 7
BG before eating ________________mg/dL.
BG 30 minutes after eating _________mg/dL.
BG 2 hours after eating ____________mg/dL.
In the kitchen
*All trademarks are property of their respective owners.

FOOD
Glycemic index
(glucose = 100)
Serving
size
(grams)
Glycemic
load per
serving
BAKERY PRODUCTS AND
BREADS
Vanilla cake made from
packet mix with vanilla
frosting (Betty Crocker

)
42 4 111 24
Hamburger bun 61 30 9
Blueberry mufn 59 57 17
Wonder

bread, average 73 2 30 10
100% Whole Grain bread 51 11 30 7
Wheat tortilla 30 50 8
BEVERAGES
Coca-Cola

58 5 250 mL 15
Gatorade

78 250 mL 12
BREAKFAST CEREALS
AND RELATED PRODUCTS
All-Bran

, average 425 30 4
Cheerios

, average 74 30 15
Slow Cook Oatmeal, average 58 4 250 13
GRAINS
Pearled barley, average 25 1 150 11
White rice, average 64 7 150 23
Brown rice, average 55 5 150 18
DAIRY PRODUCTS
Milk, skim 32 5 250 4
Reduced-fat yogurt
with fruit, average
27 1 200 7
MIXED FOODS
Chicken nuggets, frozen,
reheated in microwave, 5 min
46 4 100 7

FOOD
Glycemic index
(glucose = 100)
Serving
size
(grams)
Glycemic
load per
serving
FRUITS
Apple, average 38 2 120 6
Banana, ripe 51 120 13
Grapefruit 25 120 3
Peach, average 42 14 120 5
Pear, average 38 2 120 4
Watermelon 72 13 120 4
BEANS AND NUTS
Black beans 30 150 7
Lentils, average 29 1 150 5
Peanuts, average 14 8 50 1
PASTA and NOODLES
Macaroni and Cheese
(Kraft

)
64 180 32
Spaghetti, boiled
5 min, average
38 3 180 18
SNACK FOODS
Corn chips, plain,
salted, average
63 10 50 17
Microwave popcorn,
plain, average
72 17 20 8
Snickers

Bar 55 14 60 19
VEGETABLES
Green peas, average 48 5 80 3
Carrots, average 47 16 80 3
Baked russet potato,
average
85 12 150 26
Sweet potato, average 61 7 150 17
The complete list of the glycemic index and glycemic load for
750 foods can be found in the article International tables of
glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2002, by Kaye Foster-
Powell, Susanna H.A. Holt, and Janette C. Brand-Miller in the
July 2002 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 62, pages
556 or online at www.glycemicindex.com.

On Your Feet
Take a bike ride and get ready for some speed!
Ride at a comfortable pace for 5 minutes, then
kick it up a gear and go fast for 1 minute. Keep
repeating these bike sprints at least 4 times
and youll get a great workout with the wind in
your hair!
Ingredients
1

cups blackberries, fresh or frozen
1

cups white our


cup whole-wheat our
1 Tablespoon baking powder
4 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons butter


cup skim milk
1 egg, beaten
cup egg whites or egg product
cup sour cream
Preparations
1. Wash fresh berries and put them in the freezer for one half hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 400F.
3. Combine the two ours, baking powder and the sugar in a bowl.
4. Cut the butter into small pieces and cut it into the dough until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
(You can use a pastry cutter or your hands to mix the butter in with the dry ingredients. The key is to
keep cutting or squeezing the butter pieces until they are very ne pieces covered in our.)
5. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the milk, eggs and sour cream to form a
soft dough.
6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oured surface and fold the berries into the dough gently.
7. Pat the dough into an 8-inch circle. With a oured knife, cut the dough into 8 wedges. Transfer the
scones onto a greased cookie sheet and bake 18-20 minutes until they are lightly browned.
Blackberry Scones
Prep time: 15 minutes Total time: 35 minutes Yield: 8 scones Serving size: 1
Nutrition Facts Per Serving Calories 217, Total Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 3.7g, Sodium 256mg,
Cholesterol 37mg, Total Carb 33g, Dietary Fiber 2.8g, Protein 5.8g, Carb Servings 2
A fun activity to get
your heart rate up.
*All trademarks are property of their respective owners.

I NTRODUCI NG the NEW

GLUCOCARD

YouChoose

look!
The GLUCOCARD

YouChoose Program
received a fresh and dynamic makeover, but the
program mission and materials have the same
quality and helpful information. Check out the
new and improved website and resources at
www.glucocardyouchoose.com.
Bite into Blackberries
This Summer
Berries are the quintessential summer fruit. Blackberries
are darker berries that look like miniature clusters of
grapes and the sweetness of these berries depends on
where they are grown and when they are harvested.
The harvesting seasons vary by location but you can
usually nd blackberries at your grocery store from
May to September. There are several types too, but you
are probably most familiar with the Marionberry cultivar,
which is named after Marion county in Oregon (an area
that produces a lot of blackberries).
How to Choose Blackberries: Ripe blackberries are a
deep black with a plump and slightly tender feel. Red or
purple blackberries are not ripe yet. Growers normally
harvest these berries when they are still shiny because
the berries do not ripen after being picked so they stay
fresh longer. However, blackberries that are not shiny
but have dull black skin are completely ripened and
much sweeter than the shiny-skinned berries.
Storing Blackberries: Put berries in the refrigerator as
soon as possible and keep them in the original container.
Take out the damaged or moldy berries as you nd them
and dont wash the berries until you are going to eat
them.
Blackberry Nutrition: Blackberries are a wonderful
food choice because each berry contains high amounts
of dietary ber, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid and
manganese. Blackberries also are one of the most
potent fruit antioxidants. A few of the antioxidants found
in blackberries are polyphenols called: ellagic acid,
quercetin, anthocyanin and cyanidin.
Although blackberry seeds can get stuck in your teeth,
they contain small amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA is
an omega-3 fatty acid) and other healthy compounds.
Let us know what you think of our new look
and how we can continue to provide you with
helpful information!
glucocard@arkrayusa.com
C O MP L E T E D I A B E T E S S O L U T I O N S
Di abet es
Wellness Kit
Eat better. Move more. Live well.
Mary is your personal
YouChoose wellness
coach. Look inside for
her healthy tips.

Ask Mary

Small, Healthy Changes Each week, write down one new, small change that
helps you meet your long-termgoal. Include action stepslittle reminders to help
you stick to your goal.
Impor-
tance
Con-
dence Date
Goal
Action Step
Goal
Action Step
Goal
Action Step
Goal
Action Step
Goal
Action Step
Goal
Action Step
Goal
Action Step
Goal
Action Step
Long-TermGoal Write down one goal you would like to achieve in the next 612 months.
Impor-
tance
Con-
dence Date
NOT CONFIDENT
NOT IMPORTANT
VERY CONFIDENT
VERY IMPORTANT
Plan SMART goalsSpecic, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant,
Timely. Use the scale below to rate how important the change is and
how condent you feel in achieving your goal. If your ranking is less
than 6, re-write your goal so it is more doable.
Having a
plan helps
you reach
your goals!
Goal Setting Weekly Changes
C O MP L E T E D I A B E T E S S O L U T I O N S
Wel l ness & Suppor t Progr am
Use these common objects to size up healthy
servings without supersizing your plate.
1 cup = Size of baseball

1 uid cup = Small coffee cup

1/2 cup = Size of light bulb

1/4 cup = Size of egg
1 Tbsp = Size of thumb
2 Tbsp = Size of golf ball

1 Tsp = Size of penny

1 oz = Size of 4 dice

3 oz = Size of deck of cards

4 oz = Size of checkbook
Carbs
Calories
sweet potato = = 25g 105
Fruits and Veggies
1 cup raw veggies
1/2 cup cooked veggies
2 cups spinach/leafy greens
1 cup fresh-cut fruit
1/4 cup dried fruit
Fiber-Rich Carbs
1 cup whole-grain cereal
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup whole-wheat pasta
3 cups low-fat popcorn
1/2 cup cooked rice
Lean Protein
1/2 cup low-fat tuna salad
3 oz 95% lean hamburger
1/2 cup beans or lentils
3 oz grilled chicken breast
4 oz baked sh
Healthy Fats
2 Tbsp light salad dressing
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp soft-tub butter
1 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsp ground axseed
2 Tbsp avocado
Low-Fat Dairy
1 cup light yogurt
1 cup skim/1% milk
1 cup plain, fortied soymilk
Sweets and Treats
Porti ons
Planner
Computer mouse
Post-It note
Deck of cards
Computer mouse
1. Boredom eating?
Take a 5-minute stroll.
2. Ask your server to box
up half of your meal
ahead of time.
3. Eat cereal out of a small
coffee mug.
4. Chew food to
applesauce consistency.
5. Fill half your plate with
colorful veggies.
6. Use mufn tins to
make mini meatloaves,
casseroles and
desserts.
7. Drink water or calorie-
free drinks instead of
soda and juice.
8. Wait 15 minutes before
second helpings or
more food after each
8 Ways
to stop
overeating
ARKRAY USA, Inc. Minneapolis, MN 55439 | tel 800.866.1633 | fax 952.646.3110 | www.
glucocardyouchoose.com PN 6485-00
Rev 4/12
Medium
HEALTHY 1 CARB CHOICES HIGHER-CALORIE CARBS
This information is for general education only. Please consult your diabetes team for medical, nutrition or tness advice.
Fruits Serving Size
Apple Small
Apricots* 4 whole or
Blackberries* cup
Blueberries cup
Canned fruit in cup
Cantaloupe 1 cup, cubes
Cherries 12
Dried fruit 2 Tbsp.
Grapefruit
Kiwi* 1
Medium apple 1
Mango cup, cubes
Small orange 1
Small pear* 1
Pineapple cup
Plums 2 small
Small banana 1
Sweets & Treats Carb Choices
Can of soda 3 carbs
Carmel apple 3 carbs
Gatorade (8 oz) 1 carb
Glazed doughnut 2 carbs
Granola bar 1 carbs
Ice cream ( cup) 1 carb
Oreos (2) 1 carb
Potato chips (19) 1 carb
Small, unfrosted 1 carb
Syrup (2 Tbsp.) 2 carbs
Small Blizzard 5 carbs
Hershey kisses (5) 1 carb
Sweet & sour sauce 1 carb
Fast Foods Carb Choices
Macaroni & cheese 2 carbs
Casserole (1 cup) 2 carbs
Higher in fat,
added sugars
and calories!
Choose fruit-flavored
yogurt and smoothies
labeled "light".
Grains Serving
All Bran crackers* 19
Bran akes* cup
Cooked brown or / cup
Cooked whole- / cup
Cooked oatmeal* cup
Frosted shredded cup
Granola cup
Hamburger bun
Kashi GOLEAN cup
Mini whole-grain 1
Popcorn* 3 cups
Shredded wheat* cup
Whole-grain Small
Whole-wheat
Whole-wheat pita
Whole-wheat tortilla 6 inches
Whole-grain wafe 1
Beans & Starchy Serving
Baked beans* / cup
Carbohydrates (or carbs) raise your blood glucose higher and faster
than other foods. Eating the same amount of carbs around the same
time each day helps keep blood glucose levels stable. Look belowto
learn about carbohydrate choices and the carbs to choose less often.
15 grams =
1 carb choice
*Higher in ber
Simple Carbohydrate
LOW-CARB VEGGIES
Eat 4 or more each day | 25 calories/5 grams
of carbs | 1 cup rawor cup cooked
Asparagus
Baby carrots
Bell peppers
Broccoli florets
Brussel sprouts
Cauliflower
Eggplant
Green beans
Jicama slices
Mushrooms
Onions
Romaine,
spinach
Snow peas
Squash
Tomatoes
Zucchini
17 small grapes
1 kiwi
Small orange
1/2 cup mango slices
Small pear
3/4 cup frozen peaches
3/4 cup pineapple
12 cherries
WHOLESOME
FRUIT
Eat 24 each day
60 calories/15 grams of carbs
Small apple
3/4 cup berries
1 cup cantaloupe
1/2 grapefruit
1 1/4 cup whole
strawberries
1/2 cup light
canned fruit
LOW-FAT DAIRY
23 cups each day
100 calories/12 grams of carbs
1 cup milk, 1 cup soymilk or
68 ounces of yogurt
Skim/1% milk
Calcium-fortified plain soymilk
Plain, nonfat or low-fat yogurt
Dannon nonfat, plain
FAGE Total 0% Greek
Light, fruit-flavored yogurt
Yoplait Light
Dannon Light & Fit
VEGETARIAN
PROTEIN
Check labels for calories/carbs
2% cottage cheese*
Beansblack, kidney, navy
Low-sodiumlentil soup
Egg, egg whites*limit egg yolks
to one a day
Part-skimmozzarella cheese*
Veggie burger
Edamame
Tempeh
Tofu
HEALTHY FATS
Eat these with colorful
fruits and veggies
50 calories/0 grams of carbs
1 teaspoon olive or canola oil
2 tablespoons avocado
8 large black olives
7 almonds or cashews
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
2 tablespoons light salad dressing
1/2 tablespoon peanut butter
This information is for general education only. Please consult your d i a b e t e s t e a m f o r m e a l p l a n n i n g a d v i c e .
* A l l t r a d e m a r k s a n d r e g i s t e r e d t r a d e m a r k s a r e t h e p r o p e r t y o f t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e o w n e r s A R
K R
AY U
SA, Inc. Minneapolis, MN 55439 USA www.glucocardyouchoose.com P/N 6483-00 4/12
*Representation of lacto-ovo vegetarian
Smart
Plate
LEAN PROTEIN
Limit to 3 ounces at meals
(size of a deck of cards)
100 calories per ounce/0 grams of carbs
Halibut, cod, tilapia
Skinless, boneless chicken breast
Salmon, tuna steak (200 calories)
95% lean ground beef
Extra-lean ground turkey
Canned tuna (in water)
Shrimp, scallops
Pork tenderloin
FIBER-RICH
CARBS
80100 calories
15 grams of carbs
1 slice whole-grain bread
1/3 cup quinoa, brown rice
1/2 cup bran flakes
1/3 cup whole-wheat pasta
6 whole-wheat tortilla
Mini whole-grain bagel
1/2 cup oatmeal
Small sweet potato
1/2 cup peas, corn
1 whole-grain waffle
1/2 cup beans, lentils
3 Ry Krisp crackers
dieline
FIBER-RICH CARBS
Try whole grains like quinoa (keen-wah) or barley
Buy breads with 3 or more grams of fiber
Mix whole-wheat pasta with regular pasta
Choose brown rice over white and fried rice
Watch your portion size carefully
LEAN PROTEIN
Eat fish twice a weekwild salmon, rainbow
trout and halibut for healthy Omega 3s
Enjoy a meatless meal with black bean tacos,
stir-fried tofu or veggie burgers
Buy red meat labeled round, sirloin or tenderloin
Spice up skinless chicken with a Cajun rub
Fill Plate
Microwave, grill and stir-fry fresh or frozen veggies
Add veggies to other foods like soups, salads,
casseroles and pizza
Store pre-cut veggies in a clear veggie bowl at
the front of the fridge
Enjoy two brightly colored veggies at lunch & dinner
Fill Plate
LOW CARB VEGGIES
9-inch Smart Plate
Fill Plate
dieline
Ask Mary
Mary will guide you through
important information
highlighted in her red circles
TEL 800.566.8558
FAX 952.646.3110
www.arkrayusa.com
Minneapolis, MN 55439 USA
TEL 800.866.1633
FAX 952.646.3110
P/N 6333-11 Rev6/12
B r a n d n e w d e s i g n !
L o o k i n s i d e o n p a g e 3
t o s e e t h e f r e s h a n d u p d a t e d
G l u c o c a r d

Y o u C h o o s e

l o o k .
N e w a n d i m p r o v e d s a m e
g r e a t p r o g r a m a n d i n f o r m a t i o n .