Glycemic Index | Making sense of carbohydrates | Glycemic Load | Meal plan

By checking the glycemic index and load. You can identify which carbohydrates are good for you and which to avoid.

Your body converts carbohydrates into sugar, which gives you energy. That’s the good news. The bad news is that some carbohydrate foods turn into too much sugar too fast, with too many calories.

Colorful eating is about good choices, not about doing without. Pick the foods and flavors that you enjoy. Remember that protein plus healthy carbohydrates will help you burn calories and keep you feeling full.

Glycemic Index measures how fast
the carbohydrates in a food turn into sugar in the body. Foods with a high glycemic index convert into sugar very quickly, with negative physical effects. Foods with a low-glycemic index turn into sugar gradually, helping maintain your body’s chemical balance. In general, foods with a low index are preferable.

Glycemic Load
measures the amount of sugar a food actually releases in the body. Foods with a low glycemic load usually have a low glycemic index. They are good choices for your meal plan. Foods can have a high-glycemic index, yet still have a low-glycemic load. Other foods have both a high index and a high load. You should avoid high-load foods as a regular part of your meal plan. When you choose carbohydrate foods, always check both their glycemic index and glycemic load. Detailed tables with this information are widely available. Use the chart below to get started.

Like carbohydrates, fats can have a positive or a negative effect. Good fats can lower your risk of heart disease. Good fats are found in olive oil, fish, olives, avocados and walnuts. But remember, even good fats have a lot of calories, so add these to your meal plan sparingly!

High-Glycemic Index		Medium-Glycemic Index		Low-Glycemic Index
Fruits and Vegetables	Starches	Fruits and Vegetables	Starches	Fruits and Vegetables	Starches
Corn Cranberry juice Orange juice* Raisin	Bagel White Bread Refined cereal Granola Muffin Pasta Potato Pretzel Rice Tortilla (flour)	Apricot* Grape* Pineapple* Watermelon	French Fries Oatmeal Pita bread Waffle	Apple* Asparagus* Broccoli* Brussels Sprout* Cauliflower* Celery* Cherry* Cucumber* Grapefruit* Green Bean* Green Pepper* Kiwi* Lettuce* Mushroom* Onion* Orange* Peach* Plum* Spinach* Strawberry* Tomato* Zucchini*	Barley* Black Bean* Kidney Bean* Lentil* Pea*

* Low glycemic load

Use this chart as part of a daily meal plan. In addition to your two Formula 1 Shakes, enjoy a healthy, well-balanced meal. You can create a personal meal plan with the right amounts of protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fiber. Did you ever think that a personalized ideal-meal plan would let you eat a vegetable salad, barbeque chicken, corn-on-the-cob and sliced kiwi with strawberries with a drizzle of chocolate? Learn more about other Herbalife meal plans that support your ShapeWorks™ Program.

Advantages of the glycemic index are determining which low GI foods to eat and which high GI foods to avoid. Low GI carbs trickle sugar into your blood stream giving you more sustained energy. While high GI foods can push your body to extremes and be detrimental to your health. To learn more visit Glycemic-Index.com

For more information and creating a meal plan see our recommended books.

Amazon.com Widgets

See Also:
Meal Planner Guides for more complete ShapeWorks instructions.
Weight Loss - Your guide to ShapeWorks programs.
Yummy Shake Recipes - Put variety into your meal replacement shakes
Herbal Catalog - Herbalife nutritional products.

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