- Vegetables are some of the best foods to include in a diabetic diet. For the most part, vegetables have extremely low GI ratings and extremely high fiber content. Artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, green beans, peppers, and lettuce all have a low GI rating of 15. Combining these vegetables into a salad for lunch or dinner is a good diabetic diet option.
- Some fruits are great additions to a diabetic diet, but others are not. To determine whether a fruit is good, you must know its GI rating. Here are some fruits with low GI ratings: cherries, 22; plums, 39; pears, 38; oranges, 44; peaches, 42; apples, 38; dried apricots, 31 and grapes, 46.
- Some fruits should be consumed in small amounts or avoided entirely because of their high GI rating. Some fruits with very high GI ratings are: watermelon, 72; pineapples, 66; raisins, 64; mangoes, 56 and apricots, 57. Watermelon should be avoided because it has the highest GI rating of any fruit.
- Many dairy products have GI ratings that are almost as low as the GI ratings of vegetables. Dairy products not only make a great food item because of their low GI ratings but also because of their high protein content. Low-fat yogurt has a low GI rating of 14, chocolate milk, 24; whole milk, 27; fat-free milk, 32 and skim milk, 32.
- Ice cream has an extremely high GI rating of 61, which makes it a poor food choice for diabetics. Better dairy choices include cereal for breakfast and a milk and fruit smoothie for lunch.
