Hoping that this will qualify some of my recent remarks about the importance of eating vegetables and fruit, plus of course protein and fats and oils, especially for the developing brain.

Understanding the Glycemic Index Essential to controlling blood glucose and the hormonal Insulin/Gluagon response which in turn controls | other hormones called eicosanoids, which include a multitude of other other hormone subtypes, especially prostaglandins, thromboxanes Luekotrienes. These hormones are control systems the latter three to do with inflammation in diverse organ/tissue systems. So we can say we have good and bad eicosanonoids, the most well known being prostaglandins which are responsible for the following actions: cause constriction or dilation in vascular smooth muscle cells cause aggregation or disaggregation of platelets sensitize spinal neurons to pain decrease intraocular pressure regulate inflammatory mediation regulate calcium movement control hormone regulation control cell growth

Thromboxane is a vasoconstrictor, potent hypertensive and facilitates platelet aggregation Luekotienes contribute to the inflammation in bronchitis and asthma. Bit involved but meant to demonstrate that when the insulin/glucagon response is not normal then our eicosanoids become antagonistic and can and do cause problems throughout the body including inflammation and much, much more. And that is only a small part of the story. So here we have a useful guide which may be likened to traffic lights: HIGH GI (70 & above) RED MEDIUM GI (56 to 69) Yellow LOW GI (55 & below) GREEN Some foods Glycemic Index of Cereals Kellogg's All Bran 51 Kellogg's Bran Buds 45 Kellogg's Cornflakes 84 Kellogg's Rice Krispies 82 Kellogg's Special K 54 Oatmeal 49 Shredded Wheat 67 Quaker Puffed Wheat 67 Glycemic Index of Grains Buckwheat 54 Bulgur 48 Basmati Rice 58 Brown Rice 55 Long grain White Rice 56 Short grain White Rice 72 Uncle Ben's Converted 44 Noodles (instant) 46 Taco Shells 68 Glycemic Index of Fruit Apple 38 Banana 55 Cantaloupe 65 Cherries 22 Grapefruit 25 Grapes 46 Kiwi 52 Mango 55 Orange 44 Papaya 58 Pear 38 Pineapple 66 Plum 39 Watermelon 103 Glycemic Index of Vegetables Beets 69 Broccoli 10 Cabbage 10 Carrots 49 Corn 55 Green Peas 48 Lettuce 10 Mushrooms 10 Onions 10 Parsnips 97 Potato (baked) 93 Potato (mashed, instant) 86 Potato (new) 62 Potato (french fries) 75 Red Peppers 10 Pumpkin 75 Sweet Potato 54 Glycemic Index of Beans Baked Beans 48 Broad Beans 79 Cannellini Beans 31 Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas) 33 Lentils 30 Lima Beans 32 Navy Beans 38 Pinto Beans 39 Red Kidney Beans 27 Soy Beans 18 White Beans 31 Glycemic Index of Pasta Spaghetti 43 Durum Wheat Ravioli (meat) 39 Fettuccini (egg) 32 Spiral Pasta 43  Capellini 45  Linguine 46  Macaroni 47  Rice vermicelli 58 Glycemic Index of Breads inc. Muffins & Cakes Bagel 72 Blueberry Muffin 59 Croissant 67 Donut 76 Pita Bread 57 Pumpernickel Bread 51 Rye Bread 76 Sour Dough Bread 52 Sponge Cake 46 Stone Ground Whole wheat bread 53 Waffles 76 White Bread 70 Whole Wheat Bread 69 Glycemic Index of Dairy Milk (whole) 22 Milk (skimmed) 32 Milk (chocolate flavored) 34 Ice Cream (whole) 61 Ice cream (low-fat) 50 Yogurt (low-fat) 33 Glycemic Index of Snacks Cashews 22 Chocolate Bar 49 Corn Chips 72 Jelly Beans 80 Peanuts 14 Popcorn 55 Potato Chips 55 Pretzels 83 Snickers Bar 41 Walnuts 15 Glycemic Index of Cookies Graham Crackers 74  Kavli Crispbread 71 Melba Toast 70  Oatmeal Cookies 55 Rice Cakes 82  Rice Crackers 91 Ryvita Crispbread 69  Soda Crackers 74  Shortbread Cookies 64 Stoned Wheat Thins 67  Vanilla Wafers Water crackers 78 Glycemic Index of Sugars Fructose 23 Glucose 100 Honey 58 Lactose 46 Maltose 105 Sucrose 65