The Glycemic Index Diet for Dummies - Meri Raffetto [48]
Buckwheat, familiar in the form of Japanese soba noodles and Russian kasha, actually isn't a form of wheat — it's really a relative of rhubarb! Yet buckwheat, which has a low glycemic index, traditionally has been used as a grain in cooking. Because it's not a member of the grain family, people who can't tolerate wheat can use it without concern. Buckwheat is also available as groats, which are the light-brown or light-green soft inner seeds of buckwheat. You can add whole groats to soups, or you can boil them and eat 'em like rice.
Try using 50 percent buckwheat flour and 50 percent wheat flour in pancakes, muffins, biscuits, and breads for a richer flavor.
Quinoa was originally cultivated by the Inca in the Andes Mountains of South America. It looks like small kernels of rice and has a higher protein content than many other types of grains. It contains no gluten and can be safely used by people with wheat allergies. Quinoa is delicious in soups and grain salads, and it has a lower glycemic index of 53.
Try using a mixture of 25 percent quinoa and 75 percent wheat flour in breads, biscuits, and muffins for a highly nutritious bread product with a delicious taste. And if you've never tasted quinoa before, consider trying the Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry with Quinoa recipe in Chapter 18 for a delicious introduction to this ancient grain.
Rye is historically a mainstay in northern European cultures because it grows in colder, wet climates. Include rye flakes in homemade granola or trail mix for a high-fiber, low-glycemic treat. Note: Rye has less gluten than wheat flour, so you need to combine it with other gluten-containing flours in order to make bread. Pumpernickel bread made with rye flour has a low glycemic index of 55.
Wild rice isn't really rice but rather the seed of a grass that grows in water around the Great Lakes in the Midwestern part of the United States. It has twice the protein and fiber of brown rice, which gives it a lower glycemic index of 45.
Barley was domesticated even before wheat. It contains more fiber and vitamin E than wheat and adds a nutty flavor to baked oducts such as muffins and biscuits. Pearl barley has the hard outside hull removed and cooks quickly into a soft, fluffy grain with a glycemic index of only 25. Try adding barley flakes to hot cereal for breakfast or mixing them into your favorite granola. (For a satisfying winter meal that features pearl barley, try the Vegetable, Barley, and Turkey Soup recipe in Chapter 18.)
Because barley contains less gluten than wheat, use 50 percent barley flour and 50 percent wheat flour when baking bread.
Bulgur (cracked wheat) is a quick-cooking form of whole wheat that has been cleansed, parboiled, dried, and ground into particles. Because it's precooked, you need only pour boiling water over it, cover, and let it sit for about ten minutes. It cooks so quickly that adding this delicious, healthy, low-glycemic whole grain to your family's meals is easy. Bulgur has a low glycemic index of 48, and one cup of it has fewer calories yet more than twice the fiber of rice! It's also a good source of manganese and B vitamins.
Use bulgur as a replacement for rice in your favorite pilaf.
Scoping out the best breads
It's a given that the soft, squishy white bread that's often a favorite of children has a higher glycemic index. Whole-grain breads, especially those that incorporate seeds, sprouted grains, or flaxmeal into their ingredients, have a lower glycemic index, but they aren't always popular choices.
When purchasing low-glycemic bread, follow these tips:
Watch for the word whole in the first ingredient on the list of ingredients in fine print at the bottom of the nutrition facts label.
Look at the nutrition facts label for the grams of fiber per serving, which is usually one slice of bread. Breads that are higher in fiber typically have a lower glycemic index. (A food with 5 grams or more of fiber per serving is considered