If you choose a high GI food, combine it with a low GI food, for an overall medium GI meal. For example, top a higher-GI cereal like corn flakes cereal with a spoonful of bran or wheat germ and a lower-GI fruit like strawberries.

Eat whole grain, pumpernickel and oat bran bread more often than white bread. Interestingly enough, you don’t have to give up white pasta as long as you cook it al dente, or so that it remains firm – the way pasta is prepared lowers its GI rating – although you should limit quantities.

Most fruit and vegetables have a lower-GI rating. Emphasizing these nutritional foods over refined foods like crackers will help balance a meal without other changes.

Go for the salad. Eating potatoes cold, as in potato salad, reduces their GI. Use vinaigrette instead of a creamy salad dressing. It’s lower in fat, plus the acidity of the vinegar slows digestion, lowering the meal’s GI.

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