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know you can easily eat that amount or less.
    Of course, determining glycemic load based on portion size isn't an exact science, so sticking to low- to medium-glycemic foods within a reasonable amount is just fine. The beauty of this tactic for weight loss is that it keeps you eating portion sizes within a good calorie range. Limiting your rice servings to 1/3 to 2/3 of a cup is a great place to be. If you increase that portion size to 1 to 2 cups, then you begin to not only increase your glycemic load but also your calorie intake.
    Embracing High-GI/Low-GL Foods
    In the early days of the glycemic index's popularity, experts appeared on television screens next to a table full of foods, talking about which ones were good and which ones were bad. Almost always they came to high-glycemic foods such as potatoes and watermelon and announced them as being equivalent to pure sugar. First of all . . . of course foods that contain mostly carbohydrates are all sugar . . . all carbohydrates break down into sugar, so that's a bit of an unfair comment to begin with. But in the experts' defense, they were operating with the glycemic index alone.
    Thanks to the glycemic load, carrots and other high-glycemic fruits and veggies that got such a bad rap aren't considered so bad for you anymore. That's a darn good thing in my book because those same fruits and veggies are loaded with important nutrients.
    What should my daily glycemic load be?

    You don't want to get so bogged down with numbers that you avoid carbohydrate-containing foods altogether; that's neither a healthy choice nor one that promotes weight loss. To keep yourself on track for weight loss, your glycemic load for the day should be no less than 60 and no greater than 80. (Staying within the 80 to 120 range is ideal for weight maintenance.) Spread this out throughout the day to balance the glycemic load of all of your meals and snacks, aiming for a glycemic load of around 20 per meal.

    To lower your daily glycemic load, try

Increasing your intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes

Monitoring portion sizes of high-glycemic, starchy foods (such as white rice, pasta, and white breads) as well as sweets and sugars

    If you're one of those people following the old rules, or if you've been leery of following a low-glycemic diet because it puts certain foods such as watermelons in the "bad" category, I'm happy to tell you to take these foods off of your taboo list. The following foods not only have a low glycemic load but are also healthy, low-calorie choices:
    Cantaloupe (GI 65; GL 4): This fruit offers a full array of nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and fiber.

    Papaya (GI 59; GL 10): This incredible fruit that you may not have eaten much has a rich, tropical taste and is high in vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, folate, magnesium, and fiber.

    Pineapple (GI 59; GL 7): Being a tropical fruit, pineapple is naturally loaded with vitamin C, but it also contains a special substance called bromelain, which has shown potential as an anti-inflammatory as well as a digestive aid.

    Pumpkin (GI 75; GL 3): I'm happy to report that you can safely include pumpkin in your glycemic index diet thanks to its low glycemic load of 3. This food is an excellent source of vitamins A and C as well as fiber. It's also wonderfully sweet and can be used in everything from soups to healthy desserts. (Head to Chapter 19 for a to-die-for Crustless Pumpkin Pie recipe.)

    Watermelon (GI 72; GL 4): This delicious summer fruit may at first look like a high-glycemic food with its glycemic index of 72, but it actually has a very low glycemic load. Why? Because it's made up of a lot of water, hence the name. Watermelon is also loaded in antioxidants with high levels of both vitamin C and vitamin A. It also contains lycopene, which is shown to be helpful for heart health.

    When you take glycemic load into account, you find that nearly all fruits and vegetables are acceptable on your