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Ingredient substitutions

What if you could eat healthier while still enjoying your favourite dishes?

Fresh vegetables.

Substitute high GI foods for lower GI alternatives

The Glycemic Index (GI) Foundation has prepared a list of suggested food swaps, and the concept is simple:

Take the meals you love and list the ingredients
Replace high GI foods with low GI foods
Continue to enjoy food, while preserving your heritage and traditions

Food to be swapped

Instead of	Try
Soft white bread Light and airy whole-meal bread Bagel Turkish bread Focaccia bread Flatbreads White pita Crumpets English muffins White tortilla wraps	Dense high-fibre whole grain bread Authentic sourdough bread Grain and seed bread Pumpernickel bread Fruit bread Raisin bread Whole grain high fibre wraps White corn tortilla wraps

Instead of	Try
Flaked cereal Refined puffed cereal Quick or instant oats	Natural or Bircher style muesli Rolled or steel-cut oats Low GI breakfast bars

Instead of	Try
White potatoes: mashed, deep-fried, chips and French fries	Carisma™ or low carb white potato Sweet potato Butternut squash Parsnip Corn Lentils Chickpeas Kidney beans Cannellini beans Split peas

Instead of	Try
Jasmine rice Calrose rice Arborio rice Glutinous white rice congee Medium grain white rice Medium grain brown rice	Low GI white rice Low GI brown rice Basmati rice Black rice Red rice Wild rice Chia and quinoa rice blends

Instead of	Try
Couscous Millet Polenta	Quinoa Buckwheat Freekeh Bulgur (cracked wheat) Semolina Pearl barley Pearl couscous Teff

Instead of	Try
Dried rice noodles Instant noodles	Soba noodles Hokkien noodles Udon noodles Vermicelli noodles Buckwheat noodles Fresh rice noodles Mung bean noodles

Instead of	Try
Potato gnocchi Rice pasta Corn pasta	Durum wheat pasta cooked al dente

Instead of	Try
Potato chips Pretzels Rice cakes Rice crackers Water crackers Puffed crispbread	Nuts Dry roasted chickpeas Vegetable sticks with hummus Dried fruit Nut, seed and grain bar Small sushi roll Baked beans Wholegrain crackers Grain and seed crackers

Instead of	Try
Biscuits Doughnuts Cakes Pastries Muffins Chocolate Popsicles Full-fat ice cream Sorbet Gelato	Fresh fruit Canned fruit in natural juice Grain and fruit bar Fruit and raisin bread Dried fruit and nut mix Reduced or low-fat yogurt Small fruit smoothie Reduced or low-fat ice cream Reduced or low-fat custard

Instead of	Try
Rice milk Oat milk Sweetened condensed milk Soft drinks Energy drinks Fruit juice drink Cordials	Water Reduced or low-fat milk Reduced or low-fat (unsweetened) soy drink Almond milk Reduced or low-fat yogurt drink Fruit smoothie Coffee with reduced fat or skim milk 100% fruit juice (up to 150 mL) 100% vegetable juice

Adapted from Glycemic Index Foundation, 2022.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

REMEMBER: Small changes can make a BIG difference. Happy swapping.

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Information presented within Cart2Table is not intended to replace the advice of a healthcare professional.

Cart2Table has been reviewed and approved by Registered Dietitian Caroline Leblanc and Certified Diabetes Educator Naomi Orzech.