In a move that will surprise few, researchers have published scientific proof that a "low glycemic index" diet does a good job of controlling blood sugar levels. The researchers compared the results of a low glycemic index diet with that of a diet simply high in fiber, and found that the Glycemic Index diet kept blood sugar down, as well as improving cholesterol.

The Glycemic Index ranks carbohydrates on a scale of 1 to 100, based on how much they raise blood sugar levels after being digested. Carbohydrates which are low on the GI scale are typically slow to digest, and slow to absorb. High GI carbohydrates hit your blood sugar levels hard and fast. For example, All Bran Cereal has a glycemic index of 8, while straight glucose has a glycemic index of 100. In other words, it's about quality, not quantity.

When it was introduced in the early 1980s, the Glycemic Index was a radical new way to categorize food. Even though two carbohydrates may result in the same overall glycemic release, a carb that releases into your bloodstream over the course of many hours will have a much lower impact on your blood sugar levels.

The Glycemic Index isn't a perfect science, since few people simply eat "a cup of rice." How a food is prepped and cooked can greatly affect its actual impact on blood sugar levels. For example, if Arborio rice (glycemic index: 69) is cooked and eaten along with a lot of fat and protein, it will take longer to digest.