Glycemic Index
What is the Glycemic Index?
The Glycemic Index (GI) is a measure of how quickly a food releases its sugars into your blood steam. High glycemic index foods raise blood sugar levels very quickly after eating. These "spikes" are usually followed by crashes as your body tries to rebalance after a surge of sugar. Low glycemic index foods are digested and absorbed more slowly, producing a gradual rise in blood sugar. This is healthy. It means your blood sugar will maintain a gentle balance with fewer spikes and crashes.
The Health Benefits of Low Glycemic Index Foods
The health benefits of low glycemic index foods are significant for most people. In particular, low glycemic index foods can be useful to people with diabetes, metabolic syndrome, or any health conditions in which blood sugar balance is an important consideration.
To gain the health benefits of low glycemic index foods:
- Eat whole foods and reduce processed and refined foods for a healthy impact on blood sugar balance. The more a carbohydrate is left in its whole form with fiber intact, the longer it takes to break down into its sugars. For example, whole grain bread takes longer to break down and release its sugars than a processed white bread.
- Try to choose foods with a GI of 80 or less. They will release more slowly into your bloodstream, which will have a healthy impact on blood sugar balance. For example, in the GI mixed grain bread equals 64 and white bread equals 100. Foods with a higher GI have a very quick release. (See the following glycemic index chart for other examples.)
- When using the Glycemic Index to prepare healthy meals, consider how food is cooked and processed, whether it is eaten alone or as part of a meal mix. This influences the GI as well. (See the following glycemic index chart to compare the differences in potatoes based on how they are prepared.)
- When you mix small quantities of high GI foods (white rice) with low GI foods (like a green vegetable or bean), the release of the higher GI food is slowed down.
Glycemic Index Table
Type of Food |
Food |
GI |
| Breads |
Bagel, white
Bread, French baguette
Bread, mixed grain
Bread, oat bran
Bread, pita
Bread, pumpernickel
Bread, white
Doughnut, cake-type
Kaiser roll
Muffin, bran
Waffles, Aunt Jemima |
103
97
64
68
82
58
100
108
104
85
109 |
|
Cereals |
All-Bran
Cheerios
Corn Flakes
Grapenuts
Oatmeal
Rice Krispies
Shredded Wheat |
60
106
119
96
87
117
99 |
|
Grains |
Barley
Bulgur wheat
Couscous
Millet
Sweet corn
Rice, long-grain white
Rice, brown
Rice, instant
Rice, parboiled |
36
68
93
101
78
81
79
128
68 |
|
Fruits |
Apple
Apricots
Banana
Orange
Orange juice
Peach
Peaches, canned in syrup
Pear
Raisins |
52
44
76
62
74
40
83
51
91 |
|
Legumes |
Baked beans
Black-eyed beans
Chickpeas
Kidney beans
Lentils
Soybeans
Split peas |
69
59
47
42
41
25
45 |
|
Pasta |
Linguine
Macaroni
Spaghetti |
65
64
59 |
|
Vegetables |
Carrots
Peas
Potato, baked russet
Potatoes, instant
Potatoes, white, boiled
Potatoes, white, mashed
Potato, new
Sweet potato
Yam |
101
68
121
118
80
100
81
69
73 |
|
Snack Foods |
Corn chips
Jelly beans
Potato chips
Peanuts |
103
114
77
21 |
