Glycemic Index of Foods
People who suffer from diabetes or hypoglycemia are very familiar with the Glycemic Index of food. The Glycemic Index of food is a ranking of foods based on their immediate effect on blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. The higher the number on the index, the greater the blood sugar response. So a low GI food will cause a small rise, while a high GI food will trigger a dramatic spike.
A list of carbohydrates with their glycemic values is shown below. A GI of 55 or less is low, a GI of 56 to 69 inclusive is medium, and a GI of 70 or more is high. Carbohydrate foods that breakdown quickly during digestion have the highest glycemic indexes. Their blood sugar response is fast and high. Carbohydrates that breakdown slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the blood stream, have low glycemic indexes.
The Glycemic Index is important to everyone who would like good health; research suggests keeping blood sugar from spiking pays off in many ways:
ยท Low GI diets can help people lose weight and lower blood lipids
ยท High GI foods can help re-fuel carbohydrate stores after exercise
ยท Prevent heart disease
ยท Low GI means a smaller rise in blood sugar and can help control established diabetes
ยท Low GI diets can improve the body's sensitivity to insulin
ยท Prevent type 2 diabetes
ยท Help evade serious side effects if you have diabetes
**Low Glycemic Index Foods: Less Than 55
Artichoke
<15
Asparagus
<15
Broccoli
<15
Cauliflower
<15
Celery
<15
Cucumber
<15
Eggplant
<15
Green beans
<15
Lettuce, all varieties
<15
Low-fat yogurt, artificially sweetened
<15
Peanuts
<15
Peppers, all varieties
<15
Snow peas
<15
Spinach
<15
Young summer squash
<15
Zucchini
<15
Tomatoes
15
Cherries
22
Peas, dried
22
Plum
24
Grapefruit
25
Pearled barley
25
Peach
28
Canned peaches, natural juice
30
Dried apricots
31
Soy milk
30
Baby lima beans, frozen
32
Fat-free milk
32
Fettuccine
32
M&M's Chocolate Candies, Peanut
32
Low-fat yogurt, sugar sweetened
33
Apple
36
Pear
36
Whole wheat spaghetti
37
Tomato soup
38
Carrots, cooked
39
Mars Snickers Bar
40
Apple juice
41
Spaghetti
41
All-Bran
42
Canned chickpeas
42
Custard
43
Grapes
43
Orange
43
Canned lentil soup
44
Canned pinto beans
45
Macaroni
45
Pineapple juice
46
Banana bread
47
Long-grain rice
47
Parboiled rice
47
Canned baked beans
48
Grapefruit juice
48
Green peas
48
Oat bran bread
48
Chocolate bar, 1.5 oz
49
Old-fashioned oatmeal
49
Cheese tortellini
50
Low-fat ice cream
50
Canned kidney beans
52
Kiwifruit
52
Orange juice, not from concentrate
52
Banana
53
Potato chips
54
Pound cake
54
Special K
54
Sweet potato
54
**Intermediate-Glycemic Index Foods: 55 to 70
Brown Rice
55
Canned fruit cocktail
55
Linguine
55
Oatmeal cookies
55
Popcorn
55
Sweet corn
55
Muesli
56
White rice
56
Orange juice from frozen concentrate
57
Pita bread
57
Canned peaches, heavy syrup
58
Mini shredded wheats
58
Bran Chex
58
Blueberry muffin
59
Bran muffin
60
Cheese pizza
60
Hamburger bun
61
Ice cream
61
Kudos Whole Grain Bars (chocolate chip)
61
Beets
64
Canned apricots, light syrup
64
Canned black bean soup
64
Macaroni and cheese
64
Raisins
64
Couscous
65
Quick-cooking oatmeal
65
Rye crispbread
65
Table sugar (sucrose)
65
Canned green pea soup
66
Instant oatmeal
66
Pineapple
66
Angel food cake
67
Grape-Nuts
67
Stoned Wheat Thins
67
American rye bread
68
Taco shells
68
Whole wheat bread
69
Life Savers
70
Melba toast
70
White bread
70
**High Glycemic Index Foods: More Than 70
Golden Grahams
71
Bagel
72
Corn chips
72
Watermelon
72
Honey
73
Kaiser roll
73
Mashed potatoes
73
Bread stuffing mix
74
Cheerios
74
Cream of Wheat, instant
74
Graham crackers
74
Puffed wheat
74
Doughnuts
75
French fries
76
Frozen waffles
76
Total cereal
76
Vanilla wafers
77
Grape-Nuts Flakes
80
Jelly beans
80
Pretzels
81
Rice cakes
82
Rice Krispies
82
Corn Chex
83
Mashed potatoes, instant
83
Cornflakes
84
Baked potato
85
Rice Chex
89
Rice, instant
91
French bread
95
Parsnips
97
*RIP KILLA* You'll be greatly missed
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