Glycemic Index
The Glycemic Index (GI) is a system of ranking carbohydrate-containing foods based on their immediate effect on blood sugar levels. The GI ranks the quality of carbohydrates, on a scale from 0 to 100, with pure glucose having the highest GI value of 100. Choosing low GI carbs more often, the ones that produce only small fluctuations in blood sugar, is the key to achieving lasting weight loss, long term health and reducing the risk of disease. A GI of 55 or less ranks as low, a GI of 56 to 69 is medium, and a GI of 70 or more ranks as high.
Glycemic Load
The Glycemic Load takes into account both the quality (GI), as well as the quantity of carbohydrate being consumed in a serving of food. These two elements determine how much the blood glucose will rise after consuming a food or meal. How high your blood glucose rises, and how long it remains high, depends on the quality (GI) and quantity (GL) of carbohydrates you ate. Both measurements are useful. The GL helps you select portion sizes; while GI helps you differentiate between good and bad carbohydrate choices.
Glycemic index and glycemic load offer information about how foods affect blood sugar and insulin. The lower a food’s glycemic index or glycemic load, the less it affects blood sugar and insulin levels.
| FOOD | Glycemic index (glucose = 100) |
Serving size (grams) | Glycemic load per serving |
| BAKERY PRODUCTS AND BREADS | |||
| Banana cake, made with sugar | 47±8 | 80 | 18 |
| Banana cake, made without sugar | 55±10 | 80 | 16 |
| Sponge cake, plain | 46±6 | 63 | 17 |
| Vanilla cake made from packet mix with vanilla frosting (Betty Crocker) | 42±4 | 111 | 24 |
| Apple, made with sugar | 44±6 | 60 | 13 |
| Apple, made without sugar | 48±10 | 60 | 9 |
| Waffles, Aunt Jemima (Quaker Oats) | 76 | 35 | 10 |
| Bagel, white, frozen | 72 | 70 | 25 |
| Baguette, white, plain | 95±15 | 30 | 15 |
| Coarse barley bread, 75-80% kernels, average | 34±4 | 30 | 7 |
| Hamburger bun | 61 | 30 | 9 |
| Kaiser roll | 73 | 30 | 12 |
| Pumpernickel bread | 50±4 | 30 | 6 |
| 50% cracked wheat kernel bread | 58 | 30 | 12 |
| White wheat flour bread | 70±0 | 30 | 10 |
| Wonder™ bread, average | 73±2 | 30 | 10 |
| Whole wheat bread, average | 71± 2 | 30 | 9 |
| 100% Whole Grain™ bread (Natural Ovens) | 51±11 | 30 | 7 |
| Pita bread, white | 57 | 30 | 10 |
| Corn tortilla | 52 | 50 | 12 |
| Wheat tortilla | 30 | 50 | 8 |
| BEVERAGES | |||
| Coca Cola®, average | 58±5 | 250 | 15 |
| Fanta®, orange soft drink | 68±6 | 250 | 23 |
| Lucozade®, original (sparkling glucose drink) | 95±10 | 250 | 40 |
| Apple juice, unsweetened, average | 40±1 | 250 | 12 |
| Cranberry juice cocktail (Ocean Spray®) | 68±3 | 250 | 24 |
| Grapefruit juice, unsweetened | 48 | 250 | 11 |
| Orange juice, average | 50±4 | 250 | 13 |
| Tomato juice, canned | 38±4 | 250 | 4 |
| BREAKFAST CEREALS AND RELATED PRODUCTS | |||
| All-Bran™, average | 42±5 | 30 | 4 |
| Coco Pops™, average | 77 | 30 | 20 |
| Cornflakes™, average | 81±3 | 30 | 21 |
| Cream of Wheat™ (Nabisco) | 66 | 250 | 17 |
| Cream of Wheat™, Instant (Nabisco) | 74 | 250 | 22 |
| Grapenuts™, average | 71±4 | 30 | 15 |
| Muesli, average | 66±9 | 30 | 16 |
| Oatmeal, average | 58±4 | 250 | 13 |
| Instant oatmeal, average | 66±1 | 250 | 17 |
| Puffed wheat, average | 74±7 | 30 | 16 |
| Raisin Bran™ (Kellogg’s) | 61±5 | 30 | 12 |
| Special K™ (Kellogg’s) | 69±5 | 30 | 14 |
| GRAINS | |||
| Pearled barley, average | 25±1 | 150 | 11 |
| Sweet corn on the cob, average | 53±4 | 150 | 17 |
| Couscous, average | 65±4 | 150 | 23 |
| White rice, average | 64±7 | 150 | 23 |
| Quick cooking white basmati | 60±5 | 150 | 23 |
| Brown rice, average | 55±5 | 150 | 18 |
| Converted, white rice (Uncle Ben’s®) | 38 | 150 | 14 |
| Whole wheat kernels, average | 41±3 | 50 | 14 |
| Bulgur, average | 48±2 | 150 | 12 |
| COOKIES AND CRACKERS | |||
| Graham crackers | 74 | 25 | 14 |
| Vanilla wafers | 77 | 25 | 14 |
| Shortbread | 64±8 | 25 | 10 |
| Rice cakes, average | 78±9 | 25 | 17 |
| Rye crisps, average | 64±2 | 25 | 11 |
| Soda crackers | 74 | 25 | 12 |
| DAIRY PRODUCTS AND ALTERNATIVES | |||
| Ice cream, regular | 61±7 | 50 | 8 |
| Ice cream, premium | 37±3 | 50 | 4 |
| Milk, full fat | 27±4 | 250 | 3 |
| Milk, skim | 32±5 | 250 | 4 |
| Reduced-fat yogurt with fruit, average | 27±1 | 200 | 7 |
| FRUITS | |||
| Apple, average | 38±2 | 120 | 6 |
| Banana, ripe | 51 | 120 | 13 |
| Dates, dried | 103±21 | 60 | 42 |
| Grapefruit | 25 | 120 | 3 |
| Grapes, average | 46±3 | 120 | 8 |
| Orange, average | 42±3 | 120 | 5 |
| Peach, average | 42±14 | 120 | 5 |
| Peach, canned in light syrup | 52 | 120 | 9 |
| Pear, average | 38±2 | 120 | 4 |
| Pear, canned in pear juice | 44 | 120 | 5 |
| Prunes, pitted | 29±4 | 60 | 10 |
| Raisins | 64±11 | 60 | 28 |
| Watermelon | 72±13 | 120 | 4 |
| BEANS AND NUTS | |||
| Baked beans, average | 48±8 | 150 | 7 |
| Blackeye peas, average | 42±9 | 150 | 13 |
| Black beans | 30 | 150 | 7 |
| Chickpeas, average | 28±6 | 150 | 8 |
| Chickpeas, canned in brine | 42 | 150 | 9 |
| Navy beans, average | 38±6 | 150 | 12 |
| Kidney beans, average | 28±4 | 150 | 7 |
| Lentils, average | 29±1 | 150 | 5 |
| Soy beans, average | 18±3 | 150 | 1 |
| Cashews, salted | 22±5 | 50 | 3 |
| Peanuts, average | 14±8 | 50 | 1 |
| PASTA and NOODLES | |||
| Fettucini, average | 40±8 | 180 | 18 |
| Macaroni, average | 47±2 | 180 | 23 |
| Macaroni and Cheese (Kraft) | 64 | 180 | 32 |
| Spaghetti, white, boiled 5 min, average | 38±3 | 180 | 18 |
| Spaghetti, white, boiled 20 min, average | 61±3 | 180 | 27 |
| Spaghetti, wholemeal, boiled, average | 37±5 | 180 | 16 |
| SNACK FOODS | |||
| Corn chips, plain, salted, average | 63±10 | 50 | 17 |
| Fruit Roll-Ups® | 99±12 | 30 | 24 |
| M & M’s®, peanut | 33±3 | 30 | 6 |
| Microwave popcorn, plain, average | 72±17 | 20 | 8 |
| Potato chips, average | 54±3 | 50 | 11 |
| Pretzels, oven-baked | 83±9 | 30 | 16 |
| Snickers Bar® | 55±14 | 60 | 19 |
| VEGETABLES | |||
| Green peas, average | 48±5 | 80 | 3 |
| Carrots, average | 47±16 | 80 | 3 |
| Parsnips | 97±19 | 80 | 12 |
| Baked russet potato, average | 85±12 | 150 | 26 |
| Boiled white potato, average | 50±9 | 150 | 14 |
| Instant mashed potato, average | 85±3 | 150 | 17 |
| Sweet potato, average | 61±7 | 150 | 17 |
| Yam, average | 37±8 | 150 | 13 |
| MISCELLANEOUS | |||
| Hummus (chickpea salad dip) | 6±4 | 30 | 0 |
| Chicken nuggets, frozen, reheated in microwave oven 5 min | 46±4 | 100 | 7 |
| Pizza, plain baked dough, served with parmesan cheese and tomato sauce | 80 | 100 | 22 |
| Pizza, Super Supreme (Pizza Hut) | 36±6 | 100 | 9 |
| Honey, average | 55±5 | 25 | 10 |
* Compared with pure glucose, which is assigned a glycemic index of 100
The complete list of the glycemic index and glycemic load for 750 foods can be found in the article “International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2002,” by Kaye Foster-Powell, Susanna H.A. Holt, and Janette C. Brand-Miller in the July 2002 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 62, pages 5–56.