In this blog post I will be explaining the glycemic index of foods. Let me first clarify why it is important to understand this and how it can be used.
The glycemic index is a tool that is used to calculate or measure how much different types of foods increase blood glucose levels. As previously explained, absolutely all the foods that we eat will have an effect on glucose levels. This tool is important because it will help us to have better blood sugar management.
How are different foods classified ?
Foods are ranked, on a scale of 0 – 100 and also classified as being low, medium or high glycemic foods.
Low: 55 or less
Some examples: Legumes, starchy vegetables and whole grains.
Medium: 56-69
Some examples: Basmati rice, raisins, couscous, cranberry juice.
High: 70 or above
Some examples: Glucose, white bread, high-fructose corn syrup, corn flakes, puffed rice, mashed potatoes, bagels, waffles.
What does affect a food’s glycemic index rating ?
There are a few factors that will determine a food glycemic index rating. These are:
–Ripeness: the more ripe a vegetable or fruit, the higher it is on the glycemic index rating. An example is bananas.
–Cooking Time: The longer some foods are cooked, the higher they rank on the glycemic index rating.
–Processing: this one is kind of obvious, but the more a food is processed the higher it is on the glycemic index rating. For example fruits that come in cans or dried compared to fresh natural fruits.
-Fiber Content: foods high in fiber rank lower on the glycemic rating. This is because when we eat them the body breaks them down more slowly.
How to use the Glycemic Index ?
By knowing which foods are low, medium or high glycemic we can make better choices when it comes to choosing what we eat.
In our case, diabetics, we want to make sure we reduce or stay away as much as possible from the high glycemic foods. Why? Because this will raise our blood sugar faster. It is as simple as that. Foods ranking closer to 100 will raise our blood sugars faster than foods with medium or low glycemic index.
Regardless of foods being low, medium, or high glycemic we need to be conscious of portion sizes and the amount of food per serving. The glycemic index is just a guide for reference and it should not be used as the only guide to make food choices.
Why do I think this is important ?
I’ve read in different websites and online communities how diabetics are still struggling with blood sugar control or about what to eat in general. This is understandable because they might lack knowledge or the proper nutrition education. People complain about their sugars going high and then low and then the same cycle repeats. This is called the rollercoaster. It’s ok to have these because diabetes is very unpredictable but if this is happening frequently then there’s a problem. What is the cause ? They make the wrong food choices.
In my previous blog post I talked about foods and the simple explanation that avoiding processed foods and sugars in general will help you have better glucose control.
My intention in writing here is to provide information that will benefit us, to share and help each other. I’m a diabetic too, I feel your pain and I feel the need to help others as well. I don’t write with the intention of criticizing or judging.
You don’t have to memorize all the foods and all the ranking in numbers, but at least you need to have a clear idea of which foods have lower glycemic index so you know what foods are better for you.
I mean is basic shit honestly, if you know that pretty much all foods can affect your glucose levels, don’t you want to stay away from those who have higher amounts of sugar? Even if you have all the insulin to cover for it, it is hard to calculate the exact amount of insulin you need to cover for example; a venti iced caramel macchiato with 49 g of sugar and 53 g of carbs. I mean I love Starbucks but I order my iced americano; black, no sugar, no cream, no bullshit. Do you get my point ? it’s not that hard to understand.
Here’s a chart of the glycemic index for common foods. You can use this as reference:
Source: https://guidelines.diabetes.ca/docs/patient-resources/glycemic-index-food-guide.pdf
Grains and Starches
Low Glycemic Index (55 or less) :
Breads:
-Heavy Mixed Grain Breads
-Spelt Bread
-Sourdough Bread
-Tortilla (Whole Grain)
Cereal:
-All-Bran™ Cereal
-All-Bran Buds™ With Psyllium Cereal
-Oat Bran
-Oats (Steel Cut)
Grains:
-Barley
-Bulgur
-Mung Bean Noodles
-Pasta (Al Dente, Firm)
-Pulse Flours
-Quinoa
-Rice (Converted, Parboiled)
Other:
-Peas
-Popcorn
-Sweet Potato
-Winter Squash
Medium Glycemic Index (56 to 69):
Breads:
-Chapati (White, Whole Wheat)
-Flaxseed/Linseed Bread
-Pita Bread (White, Whole Wheat)
-Pumpernickel Bread
-Roti (White, Whole Wheat)
-Rye Bread (Light, Dark, Whole Grain)
-Stone Ground Whole
-Wheat Bread
-Whole Grain Wheat Bread
Cereal:
-Cream of Wheat™ (Regular)
-Oats (Instant)
-Oats (Large Flake)
-Oats (Quick)
Grains:
-Basmati Rice
-Brown Rice
-Cornmeal
-Couscous (Regular, Whole Wheat)
-Rice Noodles
-White Rice (Short, Long Grain)
-Wild Rice
Other:
-Beets*
-Corn
-French Fries
-Parsnip
-Potato (Red, White, Cooled)
-Rye Crisp Crackers (e.g. Ryvita Rye Crispbread™)
-Stoned Wheat Thins™
-Crackers
High Glycemic Index (70 or more):
Breads:
-Bread (White, Whole Wheat)
-Naan (White, Whole Wheat)
Cereal:
-All-Bran Flakes™
-Cereal Corn Flakes™ Cereal
-Cream of Wheat™ (Instant)
-Puffed Wheat Cereal
-Rice Krispies™ Cereal
-Special K™ Cereal
Grains:
-Jasmine Rice
-Millet
-Sticky Rice
-White Rice (Instant)
Other:
-Carrots*
-Potato (Instant Mashed)
-Potato (Red, White, Hot)
-Pretzels
-Rice Cakes
-Soda Crackers
* Most starchy/sweet vegetables (e.g. peas, parsnip, winter squash) provide 15 g or more carbohydrate per 1 cup serving. Beets and carrots often provide less than 15 g carbohydrate per serving (marked above with *). Most non-starchy (or free) vegetables (e.g. tomato and lettuce) have not been assigned a GI because they have very little carbohydrate and have very little effect on blood sugar.
Fruits
Low Glycemic Index (55 or less)
-Apple
-Apricot (Fresh, Dried)
-Banana (Green, Unripe)
-Berries
-Cantaloupe
-Grapefruit
-Honeydew Melon
-Mango
-Orange
-Peach
-Pear
-Plum
-Pomegranate
-Prunes
Medium Glycemic Index (56 to 69)
Banana (Ripe, Yellow)
Cherries (Bottled)
Cherries (Fresh)
Cranberries (Dried)
Figs (Fresh, Dried)
Grapes
Kiwi
Lychee
Pineapple
Raisins
High Glycemic Index (70 or more)
Banana (Brown, Overripe)
Watermelon
Yeah, guess which fruits I don’t eat? If you say banana and watermelon you guessed it right, you know why right ?
Milk, Alternatives and Other Beverages
Low Glycemic Index (55 or less)
Almond Milk
Cow Milk (Skim, 1%, 2%, Whole)
Frozen Yogurt
Greek Yogurt
Soy Milk
Yogurt (Skim, 1%, 2%, Whole)
High Glycemic Index (70 or more)
Rice Milk
Meat and Alternatives
Low Glycemic Index (55 or less)
Baked Beans
Chickpeas
Kidney Beans
Lentils
Mung Beans
Romano Beans
Soybeans/Edamame
Split Peas
Medium Glycemic Index (56 to 69)
Lentil Soup (ready-made)
Split Pea Soup (ready-made)
***Meat, poultry and fish do not have a GI because they do not contain carbohydrates***
This list will help you choose foods that will give you better blood glucose control. It doesn’t include all the foods but it is a good starting point.
I did a previous post on High and Low Blood Glucose Levels in which I explained that the glycemic index works as a guide to select foods that will raise sugar quickly when treating a low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). In this case, you need to choose foods with at least a 70 score.
Remember to measure the food you eat to treat a low and wait at least 15 min to check your sugar levels again.
@dieabeast