Choosing Low Glycemic Index Foods
Last Updated: 6th February 2023 · Written by Donna Mastriani
If you suffer from an intolerance or allergy, it could limit your diet choices when you have to refrain from eating certain foods to avoid symptoms. For individuals living with type two diabetes or looking to lose weight, you may be wondering how to plan your diet around your allergies or intolerances while keeping sugar levels down. With this, you could benefit from referring to the food glycemic index. Within this guide, we will look into what the glycemic index is, including the difference between high and low glycemic index foods categorised by food groups.
What is a glycemic index?
The glycemic index (GI) is where foods are ranked on a scale of 1-100 based on how your blood sugar is impacted after eating a type of food. Foods are categorised into three glycemic index ratings:
- Low: 55 or less.
- Medium: 56–69.
- High: 70 or above.
High GI foods are broken down and digested quickly so they cause rapid spikes in blood glucose levels. This typically means foods high in refined carbohydrates and sugar have a high glycemic index. Therefore, choosing low glycemic foods could be useful when you are attempting to keep your blood sugar down.
How does the glycemic index help?
If you’re looking for ways to take control of sugar levels in what you consume, then looking at the glycemic index of foods could be beneficial, particularly for those with diabetes who struggle with maintaining healthy blood glucose levels.
It can also be helpful for individuals looking to lose weight, as blood sugar increases can encourage your body to store fat rather than burn it. It is important to note, however, that foods with low GI are not all necessarily healthy and not all high GI foods are unhealthy. Instead, low GI foods could help you feel fuller for longer since blood sugar levels rise and fall more slowly, thus allowing you to control your appetite more effectively.
Glycemic Index Chart
For people looking for the glycemic index score of different foods, we want to help by showing you the glycemic index of the most searched foods. We’ve split this information into tables separated by fruit, vegetables, carbohydrates, grains/cereals/legumes, and sweeteners.
All glycemic index numbers are an average and will vary depending on factors such as different sized portions and different food types e.g. macaroni vs penne pasta. The glycemic index can also vary person to person, depending on how their body processes foods.
Fruits glycemic index
Although fruit is a healthy addition to any diet, fruit contains hidden sugars that occur naturally. There are some fruits with a lower glycemic index than others, which you can see below.
Food Type | Glycemic Index (on average) |
Grapefruit Glycemic Index | 25 |
Apricot Glycemic Index | 34 |
Plum Glycemic Index | 35 |
Nectarine Glycemic Index | 35 |
Pears Glycemic Index | 38 |
Apple Glycemic Index | 40 |
Strawberries Glycemic Index | 41 |
Peach Glycemic Index | 42 |
Orange Glycemic Index | 42 |
Coconut Glycemic Index | 42 |
Grapes Glycemic Index | 46 |
Pomegranate Glycemic Index | 53 |
Blueberries Glycemic Index | 53 |
Banana Glycemic Index | 58 |
Watermelon Glycemic Index | 72 |
Melon Glycemic Index | 72 |
Glycemic index of vegetables
Below, you can see the glycemic index of some of the most commonly searched for vegetables.
Food Type | Glycemic Index (on average) |
Broccoli Glycemic Index | 15 |
Green Beans Glycemic Index | 32 |
Carrots Glycemic Index (boiled) | 33 |
Butternut Squash Glycemic Index | 51 |
Sweetcorn Glycemic Index | 55 |
Beetroot Glycemic Index | 61 |
Sweet Potato Glycemic Index | 64 |
Swede Glycemic Index | 72 |
Potato Glycemic Index (boiled) | 78 |
Glycemic carbohydrates
When carbohydrates are eaten, the digestive system breaks them down into sugar which enters the bloodstream. Because of this, it’s important to look at the glycemic index of different carbohydrates.
Food Type | Glycemic Index (on average) |
Glycemic Index Brown Rice | 50 |
Basmati Rice Glycemic Index | 50 |
Quinoa Glycemic Index | 53 |
Pasta Glycemic Index | 53 |
Sourdough Bread Glycemic Index | 54 |
Pizza Glycemic Index | 60 (when plain) |
Couscous Glycemic Index | 60 |
Chapati Glycemic Index | 62 |
Rye Bread Glycemic Index | 65 |
Jasmine Rice Glycemic Index | 68 |
White Rice Glycemic Index | 72 |
Brown Bread Glycemic Index | 73 |
Rice Cake Glycemic Index | 82 |
White Bread Glycemic Index | 100 |
Glycemic index of sweeteners
For individuals with diabetes, it is important to regulate sugar levels, meaning many people look to sugar alternatives so that blood glucose levels do not reach too high. Alternatives include sweeteners or natural sugars such as honey and dates.
Food Type | Glycemic Index (on average) |
Stevia Glycemic Index | 0 |
Carob Syrup Glycemic Index | 15 |
Agave Syrup Glycemic Index | 17 |
Dark Chocolate Glycemic Index | 23 |
Fructose Glycemic Index | 25 |
Date Glycemic Index | 42 |
Milk Chocolate Glycemic Index | 42 |
Maple Syrup Glycemic Index | 54 |
Manuka Honey Glycemic Index | 57 |
Honey Glycemic Index | 58 |
Sucralose Glycemic Index | 65 |
Sugar Glycemic Index | 65 |
Glucose Glycemic Index | 100 |
Glycemic index of grains, cereals and legumes
Food Type | Glycemic Index (on average) |
Kidney Beans Glycemic Index | 24 |
Barley Glycemic Index | 28 |
Pearl Barley Glycemic Index | 28 |
Gram Flour Glycemic Index | 29 |
Black Beans Glycemic Index | 30 |
Glycemic Index Of Beans | 33 |
Buckwheat Glycemic Index | 34 |
Steel Cut Oats Glycemic Index | 42 |
Bulgur Wheat Glycemic Index | 46 |
Corn Glycemic Index | 52 |
Oats Glycemic Index | 55 |
Bran Flakes Glycemic Index | 55 |
Shredded Wheat Glycemic Index | 67 |
Managing diabetes with allergies
The first thing to consider when adapting your diet is whether you’re sure which allergy or intolerance is causing your symptoms. You can discover this through taking a Complete Body Test which analyses your blood sample against 38 allergies and 79 intolerances. Once you have your results, you can tailor your diet to ensure you are eating healthily and avoiding foods that cause symptoms. With this complete test, you are also entitled to a free 30 minute consultation with a nutritional therapist, who can help you to form an optimal diet.
If you’d like further information on how to manage your allergy or intolerance in addition to taking control of sugar levels, you can speak to a member of our team for advice on testing.