High, Medium and Low GI Foods
You should aim to include more foods with a low glycemic index in your diet. Your body will digest these foods slowly leaving you feeling full for longer and allowing you to eat less calories without feeling hungry. Adding a low GI food to a meal will lower the glycemic index of the whole meal.
Glycemic Index
The number listed next to each food is its glycemic index. This is a value obtained by monitoring a persons blood sugar after eating the food. The value can vary slightly from person to person and from one type or brand of food and another. A noticeable difference is the GI rating of Special-K which produced considerably different results in tests in the US and Australia, most likely resulting from different ingredients in each location. Despite this slight variation the index provide a good guide to which foods you should be eating and which foods to avoid.
The glycemic index range is as follows:
|
Low GI = 55 or less
Medium GI = 56 - 69
High GI = 70 or more
|
|
Breakfast Cereal
|
Low GI
|
|
|
All-bran (UK/Aus)
|
30
|
|
All-bran (US)
|
50
|
|
Oat bran
|
50
|
|
Rolled Oats
|
51
|
|
Special K (UK/Aus)
|
54
|
|
Natural Muesli
|
40
|
|
Porridge
|
58
|
|
Medium GI
|
|
|
Bran Buds
|
58
|
|
Mini Wheats
|
58
|
|
Nutrigrain
|
66
|
|
Shredded Wheat
|
67
|
|
Porridge Oats
|
63
|
|
Special K (US)
|
69
|
|
High GI
|
|
|
Cornflakes
|
80
|
|
Sultana Bran
|
73
|
|
Branflakes
|
74
|
|
Coco Pops
|
77
|
|
Puffed Wheat
|
80
|
|
Oats in Honey Bake
|
77
|
|
Team
|
82
|
|
Total
|
76
|
|
Cheerios
|
74
|
|
Rice Krispies
|
82
|
|
Weetabix
|
74
|
Staples
|
Low GI
|
|
|
Wheat Pasta Shapes
|
54
|
|
New Potatoes
|
54
|
|
Meat Ravioli
|
39
|
|
Spaghetti
|
32
|
|
Tortellini (Cheese)
|
50
|
|
Egg Fettuccini
|
32
|
|
Brown Rice
|
50
|
|
Buckwheat
|
51
|
|
White long grain rice
|
50
|
|
Pearled Barley
|
22
|
|
Yam
|
35
|
|
Sweet Potatoes
|
48
|
|
Instant Noodles
|
47
|
|
Wheat tortilla
|
30
|
|
Medium GI
|
|
|
Basmati Rice
|
58
|
|
Couscous
|
61
|
|
Cornmeal
|
68
|
|
Taco Shells
|
68
|
|
Gnocchi
|
68
|
|
Canned Potatoes
|
61
|
|
Chinese (Rice) Vermicelli
|
58
|
|
Baked Potatoes
|
60
|
|
Wild Rice
|
57
|
|
High GI
|
|
|
Instant White Rice
|
87
|
|
Glutinous Rice
|
86
|
|
Short Grain White Rice
|
83
|
|
Tapioca
|
70
|
|
Fresh Mashed Potatoes
|
73
|
|
French Fries
|
75
|
|
Instant Mashed Potatoes
|
80
|
|
Bread
|
Low GI
|
|
|
Soya and Linseed
|
36
|
|
Wholegrain Pumpernickel
|
46
|
|
Heavy Mixed Grain
|
45
|
|
Whole Wheat
|
49
|
|
Sourdough Rye
|
48
|
|
Sourdough Wheat
|
54
|
|
Medium GI
|
|
|
Croissant
|
67
|
|
Hamburger bun
|
61
|
|
Pita, white
|
57
|
|
Wholemeal Rye
|
62
|
|
High GI
|
|
|
White
|
71
|
|
Bagel
|
72
|
|
French Baguette
|
95
|
Snacks & Sweet Foods
|
Low GI
|
|
|
Slim-Fast meal replacement
|
27
|
|
Snickers Bar (high fat)
|
41
|
|
Nut & Seed Muesli Bar
|
49
|
|
Sponge Cake
|
46
|
|
Nutella
|
33
|
|
Milk Chocolate
|
42
|
|
Hummus
|
6
|
|
Peanuts
|
13
|
|
Walnuts
|
15
|
|
Cashew Nuts
|
25
|
|
Nuts and Raisins
|
21
|
|
Jam
|
51
|
|
Corn Chips
|
42
|
|
Oatmeal Crackers
|
55
|
|
Medium GI
|
|
|
Ryvita
|
63
|
|
Digestives
|
59
|
|
Blueberry muffin
|
59
|
|
Honey
|
58
|
|
High GI
|
|
|
Pretzels
|
83
|
|
Water Crackers
|
78
|
|
Rice cakes
|
87
|
|
Puffed Crispbread
|
81
|
|
Donuts
|
76
|
|
Scones
|
92
|
|
Maple flavoured syrup
|
68
|
Legumes (Beans)
|
Low GI
|
|
|
Kidney Beans (canned)
|
52
|
|
Butter Beans
|
36
|
|
Chick Peas
|
42
|
|
Haricot/Navy Beans
|
31
|
|
Lentils, Red
|
21
|
|
Lentils, Green
|
30
|
|
Pinto Beans
|
45
|
|
Blackeyed Beans
|
50
|
|
Yellow Split Peas
|
32
|
|
Medium GI
|
|
|
Beans in Tomato Sauce
|
56
|
|
Vegetables
|
Low GI
|
|
|
Frozen Green Peas
|
39
|
|
Frozen Sweet Corn
|
47
|
|
Raw Carrots
|
16
|
|
Boiled Carrots
|
41
|
|
Eggplant/Aubergine
|
15
|
|
Broccoli
|
10
|
|
Cauliflower
|
15
|
|
Cabbage
|
10
|
|
Mushrooms
|
10
|
|
Tomatoes
|
15
|
|
Chillies
|
10
|
|
Lettuce
|
10
|
|
Green Beans
|
15
|
|
Red Peppers
|
10
|
|
Onions
|
10
|
|
High GI
|
|
|
Pumkin
|
75
|
|
Parsnips
|
97
|
Fruits
|
Low GI
|
|
|
Cherries
|
22
|
|
Plums
|
24
|
|
Grapefruit
|
25
|
|
Peaches
|
28
|
|
Peach, canned in natural juice
|
30
|
|
Apples
|
34
|
|
Pears
|
41
|
|
Dried Apricots
|
32
|
|
Grapes
|
43
|
|
Coconut
|
45
|
|
Coconut Milk
|
41
|
|
Kiwi Fruit
|
47
|
|
Oranges
|
40
|
|
Strawberries
|
40
|
|
Prunes
|
29
|
|
Medium GI
|
|
|
Mango
|
60
|
|
Sultanas
|
56
|
|
Bananas
|
58
|
|
Raisins
|
64
|
|
Papaya
|
60
|
|
Figs
|
61
|
|
Pineapple
|
66
|
|
High GI
|
|
|
Watermelon
|
80
|
|
Dates
|
103
|
Dairy
|
Low GI
|
|
|
Whole milk
|
31
|
|
Skimmed milk
|
32
|
|
Chocolate milk
|
42
|
|
Sweetened yoghurt
|
33
|
|
Artificially Sweetened Yoghurt
|
23
|
|
Custard
|
35
|
|
Soy Milk
|
44
|
|
