Glycemic Index Food List

The glycemic index food list is important iff you are trying to lose weight. For weight loss, adapt a healthier life style, pay attention to the glycemic index and the glycemic loads of the food you eat.

The glycemic load (GL) is a system for ranking the carbohydrate content in food portions based on the food’s glycemic index (GI) and portion size. Glycemic load blends both the quantity and the quality of a carbohydrate in one number. This number is one of the best ways to predict blood glucose values for different types of foods.

Why pay attention to the glycemic index of foods?

Glycemic index (GI) 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.

Foods with an index between 55 and 70 are considered intermediate GI foods. Foods with a GI number higher than 70 make blood sugar and insulin levels spike quickly

For years medical experts have reported that excess sugar in an individual’s diet is linked to obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. A recent study even shows a close association between extra sugar consumption and cholesterol in adults.

The study was completed by Emory University and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. You can read the full report at this link: Spoonfuls of sugar help heart disease go up.

"We need to get used to consuming foods and drinks that are less sweet," says senior author Miriam Vos, an assistant professor at Emory. "People have been so focused on fat that we haven't been focused on sugar, and it's gotten away from us. This data show we can't let either one or the other get too high."

Below is list of some popular foods along with the food’s glycemic index. The list ranks foods from highest to lowest GI in each category. You can use this as a general eat-this before that approach to your diet decisions.

The glycemic index was calculated using glucose as the reference with a glycemic index of 100. For more information portion size and GL, you can get the full chart at this link.

Bread & Grains by Highest to Lowest Glycemic Index

Waffle 76

Doughnut 76

Bread, whole wheat 73

Bagel 72

Wheat bread, white 70

Cornmeal 68

Bran muffin 60

Rice, white 56

Rice, brown 55

Wheat kernels 48

Rice, instant 46

Bulgur 46

Spaghetti, white 41

Spaghetti whole wheat 32

Barley 25

Cereals by Highest to Lowest Glycemic Index

Rice Krispies 82

Grape Nuts Flakes 80

Corn Flakes 77

Cheerios 74

Shredded Wheat 67

Grape Nuts 67

Life 66

All Bran 38

Dairy by Highest to Lowest Glycemic Index

Ice cream 62

Yogurt, low fat sweetened 33

Milk, skim 32

Milk, full fat 21

Snacks by Highest to Lowest Glycemic Index

Rice cakes 82

Jelly beans 80

Graham crackers 74

Life savers 70

Angel food cake 67

Wheat crackers 67

Potato chips 57

Popcorn 55

Oatmeal cookies 54

Banana cake 47

Chocolate 44

Corn chips 42

Peanuts 13

Sugars by Highest to Lowest Glycemic Index

Honey 87

Sucrose 60

Lactose 43

Fructose 20

Beverages by Highest to Lowest Glycemic Index

Soft drinks 63

Orange Juice 57

Apple Juice 41

Fruits by Highest to Lowest Glycemic Index

Watermelon 72

Pineapple 66

Raisins 64

Banana 51

Orange 48

Grapes 43

Apple 40

Pear 33

Starch Vegetables by Highest to Lowest Glycemic Index

Carrots 92

Potatoes, instant 88

Potatoes, baked 78

Potatoes, mashed 73

Sweet Potatoes 48

Legumes by Highest to Lowest Glycemic Index

Baked beans 40

Butter beans

Split peas 32

Lentils 28

Kidney beans 23

Soy beans 15