Glycemic Index Chart

The carbohydrates in the food we consume breaks down during digestion, releasing sugar (glucose) in the blood stream. This establishes the fact that the amount of carbohydrates in the foods we eat, determines the amount of blood sugar in the body. In 1981, Dr. David Jenkins and Thomas Wolever of the University of Toronto invented the glycemic index. The glycemic index measures the amount of carbohydrates in the foods, and classifies them as the following glycemic index chart;

• Low GI ranging 55 and below
• Medium GI ranging between 56-69
• High GI ranging 70 and above

Of all the three classifications, a low glycemic index diet or GI diet, with a combination of small quantity of medium GI foods, is considered as healthy.

Glycemic Index Food Chart

The following chart contains the glycemic index for different food groups. The chart is useful in planning the amount of carbohydrates in our daily diet.

Glycemic Index of Fruits

List	Classification	Glycemic Index
Apples	Low	38
Apricots	Medium	57
Pears	Low	38
Oranges	Low	38
Grapes	Low	46
Mangoes	Medium	56
Pineapple	Medium	66
Raisins	Medium	64
Peaches	Low	42
Bananas	Low	54
Plums	Low	39
Grapefruit	Low	25
Cherries	Low	25
Kiwi fruit	Low	52
Papaya	Medium	58
Watermelon	High	72

Glycemic Index of Vegetables

List	Classification	Glycemic Index
Broccoli	Low	10
Corn	Low	55
Green peas	Low	48
Pumpkin	High	75
Mushroom	Low	10
Yam	Low	51
Sweet potato	Low	54
Cabbage	Low	10
Carrots	Low	49
Onions	Low	10
Beets	Medium	69
Parsnip	High	97
Lettuce	Low	10
Red peppers	Low	10
Potato, baked	High	93
Tomato	Low	15

Glycemic Index of Pasta

List	Classification	Glycemic Index
Spaghetti	Low	41
Rice pasta	High	92
Rice vermicelli	Medium	58
Linguine	Low	46
Macaroni	Low	47
Fettuccini	Low	32
Ravioli, meat filled	Low	39
Macaroni cheese	Medium	64
Capellini	Low	45

Glycemic Index of Dairy Products

List	Classification	Glycemic Index
Milk, whole	Low	27
Milk, fat free	Low	32
Milk, skimmed	Low	32
Yogurt low fat	Low	14
Ice-cream, whole	Medium	61
Ice-cream, low fat	Low	50
Soy milk	Low	31

Glycemic Index of Cereals and Grains

List	Classification	Glycemic Index
Barley	Low	25
Millet	High	71
Bulgar	Low	48
Oatmeal	Low	48
Basmati rice	Medium	58
Couscous	Medium	68
Cornmeal	Medium	68
Buckwheat	Low	54
Taco shells	Medium	68
Muesli	Medium	56

Glycemic Index of Beans

List	Classification	Glycemic Index
Lima beans	Low	32
Red kidney beans	Low	27
White beans	Low	32
Black-eyed beans	Low	41
Broad beans	High	79
Pinto beans	Low	39
Soybeans	Low	18
Baked beans, tinned	Low	48

Glycemic Index of Sugar

List	Classification	Glycemic Index
Fructose	Low	53
Honey	Medium	58
Lactose	Low	46
Maltose	High	105
Glucose	High	100

All foods, raw, cooked, or preserved can be classified under the glycemic index chart. A combination of low and medium GI diets will reduce blood cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease. It is mainly known to help diabetics bring diabetes under control and reduce sensitivity and dependability upon insulin. More than anything, like all good diets, a GI diet too helps one lead a healthier life.