The Glycemic Index List of Foods And Diabetes
The Glycemic Index is a measure of how fast it takes a particular food to raise a Diabetics blood sugar level
for up to two hours after you eat. As you probably know, not all foods
have the same amount of sugar and not all sugars act the same way after
they are consumed.
Some sugars, such as those sugars that come from candy and desserts, will raise your 
GIycemic Index Graphblood sugar level very quickly because the intestine begins to break them down right away. These sugars are often called refined sugars
because the sugar has been processed. Foods with refined sugars in them
are generally very sweet and will make you hungry for more food. They
will also give you a quick burst of energy, leading to a sugar high that is used by many athletes for energy during a competition.
However, other carbohydrates, such as those that come from whole wheat and grains, contain sugars that are called complex carbohydrates.
Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest than refined sugars and,
therefore, will help your blood sugar level rise slowly over a
prolonged amount of time. Complex carbohydrates also have a tendency to
have other nutritional values, such as fiber and vitamins; that will
benefit your body by giving it more than just units of energy. Learn
more about Sugars and Starches interactively.
Naturally, if you are a Diabetic, then it is advantageous to eat
foods that are plentiful in complex carbohydrates and eat less food
that is made with refined sugars. Even so, many Diabetes researchers
believe that a low-carbohydrate diet is the key to helping Diabetic patients control their diabetes.
Only 750 foods have been calculated to determine the Glycemic Index.
There are a wide variety of publications that chart these Glycemic
Index findings. These publications will help to map out which foods
have how many carbohydrates and can help you form a nutritious diet
based on how your body reacts to different types of carbohydrates.
The Glycemic Index is determined by a number of factors, including
the amount of sugar in food, as well as the fiber and fat. Foods that
have a higher number in the Glycemic Index are foods that will raise
the blood sugar level faster than foods that have a lower number.
Generally speaking, foods with refined sugars, such as desserts, have a
higher number than complex carbohydrates. As such, those foods with higher numbers should be eaten in moderation or only in small portions when combined with nutritious foods.
The Glycemic Index also does not tell you how much
of a particular serving is used to determine a particular number.
Thats because the Glycemic Index does not measure portions; it simply measures how quickly the food will turn into glucose.
Remember, the Glycemic Index is a tool that you should be familiar
with. Once you understand how different foods affect your body, you
will be able to intelligently prepare your meals and snacks knowing how
your food choices will affect your blood sugar level.
Here is an interactive module on Diabetes which further explains the relationship between blood glucose control and the glycemic index.
When reading the Glycemic Index, keep in mind that foods with a number greater than 70 are considered to be high. Foods with a calculation less than 55 are considered to be low.
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Apple 38
Bagel 72
Baked Beans 48
Banana 55
Basmati Rice 58
Beets 69
Blueberry Muffin 59
Broad Beans 79
Broccoli 10
Brown Rice 55
Buckwheat 54
Bulgur 48Cabbage 10
Cannellini Beans 31
Cantaloupe 65
Capellini 45
Carrots 49
Cashews 22
Cherries 22
Chocolate Bar 49
Corn 55
Corn Chips 72
Croissant 67Donut 76
Fettuccini (egg) 32
Fructose 23Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas) 33
Glucose 100
Graham Crackers 74
Grapefruit 25
Grapes 46
Green Peas 48Honey 58
Ice cream (low-fat) 50
Ice Cream (whole) 61Jelly Beans 80
Kavli Crispbread 71
Kellogg’s All Bran 51
Kellogg’s Bran Buds 45
Kellogg’s Cornflakes 84
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies 82
Kellogg’s Special K 54
Kiwi 52Lactose 46
Lentils 30
Lettuce 10
Lima Beans 32
Linguine 46
Long grain White Rice 56Macaroni 47
Maltose 105
Mango 55
Melba Toast 70
Milk (chocolate flavored) 34
Milk (skimmed) 32
Milk (whole) 22
Mushrooms 10Navy Beans 38
Noodles (instant) 46Oatmeal 49
Oatmeal Cookies 55
Onions 10
Orange 44Papaya 58
Parsnips 97
Peanuts 14
Pear 38
Pineapple 66
Pinto Beans 39
Pita Bread 57
Plum 39
Popcorn 55
Potato (baked) 93
Potato (french fries) 75
Potato (mashed, instant) 86
Potato (new) 62
Potato Chips 55
Pretzels 83
Pumpernickel Bread 51
Pumpkin 75Quaker Puffed Wheat 67
Ravioli (meat) 39
Red Kidney Beans 27
Red Peppers 10
Rice Cakes 82
Rice Crackers 91
Rice vermicelli 58
Rye Bread 76
Ryvita Crispbread 69Short grain White Rice 72
Shortbread Cookies 64
Shredded Wheat 67
Snickers Bar 41
Soda Crackers 74
Sour Dough Bread 52
Soy Beans 18
Spaghetti 43
Spiral Pasta 43
Sponge Cake 46
Stone Ground Whole wheat bread 53
Stoned Wheat Thins 67
Sucrose 65
Sweet Potato 54Taco Shells 68
Uncle Ben’s Converted 44
Waffles 76
Walnuts 15
Water crackers 78
Watermelon 103
White Beans 31
White Bread 70
Whole Wheat Bread 69Yogurt (low-fat) 33
