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The Glycemic Index Explained

CalorieKing.com Staff

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Putting the glycemic index into practice

Chocolate is not a good swap for carrots!

Low GI, high GL, swapping white rice for sweet potato... All of these figures and rankings can seem a little confusing at first. It's important to remember that GI and GL are simply tools to use for controlling your blood sugar levels and carbohydrate intake.

Try our tips for some simple ways to make the switch to low GI foods:

  • Don't worry about exact GI values. Instead consider whether the food falls into the low, medium or high GI category. For example, a food with a GI of 40 is as suitable a choice as a food with a GI of 30 - they're both low GI
  • Consider which food will give you the most nutritional value, as well as the GI rating
  • Remember portion size - low GI foods can still be high in calories
  • It's okay to eat some moderate and high GI foods. Try to combine them with low GI foods to reduce the overall GI rating of the meal
  • Use the GI ratings to make food swaps. Swap a high GI food for a low GI food - such as yams instead of potato, brown rice instead of white rice, and so on

What are you eating? Glycemic ratings of common foods

SLOWER ACTING CARBOHYDRATES
Low GI (55 or less)
Low GL (10 or less)
Food Item Glycemic Index
Gluc.=100
Glycemic Load
Per serving
Serving Size (g) Serving Size (oz)
Fruit and Fruit Products: Apples 38 6 120 g 4.25 oz
  Banana, firm/under-ripe 30 6 120 g 4.25 oz
  Cherries 22 3 120 g 4.25 oz
  Grapefruit 25 3 120 g 4.25 oz
  Grapes 46 8 120 g 4.25 oz
  Oranges 42 5 120 g 4.25 oz
  Peaches 42 5 120 g 4.25 oz
  Pears 38 4 120 g 4.25 oz
  Plums 39 5 120 g 4.25 oz
  Taro 55 4 150 g 5.25 oz
Vegetables: Carrots 47 3 80 g 3 oz
  Green peas 48 3 80 g 3 oz
  Sweet corn 54 9 80 g 3 oz
Legumes and Nuts: Butter beans, cooked 31 6 150 g 5.25 oz
  Chickpeas, boiled 28 8 150 g 5.25 oz
  Hummus 6 4 30 g 1 oz
  Kidney beans, boiled 28 7 150 g 5.25 oz
  Black beans, cooked 20 5 150 g 5.25 oz
  Mung beans, cooked 42 7 150 g 5.25 oz
  Soy beans, boiled 15 1 150 g 5.25 oz
  Split peas, boiled 35 6 150 g 5.25 oz
  Cashew nuts, salted 22 3 50 g 1.75 oz
  Peanuts 14 1 50 g 1.75 oz
Grains and Breads: Tortilla, corn 52 12 50 g 1.75 oz
  Tortilla, wheat 30 8 50 g 1.75 oz
Miscellaneous: Fructose 19 2 10 g  .35 oz
  Honey 55 10 25 g  .89 oz
  Nutella 33 4 20 g  .70 oz
MEDIUM ACTING CARBOHYDRATES
Medium GI (56-69)
Medium GL (11-19)
 Food Item  Glycemic Index
Gluc.=100
 Glycemic Load
Per serving
 Serving Size (g)  Serving Size (oz)
 Fruit and Fruit Products:  Apricots, in syrup  64 12
120 g
4.25 oz
   Figs, dried  61 16
60 g
2 oz
   Grapes, black  59 11
120 g
4.25 oz
   Orange juice  52 12
250 ml
9 oz
 Vegetables:  New potato  57 12
150 g
5.25 oz
   Sweet potato  61 17
150 g
5.25 oz
 Grains and Breads:  Brown rice  55 18
150 g
5.25 oz
   Corn chips  63 17
50 g
1.75 oz
   Rye crispbread  64 11
25 g
 .89 oz
   Wild rice  57 18
150 g
5.25 oz
 Cereals:  Raisin Bran, Kellogg’s  61 12
30 g
1 oz
   Froot Loops, Kellogg’s  69 18
30 g
1 oz
   Grapenuts, Post  67 13
30 g
1 oz
   Puffed Wheat, Quaker  67 13
30 g
1 oz
   Puffed Wheat, Quaker  69 14
30 g
1 oz
 Miscellaneous:  Pizza, cheese  60 16
100 g
3.5 oz
 FAST ACTING CARBOHYDRATES
High GI (70 or more)
High GL (20 or more)
 Food Item  Glycemic Index
Gluc.=100
 Glycemic Load
Per serving
Serving Size (g)  Serving Size (oz)
 Fruit and Fruit Products:  Dates, dried  103 42
60 g
2 oz
 Vegetables:  Baked potato  85 26
150 g
5.25 oz
   French Fries, frozen, reheated  75 22
150 g
5.25 oz
 Grains and Breads:  Bagel, white, frozen  72 25
70 g
2.5 oz
   Corn pasta, gluten-free  78 32
180 g
6 oz
   Glutinous rice, white  98 31
150 g
5.25 oz
   Instant rice, Uncle Ben’s, white, cooked 5 minutes  74 31
150 g
5.25 oz
  Jasmine Rice 109 46 150 g 5.25 oz
 Cereals:  Corn Flakes  81 21
30 g
1 oz
   Coco Pops, Kellogg’s  77 20
30 g
1 oz
 Miscellaneous:  Jelly beans  78 22
30 g
1 oz
   Pizza, tomato sauce and parmesan cheese  80 22
100 g
3.5 oz
   Pop Tarts, double choc  70 25
50 g
1.75 oz
   Skittles candy  70
32
50 g
1.75 oz
   Strawberry fruit bars  90 23
30 g
1 oz

Compiled by Joan Bushman, MPH, RD  (in reference to K. Foster-Powell, S. Holt and J. Brand-Miller:  ‘International table of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2002’. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2002; 76:5-56)


Related articles :

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References :

This article was compiled in consultation with CalorieKing.com experts and in reference to the following sources:

____ ‘Carbohydrates and Sugars,’ American Heart Association , American Heart Organization

____ ‘Diet, Glycemic Index, and Health,’ Harvard Women’s Health Watch, Feb. 2002

Brand-Miller, Foster, Powell, ‘International Table of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values:2002,’ American Journal of Clinical Nutrition , July 2002: pp 5-56

Brand-Miller, Hayne, Petocz, Colagiuri, ‘Low-Glycemic Index Diets in the Management of Diabetes: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials,’ Diabetes Care: 26:2261-2267, 2003

Willet, Manson and Liu, ‘Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load, and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes,’ American Journal of Clinical Nutrition:76 (1) 274s-80s, July 2002

Last updated: January 5th, 2007

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