Glycemic index measures the rate at which sugars in food are released to the blood stream. Food stuffs including fruits, vegetables, and animal products, vary in the amount and composition of sugars (carbohydrates) they contain. This variation causes foods to have different effects on the glucose level in the blood stream.
Foods containing carbohydrates that are released rapidly to the blood stream have high glycemic index, whereas foods that release carbohydrates slowly have low glycemic index.
Generally, foods with glycemic index of 55 or less are considered to be low in glycemic index; 56 – 69 as medium; and 70 and above as high.
The following table contains a list of common foods (fruits, vegetables, grain products, dairy products etc. ) and their glycemic index. The data was compiled by an Australian nutritionist Jennie Brand-Miller and her group based on analysis of glycemic index data published world-wide between 1981 – 2007.
| High Carbohydrate foods | Glycemic Index |
| White wheat bread | 75 ± 2 |
| Whole wheat/whole meal bread | 74 ± 2 |
| White rice, boiled | 73 ± 4 |
| Unleavend wheat bread | 70 ± 5 |
| Brown rice, boiled | 68 ± 4 |
| Couscous | 65 ± 4 |
| Wheat roti | 62 ± 3 |
| Udon noodles | 55 ± 7 |
| Rice noodles | 53 ± 7 |
| Speciality grain bread | 53 ± 2 |
| Sweet corn | 52 ± 5 |
| Chapatti | 52 ± 4 |
| Spaghetti, white | 49 ± 2 |
| Spaghetti, whole meal | 48 ± 5 |
| Corn tortilla | 46 ± 4 |
| Barley | 28 ± 2 |
| Breakfast cereals | Glycemic Index |
| Cornflakes | 81 ± 6 |
| Instant oat porridge | 79 ± 3 |
| Rice porridge/congee | 78 ± 9 |
| Wheat flake biscuits | 69 ± 2 |
| Millet porridge | 67 ± 5 |
| Muesli | 57 ± 2 |
| Porridge, rolled oats | 55 ± 2 |
| Fruit and fruit products | Glycemic Index |
| Watermelon, raw | 76 ± 4 |
| Pineapple, raw | 59 ± 8 |
| Blue berries, wild | 53 ± 7 |
| Mango, raw | 51 ± 5 |
| Banana, raw | 51 ± 3 |
| Orange juice | 50 ± 2 |
| Strawberry jam/jelly | 49 ± 3 |
| Peaches, canned | 43 ± 5 |
| Orange, raw | 43 ± 3 |
| Dates, raw | 42 ± 4 |
| Apple juice | 41 ± 2 |
| Apple, raw | 36 ± 2 |
| Apricot, raw | 34 ± 3 |
| Apricot, dried | 30 ± 7 |
| Vegetables | Glycemic Index |
| Potato, instant mash | 87 ± 3 |
| Potato, boiled | 78 ± 4 |
| Pumpkin, boiled | 64 ± 7 |
| Sweet potato, boiled | 63 ± 6 |
| Potato, french fries | 63 ± 5 |
| Plantain/green banana | 55 ± 6 |
| Taro, boiled | 53 ± 2 |
| Vegetable soup | 48 ± 5 |
| Carrots, boiled | 39 ± 4 |
| Legumes | Glycemic Index |
| Lentils | 32 ± 5 |
| Chickpeas | 28 ± 9 |
| Kidney beans | 24 ± 4 |
| Soya beans | 16 ± 1 |
| Diary products and alternatives | Glycemic Index |
| Rice milk | 86 ± 7 |
| Ice cream | 51 ± 3 |
| Yogurt, fruit | 41 ± 2 |
| Milk, full fat | 39 ± 3 |
| Milk, skim | 37 ± 4 |
| Soy milk | 34 ± 4 |
| Snack products | Glycemic Index |
| Rice crackers/crisps | 87 ± 2 |
| Popcorn | 65 ± 5 |
| Soft drink/soda | 59 ± 3 |
| Potato crisps | 56 ± 3 |
| Chocolate | 40 ± 3 |
| Sugars | Glycemic Index |
| Glucose | 103 ± 3 |
| Sucrose | 65 ± 4 |
| Honey | 61 ± 3 |
| Fructose | 15 ± 4 |
Source: Fiona S. Atkinson,Kaye Foster-Powell, and Jennie C. Brand-Miller. (2008). International Tables of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values: 2008. Diabetes Care 31:2281-2283, 2008.
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