The glycemic index, or GI, measures how a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood glucose. Foods are ranked based on how they compare to a reference food — either glucose or white bread.
A food with a high GI raises blood glucose more than a food with a medium or low GI.
Meal planning with the GI involves choosing foods that have a low or medium GI. If eating a food with a high GI, you can combine it with low GI foods to help balance the meal.
Examples of carbohydrate-containing foods with a low GI include dried beans and legumes (like kidney beans and lentils), all non-starchy vegetables, some starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, most fruit, and many whole grain breads and cereals (like barley, whole wheat bread, rye bread, and all-bran cereal).
Meats and fats don’t have a GI because they do not contain carbohydrate.
Below is a list of foods based on their GI.
| low | stone ground whole wheat flour |
| low | pumpernickel flour |
| low | pumpernickel bread |
| low | rolled oatmeal |
| low | steel cut oatmeal |
| low | oat bran |
| low | muesli |
| low | pasta |
| low | whole wheat pasta |
| low | brown pasta |
| low | converted rice |
| low | barley |
| low | bulgar |
| low | fresh sweet potato |
| low | fresh corn |
| low | lima bean |
| low | sweet peas |
| low | legumes |
| low | lentils |
| low | fresh fruits |
| low | fresh vegetables |
| low | fresh carrot |
| medium | whole wheat flour |
| medium | rye bread |
| medium | pita bread |
| medium | quick oats |
| medium | brown rice |
| medium | wild rice |
| medium | basmati rice |
| medium | couscous |
| high | white bread |
| high | bagel |
| high | corn flakes |
| high | puffed rice |
| high | bran flakes |
| high | instant oatmeal |
| high | short grain white rice |
| high | rice pasta |
| high | macaroni |
| high | russet potato |
| high | pumpkin |
| high | pretzels |
| high | rice cakes |
| high | popcorn |
| high | saltine crackers |
| high | melons |
| high | pineapple |
