Foods In Diabetes

Glycemic Index and Diabetes

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 are examples of foods based on their GI.

Low GI Foods (55 or less)

·         100% stone-ground whole wheat or pumpernickel bread

·         Oatmeal (rolled or steel-cut), oat bran, muesli

·         Pasta, converted rice, barley, bulgar

·         Sweet potato, corn, yam, lima/butter beans, peas, legumes and lentils

·         Most fruits, non-starchy vegetables and carrots.

Medium GI (56-69)

·         Whole wheat, rye and pita bread

·         Quick oats

·         Brown, wild or basmati rice, couscous

High GI (70 or more)

·         White bread or bagel

·         Corn flakes, puffed rice, bran flakes, instant oatmeal

·         Shortgrain white rice, rice pasta, macaroni and cheese from mix

·         Russet potato, pumpkin

·         Pretzels, rice cakes, popcorn, saltine crackers

·         melons and pineapple

Know More About Glycemic Index