Glycemic Index Reference Guide

the gold standard for disease prevention

Following food low in glycemic index remains the gold standard for disease prevention, overall health, and weight management. Food low in Glycemic Index does not result in a rise in blood sugar after consumption. This rise is sugar in the blood is a carbohydrate surge connected to heart disease, diabetes, vascular disease, eye disorders, neurodegenerative disease, and obesity.

The FitMed Partners team of doctors, nurses, nutritionists, and exercise physiologists recommend consulting your Glycemic Index regularly when making food choices. For ease, The GI Index is below for your reference. Also, consider using the GI Foundation “Swap It” tool to decide how to better replace high GI food choices with low GI food choices. Click the GI logo below to connect to “Swap It” options.

What is the Glycemic Index?

The Glycemic Index ranks carbohydrates based on how they impact your blood sugar level on a scale from 1 to 100. Foods with a glycemic index of 55 or less are low GI foods and foods with a glycemic index of 70 or higher are high GI foods.

Low GI Foods vs. High GI Foods

Foods with a low glycemic index are digested slowly and have a more steady impact on your blood sugar level (i.e. have a slow glycemic response). These foods provide sustained energy to your body and keep you fuller for longer. Foods with a high glycemic index are digested quickly and cause a more immediate spike in your blood sugar level (i.e. have a fast glycemic response). These foods give you a burst of energy, followed by a plateau or crash which leads to hunger and cravings.

What is Glycemic Load?

The glycemic index on its own is an incomplete measurement. While it tells you how quickly a carbohydrate impacts your blood sugar level, it does not take into account how much of the carbohydrate you’re actually consuming per serving and therefore how much of an impact it makes on your blood sugar level. This is an important consideration because if you consume a high GI food that only has a few grams of carbohydrates in it, you don’t have to worry about the impact on blood sugar level. Glycemic load fixes this problem by using the following calculation: (Grams of carbohydrate in the food x GI of the food) / 100

Low GL Foods vs. High GL Foods

Foods with a glycemic load of 10 or less are low GL foods and foods with a glycemic load of 20 or more are high GL foods.

Example: Pumpkins have a glycemic index of 72 which makes them a high GI food, however, they only have 6 grams of carbohydrate per 100-gram serving, giving them a low glycemic load. You can eat pumpkin without having to worry about spikes in your blood sugar level. Using the calculation above, we get a glycemic load of (6 x 72) / 100 = 4.32 which is less than 10.

Glycemic index and glycemic load for 100+ foods

Glycemic index and glycemic load offer information about how foods affect blood sugar and insulin. The lower a food’s glycemic index or glycemic load, the less it affects blood sugar and insulin levels. Here you’ll find a list of the glycemic index and glycemic load for more than 100 common foods. The table below was developed by Harvard Medical School as a reference guide.