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Glycemic Index Can Be Good News for Glucose Levels

Sharon Kellaher

Nov 1, 2006

(This article was originally printed in May 1999)

Ranks carbohydrate-rich foods according to how much they raise blood sugars

The glycemic index of foods you eat could be the reason that one day you find your sugars out of control, but you’re shocked, because you haven’t strayed from your diabetes nutrition guidelines.

Following the food guide pyramid, you will eat at least 40 percent carbohydrates, and all carbohydrates raise your blood sugars. But the days when you eat mashed potatoes (glycemic index 72) could be much different from the ones when you’re dining on an apple (glycemic index 38).

The glycemic index ranks carbohydrate-rich foods according to how much they raise blood sugars. It gives a 50-gram serving of a particular food a number, with glucose being the standard, at a GI of 100.

White bread, with a glycemic index of 72, will send your sugars skyrocketing more than ice cream, with a GI of only 38.

Proponents of using the glycemic index believe that eating a low-GI diet helps prevent obesity and, in people with diabetes, helps keep glucose levels down.

This chart of foods with their glycemic indices comes from the book “Stop the Rollercoaster” by John Walsh, PA, CDE, Ruth Roberts, MA, and Lois Jovanovic-Peterson, MD (Torrey Pines Press, 1996). “Stop the Rollercoaster” addresses the glycemic index and many other topics on blood sugar control.

—May 1999

Glucose	100
Russett potato	93
Honey	91
Instant brown rice	88
Instant mashed potatoes	86
Corn flakes cereal	83
Whole-wheat or white bread	72
Mashed potato	72
Corn chips	72
Swiss Muesli cereal	70
Shredded Wheat cereal	70
Table sugar	64
Rye bread	64
Banana	61
Brown rice	59
Sweet corn	58
New potato, boiled	58
Oatmeal cookies	57
Potato chips	56
All Bran cereal	54
Oatmeal	53
Sweet potato	50
Pumpernickel bread	49
Orange juice	49
Frozen green peas	47
Macaroni	46
Spaghetti, boiled 15 min.	44
Baked beans	43
Orange	43
Ice cream	38
Apple	38
Chick peas	36
Milk	34
Kidney beans	33
Spaghetti, boiled 5 min.	33
Protein-enriched spaghetti	28
Fructose	22
Peanuts	10

Categories: Blood Sugar, Diabetes, Diabetes, Food, Glycemic Index & Carb Counting, Nutrition Advice

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