Free Glycemic Index Chart

Washed red potatoes on a pewter plate

It's often helpful to have a glycemic index chart, especially when you have diabetes and struggle to keep blood sugar levels in check. The chart below helps you determine how foods affect blood sugar. For example, a low-glycemic index (GI) food raises blood sugar slow and steadily, while high glycemic index foods cause more rapid blood sugar spikes.

GI Categories

To put glycemic index (GI) into perspective and know how certain foods affect your levels, it's important to understand what's considered high, medium, and low. According to Mayo Clinic, a low GI food is 1 to 55, medium GI foods are 56 to 69, and high GI foods are 70 or higher. The chart below provides you with GI numbers for specific foods in a variety of categories.

Fruits

Vegetables

Grains

Sweets, Snacks, and Drinks

Watermelon

76

Russet potato

111

White bread

71

Rice cakes

82

Apple

39

White potato

82

Whole-wheat bread

69

Jelly beans

78

Orange

40

Mashed potatoes

87

Whole-grain bread

51

Soda crackers

74

Pear

38

Sweet potato

70

Muesli

56

Doughnuts

76

Banana

60

Lentils

29

Pumpernickel bread

46

Graham crackers

74

Pineapple

58

Kidney beans

28

White pita bread

68

Vanilla wafers

77

Dates

42

Parsnips

52

Corn tortilla

52

Ice cream

57

Raisins

64

Sweet corn

60

Wheat tortilla

30

Rye crisps

64

Prunes

29

Black beans

30

White bagel

72

Shortbread

64

Peaches

42

Chickpeas

10

Hamburger bun

61

Corn chips

42

Grapes

59

Navy beans

31

White rice

70

Fruit roll-ups

99

Grapefruit

25

Green peas

51

Brown rice

50

Pretzels

83

Orange juice

50

Carrots

35

Couscous

65

Potato chips

51

Cranberry juice cocktail

68

Yam

54

Quinoa

53

Popcorn

55

Apple juice

41

Tomato juice

38

Bulgur

47

Peanut M&Ms

33

Mango

51

Pumpkin

64

Oatmeal

55

Snickers bar

51

Kiwi fruit

58

Soybeans

15

Instant oatmeal

79

Hummus

6

Cantaloupe

65

Baked beans

40

Cream of wheat

66

Cheese pizza

80

Pomegranate juice

53

Beets

64

All bran

44

Supreme pizza

36

Grapefruit juice

48

Red potato

89

Corn flakes

81

Honey

61

Avocado 0 Butternut squash 51

Raisin bran

61

Table sugar

63

Strawberries 40 Zucchini 15

Barley

28

Maple syrup

54

Blackberries 32 Mushrooms 1

Grape nuts

75

Cola

63

Lemon 25 Onions 10

White spaghetti

46

Orange soda

68

Cherries, sweet 22 Bell pepper 40

Whole-grain spaghetti

32

Gatorade

89

Plum 24 Chili peppers 10

Pancakes

67

Vanilla cake with frosting

42

Apricot, dried 32 Broccoli 11

Waffles

76

Jam/Jelly

49

Cauliflower 20

Kaiser roll

73

Cashews

25

Asparagus 15

Barley bread

34

Peanuts

18

Celery 15

Fettuccini

32

Reduced-fat yogurt

33

Brussels sprouts 12

Rice noodles

53

Milk

35

Cabbage 10 Blueberry muffin 50

Using GI Charts

Choosing lower GI foods is generally best when you have diabetes, as these foods help prevent blood sugar spikes. However, high-GI foods come in handy pre- or post-exercise, when you need a quick pick-me-up. Often times foods with more fiber, protein and/or fat content have lower GIs. Some foods you might consider healthy (like potatoes) may have higher GIs than you thought.

Free Glycemic Index Chart