Food glycemic index tables: what you need to know to control glucose spikes

The alteration of glucose or sugar levels in the blood is one of the most common health disorders and a risk factor for many diseases, such as obesity, diabetes and cancer.

What is the glycemic index or GI?

The glycemic index (GI) is a numerical score assigned to each food based on a scale that describes how carbohydrates in that food affect blood glucose. It is a scale that goes from 0 to 100, where 100 is the value given to pure glucose. Thus, the lower the glycemic index of a food, the slower the increase in blood sugar level after eating it.

In general, more processed foods have a higher GI than unprocessed foods, while foods with high percentages of fiber or fat have a lower GI.

Low glycemic index foods

When is it considered a low glycemic index? Foods with a low glycemic index are those with a GI below 55:

• Low GI (less than 55): The foods in this group are very healthy for our body, because they have a low index and provide us with the necessary sugars, but without drastically increasing blood glucose levels.

• Medium GI (56-69): The foods grouped in this category must be consumed occasionally or in moderate amounts in the diet.

• High GI (over 70): We must be careful with these foods since they increase blood glucose levels abruptly and we must eliminate them from our diet, consume them occasionally or take them together with foods very rich in fiber.

glycemic index of foods: tables

To make a good selection of foods you need the help of the glycemic index tables (we attach them below). You just have to prefer the foods that rank at the top over those that rank at the bottom. If you want to consume those with a higher GI, you have to do it in small portions and accompanied by other foods that are very rich in fiber, protein or healthy fats.

Glycemic index of fruits: table

FRUITSGlycemic IndexBlueberries25Cherry25Strawberry29Dried Apricot31Fresh Apricot34Plum35Apple36Orange43Peach43Kiwi47Grapes49Mango51Cherimoya54Banana58Melon65Pineapple66Raisins66Dates70

Glycemic index of vegetables: table

VEGETABLESGlycemic indexChard15Broccoli15Onion15Mushroom15Spinach15Lettuce15Cucumber15Green pepper15Mushrooms15Eggplant20Garlic30Raw turnip, raw30Beetroot30Tomato30Carrot30Radicchio powder40Pumpkin75Cooked turnip85Cooked carrot85

Glycemic index of dairy and vegetable drinks: table

DAIRY AND VEGETABLE DRINKSGlycemic indexSkyr30Almond drink30Non-hydrolyzed oat drink30Soy drink34Whole milk35Natural yogurt35Ensure. Protein shake50Condensed milk61Rice drink85

Glycemic index of cereals and starchy foods: table

CEREALS AND FOODS RICH IN STARCH Glycemic indexCarob flour15Almond flour20Amaranth35Cooked wild rice35Chickpea flour35Lentil pasta35Quinoa35Oats40Oat flakes40Whole wheat pasta40Rye flour45Whole wheat spelled bread45Cooked brown rice50Basmati rice5 0Sweet potato50Industrial cereals with fiber. Type All bran50Soy noodles50Sugar-free biscuits50Oatmeal56Wheat pasta60Cooked cous cous65Digestive type biscuits65Canned corn65Toasted corn (kikos)65Wholemeal wheat bread65Baked potato with peel65Cooked white rice70Sweetened industrial cereals70Maria biscuits70Prince type biscuits70Rice flour 70Wholegrain spelled flour70Fried potato70Wheat flour75White bread75Precooked white rice85Baked potato95

Glycemic index of legumes and nuts: table

LEGUMES AND NUTS Glycemic indexLupins15Roasted peanuts15Fresh broad beans15Soybeans15Almonds15Hazelnuts15Walnuts15Cashews25Pumpkin seeds25Cooked lentils30Cooked chickpeas35Cooked white beans35Sunflower seeds35

how to lower the glycemic index of foods

There are factors related to the preparation and intake of food that affect the glycemic index:

The presence of fiber It works as a barrier that slows down the absorption of carbohydrates. The more fiber our plate contains, the more the overall GI is reduced. That’s why whole foods have a lower GI than refined ones. In addition, the skin of plant foods is an important source of fiber and if we eat it, the GI will be lower. A good example of this is that skin-on potatoes have a lower glycemic index than peeled potatoes. The skinned fruit also has a lower GI than the peeled fruit.serving size influences glycemia (blood glucose level). If you double the ration, the effect is also doubled. This is especially important in the case of fruit. One piece does not significantly affect blood sugar, but a whole source of fruit does.

cooking point affects the GI. To prevent it from firing, always cook al dente. Do not miss the pasta, the rice, or the potatoes. Temperature: A simple way to lower the GI of starchy foods is to chill them after cooking. Let the pasta, rice, oatmeal or potatoes rest for a while in the fridge once they are cooked. The ripening point: the longer the maturation, the more IG. Always choose the fruit at its optimal ripeness point,Pastification It is an industrial process that reduces the GI of certain types of pasta. To benefit from this, choose long pasta such as spaghetti or tagliatelle instead of macaroni or rigatoni. Another simple way to lower the GI of foods is to Accompany them with healthy fats and proteins. It is what is known as wrapping carbohydrates. whole foods they are absorbed more slowly than juices, purees or creams.

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