Glycemic index: the table of foods with high, medium and low GI
The glycemic index of foods, generally abbreviated with the abbreviation GI, refers to the ability of the foods themselves (and in particular of the carbohydrates contained in them) to raise the amount of glucose present in the blood, ie the blood sugar.
Rice, pasta, bread, fruit: all foods have a different glycemic index which, as we will see, can be high, medium or low. In order to calculate the GI of a given food, it is sufficient to take 50 grams and then check the progress of blood sugar in the next two hours. The reference taken as a standard on the basis of which to calculate the glycemic index is glucose, which corresponds to 100 GI. If a food has a GI equal to 70, it means that by ingesting 50 grams, the blood sugar rises by 60% compared to what happens by ingesting 50 grams of glucose.
The glycemic index of foods is fundamental for our health. The ability of a food to modify the level of sugar in the blood also affects insulin, which is often responsible for our being overweight. If we ingest foods with a high glycemic index, we call into question a greater quantity of insulin, a hormone that favors the storage of fat in lipid cells, also triggering the much hated hunger pangs.
It is precisely foods with a high glycemic index (which you can find out in our table below) that are responsible for hunger: the more you eat, the more you will have - a real vicious circle! On the other hand, consuming more foods with a low glycemic index guarantees a reduction in superfluous fat, a constant level of blood sugar and a reduction in the risk of getting diabetes.
Knowing which foods have a high, medium and low glycemic index will therefore help you eat in a more balanced and healthy way, helping you stay fit and avoid overweight and obesity.Find out now with us how to classify foods based on their GI and consult the table of foods to always be sure not to exceed those with a high glycemic content. We also give you some examples for a low GI breakfast ... the most important meal of the day! Meanwhile, here's a delicious low GI recipe:
Fruit, pasta, rice ... how to classify foods based on their glycemic index?
As we have already said, the glycemic index is used to classify foods based on the effect they have on the level of sugar in the blood. In general, we can say that the more easily digestible a carbohydrate proves, the higher its glycemic index will be.
Foods are then divided into foods with a high GI, more easily digested and metabolized by our body, which cause real blood sugar peaks and lead to being hungry again very quickly; foods with a medium GI, which cause more limited peaks; foods with a low GI, which are digested and metabolized more slowly, increasing blood sugar and, consequently, insulin, gradually.
Foods with a GI that is considered high are those with a GI above the value of 70. Those with an average GI are foods with a GI between 56 and 70. Foods with a low GI, finally, have values equal to or lower a 55. Below we try to divide and list the most consumed foods in three different tables: always keep in mind that slightly different values are often indicated according to the sources, but the differences are never too significant. It should also be considered that GI can vary according to how a food is cooked and the type of cooking.
Table of foods with a high glycemic index
Foods with GI = 115: corn syrup
Foods with GI = 110: beer
Foods with GI = 100: starch, modified starch, glucose, wheat syrup, rice syrup, glucose syrup
Foods with GI = 95: rice flour, potato starch (starch), maltodextrin, baked potatoes, french fries
Foods with GI = 90: gluten-free white bread, potato flakes (instant), glutinous rice
Foods with GI = 85: carrots (cooked), cereals (turkish wheat), white wheat flour, rice milk, cornstarch (corn starch), very refined bread, sandwich bread, hamburger bread, popcorn, turnip (cooked), quick cooked rice (precooked), puffed rice, rice cakes, celeriac, Verona celery (cooked), tapioca, rice cake
Foods with GI = 80: broad bean (cooked), mashed potatoes
Foods with GI = 75: watermelon, melon, watermelon, waffle / wafer with sugar, donuts, lasagna (soft wheat flour), rice and milk (with sugar), pumpkin
Foods with GI = 70: puffed amaranth, bagels, green banana, fizzy drinks, cola-based drinks, biscuits, brioche, refined sugary cereals, chocolate, croissants, dates, cornmeal, rusks, gnocchi, molasses, syrup cuisine, millet, sorghum, unleavened bread (white flour), white bread, rice bread, boiled potatoes without peel, chips, chips, polenta, corn meal, ravioli (soft wheat flour), common rice, risotto, tacos, tagliatelle, fettuccine (soft wheat flour), white sugar (sucrose), dark sugar (wholemeal)
Foods with GI = 65: pineapple (canned), beetroot (cooked), couscous, chocolate bundle, semi-wholemeal flour, spelled, candied fruits (with sugar), quince jelly (with sugar), corn, corn in grains, jam (with sugar), muesli (with sugar, honey ...), rye bread (30% rye), wholemeal bread, black bread, potatoes cooked in their skins (in water / steamed), maple syrup , sorbet (with sugar), tamarind (sweet), raisins, raisins
Foods with GI = 60: banana (ripe), chestnuts, chocolate powder (sweetened), wholemeal flour, ice cream (with sugar), lasagna (durum wheat), mayonnaise (industrial, with sugar), melon, honey, barley pearl, ovaltine, milk bread, pizza, porridge, oatmeal, ravioli (durum wheat), Camargue rice, long rice, fragrant rice (jasmine), durum wheat semolina, canned apricots (with sugar)
Foods with GI = 55: shortbread biscuit (flour, butter, sugar), ketchup, mango juice (without sugar), cassava, medlar, Nutella, papaya (fresh fruit), peach (canned with sugar), red rice , chicory syrup, mustard (with added sugar), well cooked spaghetti, grape juice (without sugar), sushi, noodles (well cooked)
Table of foods with medium glycemic index
Foods with GI = 50: pineapple juice (sugar-free), cereal energy bar (sugar-free), basmati rice, biscuit (wholemeal flour, sugar-free), persimmon, chaiote (puree), kiwi, lychee (fresh fruit ), macaroni (durum wheat flour), mango (fresh fruit), muesli (sugar free), quinoa bread (about 65% quinoa), whole wheat pasta (whole wheat), sweet potatoes, brown rice, juice apple (without sugar), blueberry juice (without sugar), surimi, Jerusalem artichoke Foods with GI = 45: pineapple (fresh fruit), green banana (raw), bananas (unripe), chocolate bars (sugar free), bulgur , wholemeal boulgour, coconut, wholemeal couscous, wholemeal semolina, spelled flour (wholemeal), kamut flour (wholemeal), spelled (wholemeal), complete granola (without sugar), Kamut bread, toast, wholemeal flour without sugar, peas (canned), wholemeal basmati rice, tomato sauce, tomato puree (with sugar), rye (wholemeal ; flour, bread), grapefruit juice (sugar-free), orange juice (sugar-free juice), grapes (fresh fruit) Foods with GI = 40: oats, shortcrust pastry (wholemeal flour, sugar-free), butter "peanuts (without added sugar), chicory (drink), red beans (canned), falafel (broad beans), quinoa flour, spelled, broad bean (raw), dried fig, oat flakes (uncooked), jelly quince (without sugar), buckwheat (wholemeal; flour or bread), kamut (wholemeal wheat), coconut milk, lactose, 100% wholemeal bread with natural yeast, unleavened bread (wholemeal flour), wholemeal pasta al dente, pepino sweet, dried plums, sesame puree, tahini, dry cider, sorbet (without sugar), spaghetti al dente (cooking 5 min.), carrot juice (without sugar)
Table of foods with low glycemic index
Foods with GI = 35: dried apricot, amaranth, orange (fresh fruit), azuki, cannellini, cassoulet (meat and bean dish), chickpeas (canned), borlotti beans, black beans, red beans, falafel (chickpeas ), chickpea flour, fig (fresh fruit), cream ice cream (with fructose), sunflower (seeds), yogurt, brewer's yeast, linseed, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, ancestral corn (Indian), apple quince (fresh fruit), apple-cinnamon, Graviola, guanabana, pomegranate, pomegranate (fresh fruit), apple compote, apples (fresh fruit), dehydrated apples, Essene bread (from sprouted grains), peaches (fresh fruit), peaches (white or yellow; fresh fruit), peas (fresh), dried tomatoes, plums (fresh fruit), white almond puree (sugar-free), quinoa, wild rice, tomato sauce, tomato puree (sugar-free), celery turnip, celery from Verona (raw), mustard, tomato juice
Foods with GI = 30: garlic, apricots (fresh fruit), beetroot (raw), carrots (raw), chickpeas, green beans, fresh cheese, ricotta, candied fruits (without sugar), passion fruit, passion fruit, almond milk, soy milk, oat milk (uncooked), fresh / powdered milk, milk (skimmed or not), lentil, mandarin, clementine, jam (sugar-free), pears (fresh fruit), tomatoes, grapefruit (fresh fruit ), turnips (raw), sassefrica, salsify, soy vermicelli
Foods with GI = 25: cherries, dark chocolate (> 70% cocoa), mung beans (soy), kidney beans, soy flour, strawberries (fresh fruit), hummus (chickpea cream), raspberry (fresh fruit), lentils greens, blueberry, blackberry, hulled barley, peanut paste (sugar free), dried peas, whole almond puree (sugar free), whole hazelnut puree (sugar free), currants, pumpkin seeds, gooseberries
Foods with GI = 20: cocoa powder (sugar-free), artichoke, dark chocolate (> 85% cocoa), heart of palm, fructose, bamboo shoot, aubergine, ratatouille (mixed cooked vegetables), tamari sauce (sugar-free no sweeteners), cooking soy, lemon juice (sugar-free), soy yogurt (natural)
Foods with GI = 15: agave (syrup), peanuts, asparagus, chard, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cucumber, pickled cucumber, pickles, onion, sauerkraut, bran (wheat, oat ...), sharp and sorrel grass, green beans, carob flour, fennel, champignon mushrooms, sprout, endive, Belgian salad, salad (lettuce, escarole, curly, valerian, etc ...), lupine, almond, hazelnut, walnut, olive, chilli , peppers, pesto, pine nuts, pistachio, leeks, rhubarb, radish, black currant, shallot, celery, soy, spinach, tofu, ginger, zucchini
Foods with GI = 10: avocado
Foods with GI = 5: vinegar, shellfish (lobster, crab, lobster), spices, herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, vanilla)
Example of a low glycemic index breakfast
For a low glycemic index breakfast it will be necessary first of all to be careful and not to overdo it with carbohydrates, therefore choosing those with a low glycemic index. Therefore, wholemeal bread and sourdough bread is better than white, or better raw whole grains without sugar than sweetened flakes.
If you prefer to eat fruit, be careful to always choose the one with a low GI such as apples, peaches, strawberries and berries, grapefruit, orange. Always consume it fresh and whole. And if you like jam, you can treat yourself to 100% fruit and no added sugar.
Yes also to proteins: you can indulge in ricotta, dairy products, eggs, but also turkey breast or chicken breast. Yogurt, obviously low-fat or soy, is also fine. All served with tea or herbal tea, skimmed or vegetable milk (soy, almond, oat ...), decaffeinated coffee.
An example of a perfect breakfast with low glycemic index foods? Unsweetened green tea, 30 grams of almonds, boiled eggs with two slices of wholemeal bread, berries and soy yogurt! And good appetite.
For more information on the glycemic index of foods you can consult the Utifar table.
