By Mayo Clinic Staff. A low-glycemic index (low-GI) diet is an eating plan based on how foods affect blood sugar level, also called blood glucose level. The glycemic index ranks food on a scale from 0 to 100. The low end of the scale has foods that have little effect on blood sugar levels.
What GI foods are ideal to lose weight?
Foods to eat on the low GI diet
- Bread: whole grain, multigrain, rye, sourdough.
- Breakfast cereals: steel cut oats, bran flakes.
- Fruit: apples, strawberries, apricots, peaches, plums, pears, kiwi, tomatoes, and more.
- Vegetables: carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, zucchini, and more.
How do you start a low GI diet?
Limit concentrated sweets—including high-calorie foods with a low glycemic index, such as ice cream—to occasional treats. Reduce fruit juice to no more than one-half cup a day. Completely eliminate sugar-sweetened drinks. Eat a healthful type of protein, such as beans, fish, or skinless chicken, at most meals.
What foods are high in GI?
Foods high in GI to avoid
- white and whole wheat bread.
- white rice.
- breakfast cereals and cereal bars.
- cakes, cookies, and sweet treats.
- potatoes and fries.
- chips and rice crackers.
- fruits such as watermelon and pineapple.
- sweetened dairy products such as fruit yogurts.
What is a GI diet? – Related Questions
Are bananas high GI?
According to the International Glycemic Index Database, ripe bananas have a low GI of 51, with slightly under-ripe bananas even lower at 42; they have a moderate GL of 13 and 11, respectively.
Is eggs high in GI?
Eggs have a relatively low glycemic index and therefore do not affect blood glucose levels. In addition, eggs are a satiating food and hence can reduce caloric intake, which may consequently help to improve glycemic control.
What vegetables are high GI?
Lower GI vegetables include lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and peppers. Higher GI vegetables include carrots, potatoes, parsnips, beetroots and sweetcorn.
What fruit has a high GI?
Some examples of high-GI fruits (and their GI scores) include: Mango (60) Banana, ripe (62) Dried cranberries (64)
Which fruits have the highest GI?
The highest GI among raw — not dried or canned — fruits is watermelon, with an average GI of 72 and with some samples testing as high as 80. Well-ripened cantaloupes can also have a GI of 70 in some cases. Fruits that qualify as having a moderate GI include: Pineapple. Cherries.
Is chicken a high GI food?
Chicken & the low Glycemic Index
Chicken is a perfect protein to make a fantastic low-glycemic meal. Because chicken doesn’t contain any carbohydrates, it has little effect on blood sugar levels. However, be sure that the chicken recipes you make contain foods that are also low-GI!
Is pasta high in GI?
Pasta has a glycemic index of approximately 50 to 55, which is considered low. Add in other healthy low GI foods like high-fiber broccoli and chickpeas and you are sure to enjoy a great meal that not only tastes fabulous but will leave you feeling full and satisfied long after the meal is done.
Is cheese high in GI?
Cheese has a low glycemic index (GI), meaning that it releases glucose slowly and will not trigger significant blood glucose spikes. People often consume cheese alongside other foods, however, and some of these may spike blood glucose.
Is Spaghetti a high GI food?
Spaghetti, for example, has a low glycemic index (42).
Is pizza high in GI?
For example, a plain pizza with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese has very high GI, around 80. But a super-deluxe pizza with all the fixings has a low GI of 36. The GI is lower because the protein and fats in the toppings slow down the absorption of carbs and slows their turning into glucose.
Is Sweet Potato low GI?
When boiled, sweet potatoes are a low glycemic index (GI) food, meaning they won’t spike your blood sugar as much as regular potatoes, according to research published in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism.
Is Toast high GI?
GOOD FOR DIABETICS: People who have diabetes should eat toasted bread rather than plain bread. A study published in European Journal of Clinical Nutrition in May 2018, found that toasted bread has a lower glycemic index. The glycemic index estimates the effect of a food on your blood sugar level.
Is Baked Potato low GI?
Potatoes fall in the high GI category. A cup of them can affect your blood sugar in the same way a can of soda would.
Is peanut butter a GI?
The glycemic index (GI) of peanut butter is 14, which is quite low. This means that peanut butter is less likely to cause high glucose spikes compared to foods with a high GI, such as white bread, for example.
Is oatmeal a GI?
Oat foods — such as oatmeal and muesli made from steel-cut or rolled oats — are low-GI foods, with a score of under 55. In comparison, other breakfast cereals, such as puffed rice or corn flakes, have a GI score of above 70.
Is Quaker quick oats good for you?
Although steel-cut oats contain a bit more fiber and are lower on the glycemic index, don’t discount rolled and quick oats. All three types are highly nutritious and excellent sources of fiber, plant-based protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
