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Glycaemic index and carbohydrate content of some common foods
Glycaemic index (GI) is a numerical system that tells you how fast a particular food triggers a rise in your blood sugar levels. A food with a high GI will cause a fast rise in blood sugar while a food with a low GI will bring about a slower rise.
Below the three tables (divided into high, moderate and low GI foods) give the GI values for a range of common foods.
High GI foods (GI=60-100)
Food |
Portion size |
Glycaemic index (GI) |
Carbohydrate (g) per portion |
kcals per portion |
Breakfast cereals |
|
|
|
|
Cornflakes |
1 small bowl (30g) |
84 |
26 |
108 |
Rice Crispies |
1 small bowl (30g) |
82 |
27 |
111 |
Cheerios |
1 small bowl (30g) |
74 |
23 |
111 |
Shredded Wheat |
2 (45g) |
67 |
31 |
146 |
Weetabix |
2 (40g) |
69 |
30 |
141 |
Grains/pasta |
|
|
|
|
Couscous |
5 tbsp (150g) |
65 |
77 |
341 |
Brown rice |
6 tbsp (180g) |
76 |
58 |
254 |
White rice |
6 tbsp (180g) |
87 |
56 |
248 |
Breads |
|
|
|
|
Bagel |
1 (90g) |
72 |
46 |
241 |
Croissant |
1 (60g) |
67 |
23 |
216 |
Baguette |
3 inches long (40g) |
95 |
22 |
108 |
White bread |
1 large slice (38g) |
70 |
18 |
85 |
Wholemeal bread |
1 large slice (38g) |
69 |
16 |
82 |
Pizza |
1 large slice (115g) |
60 |
38 |
288 |
Crackers and biscuits |
|
|
|
|
Puffed crispbread |
1 slice (10g) |
81 |
7 |
32 |
Ryvita |
1 slice (10g) |
69 |
7 |
32 |
Water biscuit |
1 (8g) |
78 |
6 |
35 |
Rice cakes |
1 (8g) |
85 |
6 |
28 |
Shortbread |
1 (13g) |
64 |
8 |
65 |
Vegetables |
|
|
|
|
Parsnip |
2 tbsp (65g) |
97 |
8 |
43 |
Baked potato |
1 medium (180g) |
85 |
22 |
94 |
Boiled new potato |
7 small (175g) |
62 |
27 |
116 |
Mashed potato |
4 tbsp (180g) |
70 |
28 |
188 |
Chips |
average (165g) |
75 |
59 |
450 |
Swede |
2 tbsp (60g) |
72 |
1 |
7 |
Broad beans |
2 tbsp (120g) |
79 |
7 |
58 |
Fruit |
|
|
|
|
Cantaloupe melon |
1 slice (200g) |
65 |
6 |
26 |
Pineapple |
1 slice (80g) |
66 |
8 |
33 |
Raisins |
1 tbsp (30g) |
64 |
21 |
82 |
Watermelon |
1 slice (200g) |
72 |
14 |
62 |
Dairy products |
|
|
|
|
Ice cream |
1 scoop (60g) |
61 |
14 |
62 |
Drinks |
|
|
|
|
Fanta |
375 ml can |
68 |
51 |
191 |
Lucozade |
250 ml bottle |
95 |
40 |
150 |
Isostar |
250 ml can |
70 |
18 |
68 |
Gatorade |
250 ml bottle |
78 |
15 |
56 |
Squash (diluted) |
250ml glass |
66 |
14 |
54 |
Snacks and sweets |
|
|
|
|
Tortilla/Corn chips |
1 bag (50g) |
72 |
30 |
230 |
Mars bar |
1 standard (65g) |
68 |
43 |
287 |
Muesli bar |
1 (33g) |
61 |
20 |
154 |
Sugars |
|
|
|
|
Glucose |
1 tsp (5g) |
100 |
5 |
19 |
Sucrose |
1 tsp (5g) |
65 |
5 |
19 |
Maltodextrin |
1 tsp (5g) |
105 |
5 |
19 |
Moderate GI foods (GI=40-59)
Food |
Portion size |
Glycaemic index (GI) |
Carbohydrate (g) per portion |
kcals per portion |
Breakfast cereals |
|
|
|
|
All Bran |
1 small bowl (40g) |
42 |
19 |
104 |
Sultana Bran |
1 small bowl (30g) |
52 |
20 |
91 |
Porridge (with water) |
1 small bowl (160g) |
42 |
14 |
78 |
Muesli |
1 small bowl (50g) |
56 |
34 |
183 |
Grains/pasta |
|
|
|
|
Buckwheat |
4 tbsp (80g) |
54 |
68 |
292 |
Bulgar wheat |
4 tbsp (56g) |
48 |
44 |
196 |
Basmati rice |
4 tbsp (60g) |
58 |
48 |
215 |
Noodles |
4 tbsp 230g cooked |
46 |
30 |
143 |
Macaroni |
4 tbsp 230g cooked |
45 |
43 |
198 |
Spaghetti |
4 tbsp 220g cooked |
41 |
49 |
229 |
Breads |
|
|
|
|
Pitta bread |
1 large (75g) |
57 |
43 |
199 |
Rye bread |
1 slice (25g) |
41 |
11 |
55 |
Biscuits and cakes |
|
|
|
|
Digestive |
1 (15g) |
59 |
10 |
71 |
Oatmeal |
1 (13g) |
55 |
8 |
57 |
Rich Tea |
1 (10g) |
55 |
8 |
40 |
Muffin |
1 (68g) |
44 |
34 |
192 |
Sponge cake |
1 slice (60g) |
46 |
39 |
181 |
Vegetables |
|
|
|
|
Carrots |
2 tbsp (60g) |
49 |
3 |
14 |
Boiled potato |
2 medium (175g) |
56 |
30 |
126 |
Peas |
2 tbsp (70g) |
48 |
7 |
48 |
Sweetcorn |
2 tbsp (85g) |
55 |
17 |
94 |
Sweet potato |
1 medium (130g) |
54 |
27 |
109 |
Yam |
1 medium (130g) |
51 |
43 |
173 |
Pulses |
|
|
|
|
Baked beans |
1 small tin (205g) |
48 |
31 |
166 |
Fruit |
|
|
|
|
Apricots |
1 (40g) |
57 |
3 |
12 |
Banana |
1 (100g) |
55 |
23 |
95 |
Grapes |
1 small bunch (100g) |
46 |
15 |
57 |
Kiwi |
1 (68g) |
52 |
6 |
29 |
Mango |
half (75g) |
55 |
11 |
43 |
Orange |
1 (208g) |
44 |
12 |
54 |
Papaya |
half (175g) |
58 |
12 |
47 |
Peach |
1 (121g) |
42 |
8 |
36 |
Plum |
1 (58g) |
39 |
5 |
20 |
Sultanas |
1 tbsp (18g) |
56 |
12 |
50 |
Dairy products |
|
|
|
|
Custard |
2 tbsp (120g) |
43 |
20 |
140 |
Drinks |
|
|
|
|
Apple juice |
1 glass (160ml) |
40 |
16 |
61 |
Orange juice |
1 glass (160ml) |
46 |
14 |
58 |
Snacks and sweets |
|
|
|
|
Crisps |
1 packet (30g) |
54 |
16 |
159 |
Milk chocolate |
1 bar (54g) |
49 |
31 |
281 |
Sugars |
|
|
|
|
Honey |
1 heaped tsp (17g) |
58 |
13 |
49 |
Low GI foods (GI=1-39)
Food |
Portion size |
Glycaemic index (GI) |
Carbohydrate (g) per portion |
kcals per portion |
Breakfast cereals |
|
|
|
|
Pulses |
|
|
|
|
Butter beans |
4 tbsp (120g) |
31 |
22 |
124 |
Chick peas |
4 tbsp (140g) |
33 |
24 |
168 |
Red kidney beans |
4 tbsp (120g) |
27 |
20 |
124 |
Green/brown lentils |
4 tbsp (160g) |
30 |
28 |
164 |
Red lentils |
4 tbsp (160g) |
26 |
28 |
160 |
Soya beans |
4 tbsp (120g) |
18 |
6 |
169 |
Fruit |
|
|
|
|
Apples |
1 (100g) |
38 |
12 |
47 |
Dried apricots |
5 (40g) |
31 |
15 |
63 |
Cherries |
1 small handful (100g) |
22 |
10 |
39 |
Grapefruit |
half (80g) |
25 |
5 |
24 |
Peaches tinned |
half tin (120g) |
30 |
12 |
47 |
Pear |
1 (160g) |
38 |
16 |
64 |
Plum |
1 (55g) |
39 |
5 |
20 |
Dairy products |
|
|
|
|
Full cream milk |
half pint (300ml) |
27 |
14 |
198 |
Skimmed milk |
half pint (300ml) |
32 |
15 |
99 |
Yoghurt (low fat fruit) |
1 carton (150g) |
33 |
27 |
135 |
Snacks and sweets |
|
|
|
|
Peanuts |
1 small handful (50g) |
14 |
4 |
301 |
Sugars |
|
|
|
|
Fructose |
1 tsp (5g) |
23 |
5 |
19 |
References:
- Leeds, A, Brand Miller J, Foster-Powell K, Colagiuri S. The Glucose Revolution (2000) (London: Hodder & Stoughton) p29.
- MAFF/RSC (1991). McCance & Widdowson's The Composition of Foods, 5th ed. (Cambridge: MAFF/RSC)
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