When you eat carbs, your blood sugars become elevated and your pancreas releases insulin to lower the levels. The glycemic index is a chart that tells you how fast a carbohydrate spikes your blood sugar when it is consumed. The chart goes from 0 to 100, and anything below 54 is considered low.
Vegetables
Vegetables are high in water content, fiber, vitamins and minerals. They also have low glycemic numbers. Spinach, all forms of lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, artichokes, avocados, eggplant, cucumbers and celery are all vegetables that have a glycemic index of 15 or less.
Fruits
Fruits are high in natural sugar, fiber, vitamins and water content. Most varieties also have low glycemic numbers. Examples include pears, plums, apples, grapes, oranges, grapefruits, kiwis, bananas, peaches and cherries. Bananas come in at 54 and cherries are only 22 on the chart.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are high in fiber, low in fat and have moderate amounts of protein. The types of grains with the lowest glycemic numbers include parboiled rice, long-grain rice, pearl barley, all-bran and rye. Pearl barley is 25, and it is the lowest. Multi-grain bread and protein-enriched pasta are two products derived from grains that are also low. They come in at 48 and 27 respectively.
Dairy Products
Dairy products are high in calcium, protein and fat, and some types have moderate amounts of carbs. Whole milk, low-fat milk, skim milk and chocolate milk are all low on the glycemic index. Chocolate milk is the lowest of the milks; it ranks at 24. Low-fat sweetened yogurt is the lowest of all dairy products; it ranks at 14. Soy milk is a dairy alternative that comes in at 30 on the chart.
Beans
Beans are legumes that have seeds protected by an exterior pod. They are high in fiber, protein, iron and are also low on the glycemic index. Examples of these are chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans and haricot beans. Peas are another type of legume, and they are the lowest on the chart. They have a glycemic number of 22.
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