The glycemic index is a categorization of carbohydrates based on their effects on blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates are ranked as low, medium or high in the glycemic index. Low glycemic carbohydrates cause the lowest insulin response, therefore, having only a small effect on blood sugar levels. Controlling blood sugar levels lowers your risk for diabetes and heart disease. Low glycemic carbohydrates are those that have a ranking of 50 or lower on the glycemic index. Most of your carbohydrate intake should be low on the glycemic index.
Low Glycemic Fruits
A fruit is considered to be low on the glycemic index if it has a score of 50 or below. Fruits with a score of 30 and below include cherries and grapefruit. Fruits with a score of 31 to 40 are dried apricots, apples, pears and plums. Scoring 41 to 50 are peaches, oranges and grapes. Bananas and kiwi score slightly above 50, so eat these fruits sensibly.
Low Glycemic Vegetables
Most vegetables have a glycemic index score below 50 because they contain low amounts of sugar and are high in fiber. Vegetables scoring a 15 on the glycemic index include artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, green beans, all varieties of lettuce, all varieties of peppers, snow peas, spinach, summer squash, tomatoes and zucchini. Scoring a 16 to 30 are boiled soy beans, dried peas, boiled kidney beans and boiled lentils. Chickpeas and carrots have a glycemic index score have a score of 33 and 39, respectively.
Low Glycemic Juices
Most juices score high on the glycemic index because of high sugar content and low fiber content. Scoring below a 50 on the glycemic index are soy milk, apple juice, carrot juice, pineapple juice and grapefruit juice. These beverages are better to consume than juices scoring above a 50.
Low Glycemic Breads, Grains, Pastas and Cereals
Starches, including breads, grains, pastas and cereals score relatively high on the glycemic index because of their effects on blood sugar levels. The more fiber a starch contains and the less it has been processed contributes to a lower glycemic index score. Multi-grain bread and whole grain bread are the two varieties of bread scoring at or below a 50 on the glycemic index. Rye, wheat kernels, instant rice and cracked barley are the best grains to choose due to their glycemic score at or below 50. In terms of pasta, the best choices with the lowest glycemic scores are fettuccine, vermicelli, whole wheat spaghetti and macaroni, all scoring at or below 50. The best cereals scoring below 50 are All-bran and oatmeal.
Low Glycemic Dairy
Dairy products containing carbohydrates mostly score low on the glycemic index. Sweetened yogurt has a score of 14, whole milk scores 27, and fat-free milk scores 32. Fat content, lactose, which is the naturally-occurring sugar in milk, and added sugar all contribute to the glycemic index score of dairy products. Other dairy products, such as cheeses, are not included on the glycemic index because their carbohydrate content is negligent and will not effect blood sugar levels.
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