Just look at the glycemic index table entries for Fresh Vegetables. Absolutely amazing! Zeros almost completely across the board!
Was your mom really right all those years?
I'm sure you can hear her now saying "Eat your veggies." At the time, she probably knew nothing about any glycemic index table, but she sure knew healthy when she seen it.
Most vegetables have a very low carbohydrate component, and are also very high in dietary fiber. This translates into a low GI food that is filling (because of the fiber) and an excellent source of nutrients. They are also quite tasty when properly prepared.
Load up your diet with vegetables. When you're hungry and looking for a second helping, always choose extra vegetables in place of a more carb-laden food like bread, potatoes, and most types of rice. Generally the more colorful a vegetable the better they are for you.
Fruit, while not quite at the zero GI level, still generally fall into what's considered a low glycemic index range, with a GI < 55. Fruit also has a high fiber content, and the natural sweetness comes fructose which is a low GI naturally occurring sugar.
The Fresh Fruit section of the glycemic index table below lists a number of low GI fruit that are usually easy to find at your local supermarket or fresh fruit stand.
Fresh Fruit Glycemic Index
Apples 38
Oranges 42
Pears 38
Peaches 42
Grapes 53
Strawberries (fresh or frozen) 40
Raspberries (fresh or frozen) ●
Blueberries (fresh or frozen) 53
Cherries 63
Bananas 52
Lemons ●
Limes ●
Fresh Vegetables Glycemic Index
Ginger ●
Garlic ●
Lettuce ●
New Potatoes 47 - 70
Tomatoes ●
KeCarrots (baby & regular) 41 - 47
Celery ●
Onions (red and/or white) ●
Green Onions ●
Bell Peppers (red/green/orange/yellow) ●
Cherry Tomatoes ●
Broccoli ●
Cauliflower ●
Mushrooms ●
Spinach (fresh or frozen) ●
Peas (fresh or frozen) 48
Zucchini ●
Cucumber ●
Green Beans ●
Asparagus ●
Mom Would've Loved This Glycemic Index Table
Breads and Cereals - Is the Glycemic Index Chart Enough?
The glycemic index chart below contains listings for a number of healthy breads and cereals that you can easily include in your diet.
Everybody loves breads and cereals. You know they taste great and those types of carbohydrates really are an important part of a healthy balanced diet.
But as you can see in the glycemic index chart below, most have a GI in the upper-low to moderate range. So the key is to basically eat them in the right proportions. In other words, serving size counts here!
Breads and cereals are packed with energy in the form of carbohydrates. This means that even though the glycemic index may be reasonable, the glycemic load could still be quite high resulting in high blood glucose levels.
So the trick is to make sure you eat a reasonable amount of a low GI bread or cereal such as the ones listed in the glycemic index chart below.
What is a reasonable amount? Typically for breads it is one slice. For breads (as well as meats) I like to use the palm of my hand to measure a serving size. A serving of bread is about the same size and thickness as the palm of your hand.
For cereals, a serving size is about 1/2 cup or 2 oz (30-50 grams) of dry cereal.
Again, you want to make sure you eat these. They contain essential nutrients and are an important, essential part of a healthy diet. But watch that serving size!
Breads Glycemic Index
100% Whole Wheat Bread (stone ground) 59
High Fiber Crispbreads (e.g. Ryvita) 65
Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns (small) 61
Whole Wheat Tortillas (small) 59
Whole Wheat Pitas 57
Cereals Glycemic Index
Oatmeal (old-fashioned steel-cut oats) 52 - 58
Oat Bran 55
Kashi Go Lean unavailable
Fiber 1 (or Fiber First) 56
Grape Nuts 67
All-Bran Original 34
All-Bran Bran Buds 45
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What exactly is the "Key GG" Low Glycemic Food List?
Well as you may have guessed, the "GG" in this case stands for Glycemic Gourmet. And the reason they're "key" foods is because any recipe and meal plan on this site can be followed just by having these foods on hand.
In essence, the Key GG foods are the foundation of low glycemic index eating the Glycemic Gourmet way. They effectively unlock your ability to not only eat well, but to actually stick with it. And as you know sticking with it is the true key. So by providing a core low glycemic food list that everything else is built on top of, the goal is to make your life as simple as possible.
I've found that this is by far the easiest and most effective way to ensure you eat healthy and stay on track. You'll be fully prepared to make any of the sumptuous glycemic gourmet recipes found throughout this site. And you'll be ready for snack and meal planning.
Now 101 foods may seem like a lot. But browse through them anyway. You'll probably find that you already have many of the items or that you tend to buy them on a regular basis.
What you don't have you can pick up the next time you're out shopping. Accumulate some of the basics each time you go until you have everything. Or better yet, clean that junk out of your kitchen immediately and completely re-stock it with great Key GG healthy foods. When you begin seeing the tremendous results of eating a low glycemic index diet, you'll be glad you did.
The One List You Shouldn't Live Without
If you fail to plan, then you're planning to fail. We've all heard these words of wisdom. But is it really true?
In truth, no. The world is full of examples of people who didn't plan and became outstanding successes in their endeavors.
But when it comes to eating right, at least for me, these are important words to live by. If you don't have a plan when you go shopping, then you will come home with food that will not support your goals, or even worse, set you back.
On the right hand side of the page you'll see a form to subscribe to our newsletter. When you subscribe you'll receive a link to download a complete low glycemic food list that you can use for shopping. It lists all of the Key GG foods. Download it and print it out. Bring it with you the next time you go to the supermarket.
As I'm sure you already know, people who plan their meals and shop with a list (such as this one) tend to save plenty of both time and money. We've done all the planning for you. You just have to do the shopping and follow the plan. By simplifying the process of healthy eating, you'll be putting yourself squarely on the path to success.
Core Low Glycemic Food List
Low GI Breads and Cereals
Low GI Fruit and Vegetables
Low GI Dairy
Low GI Meats and Seafood
Low GI Pantry Essentials
