Effect of low GI vs hi GI on blood glucose level
Glycaemic Index Tables: Check the GI of Popular Foods

Easily check what foods are low, medium or high GI. Tables give GI and GL values for over 200 UK foods including bread, pasta, rice and other carbs, fruits, vegetables, sweets and desserts

Glycaemic Index Tables

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What is Glycaemic Index?

Glycaemic Index (GI) is a measure of the effect an individual food or drink has on blood sugar levels after it is consumed.

  • Foods that are digested slowly and release glucose into the bloodstream gradually have a low GI value
  • Foods that are digested quickly and release glucose into the bloodstream rapidly have a high GI value

The GI Index is a Scale from 1-100

Glucose has the highest score of all foods at a GI of 100. All other foods are measured against this refence point.

  • Low GI Foods have a glycaemic index of 55 or lower
  • Medium GI Foods have a glycaemic index of 56-69
  • High GI Foods have a glycaemic index of 70 or more

Foods only appear on the GI index if they contain carbohydrates. This explains why you won't find foods like meat, chicken, fish, eggs and cheese in GI lists. However, you may find some processed foods like sausages or chicken nuggets in a GI list because they contain carbs.

Glycaemic Load

Glycemic Load (GL) is based on a food’s glycaemic index and the carbohydrate content of a 100g serving of the food. Because GL takes account of the amount of carbs in a food it gives a more accurate idea of the food’s effect on blood sugar.

Why Are GI and GL Important?

Low GI (and GL) foods are better for us because they don't cause a rapid rise and fall in blood sugar levels, known as a sugar spike.

Sugar spikes can cause us to over eat because the fast fall in blood sugar can leave us feeling hungry.

Eating low GI foods help to keep us 'fuller for longer'. Especially important for those who want to lose weight.

Combinations of Foods

We mostly eat foods in combination, adding proteins like meat, fish and eggs, and fats, to our meals. This mitigates the effect of higher GI foods somewhat, and slows down the release of sugars into the blood.

The table at the bottom of this list will give you an idea of the effect of combining different foods. You'll also find plenty of low GI meal ideas in our low GI diet plan

Glycaemic Index Food Lists

We’ve organised our tables into different food types so it’s easier to make comparisons between similar foods. Each table is split into 3 charts with low Gi foods at the top.

Gycaemic Index (GI) and Glycaemic Load (GL) is given for each food.

Table 1 - Bread

Low GI Bread

Bread Type GI GL
Tortilla Wraps 30 16
vogel's sunflower and barley brown bread 40 16
Chapatis (made with fat) 50 24
Sourdough Bread 54 27

 

Low Carb Breads

GI values for ‘low carb’ breads are not currently available on recognised glycaemic index lists. But it’s safe to assume that these products will have a lower GI than their normal carb counterparts.

These types of bread are increasingly available in supermarkets such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Lidl. Livlife Seriously Seeded, Hovis Lower Carb Deliciously Seeded and Hi-Lo Seeded Wholemeal are all available in the UK.

Medium GI Bread

Bread Type GI GL
Granary bread 62 29
Naan bread 63 32
Wholemeal pitta bread 63 25
Ryvita crispbread 64 37
Croissant 67 29
White pitta bread 67 37
Crumpets (toasted) 69 31

High GI Bread

Bread Type GI GL
Rye bread 70 32
Soda bread 70 38
White bread (average) 72 35
Ciabatta 72 37
Bagels (plain) 72 42
Breadsticks 72 52
Brown bread (average) 73 31
Wholemeal bread (average) 73 31
Soya & linseed bread (Burgen) 74 22
Seeded Batch Loaf (Warburtons) 80 32
Crackerbread 85 65
French stick, white 95 53

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Table 2 - Other Carbs

The GI of other carbohydrate foods including potatoes, rice, pasta and grains.

Low GI Carbs

Carb Type GI GL
Wholemeal Spaghetti, boiled 37 9
Basmati rice, cooked (Tesco 250g pack) 43 12
Spaghetti, white, boiled 44 10
Macaroni. boiled 45 8
Pasta, fresh, cooked 45 14
Wholemeal pastry. cooked 45 20
Ebly (bulgur wheat) 46 32
Noodles, plain, boiled 47 6
White rice, easy cook, boiled 49 15
Brown rice. boiled 55 18

Medium GI Carbs

Carb Type GI GL
Noodles, egg (boiled) 63 8
New potatoes (boiled) 63 8
Dumplings 63 15
Egg fried rice (takeaway) 63 21
Pilau rice 63 16
Long Grain rice, polished, boiled 64 19
Couscous 65 33
Yorkshire pudding 67 16
Pancakes, savoury, made with whole milk 67 16
Pancakes, sweet, made with whole milk 67 23
Risotto, Plain 69 24

High GI Carbs

Carb Type GI GL
Cornflour 70 64
Soya flour (full fat) 70 16
Wholemeal flour (wheat) 70 45
White flour (wheat) 70 54
Oatmeal. raw 70 51
Bran (wheat) 70 19
Rye flour, whole 70 53
Oven Chips, frozen (baked) 75 22
Chips, French fries, (retail) 75 26
Potato, old (jacket/baked) 85 27
Potatoes, old (boiled) 85 14
Potato, old, mashed with butter 85 13

Table 3 - Fruits and Fruit Juices

Low GI Fruits

Fruit Type GI GL
Cherries 22 3
Grapefruit 25 2
Apricots, dried 32 14
Innocent smoothie (average) 33 4
Pears 38 4
Apples 38 4
Tomato juice 38 1
Plums 39 3
Strawberries 40 2
Apple juice (unsweetened) 40 4
Dried mixed fruit 41 28
Satsumas 42 4
Peaches 42 3
Oranges 42 4
Tomatoes. raw 45 1
Raspberries. raw 45 2
Avocado 45 1
Grapes 46 7
Mangoes 51 8
Banana 52 10
Orange juice (unsweetened) 52 5
Kiwi fruit 53 6

Medium GI Fruits

Fruit Type GI GL
Apricots 57 4
Sultanas 58 40
Pineapple 59 7
Cranberry juice 59 8
Figs 61 6
Dates, dried 61 41
Raisins 64 44

High GI Fruits

Fruit Type GI GL
Blackcurrants. raw 70 5
Cranberries 70 2
Melon (all types, average) 72 4
Watermelon 72 4
Lychees 79 11

Table 4 - Vegetables and Vegetable Juices

Low GI Vegetables

Vegetable Type GI GL
Processed peas, canned (drained and heated) 39 7
Mushy peas, canned (heated) 39 5
Runner beans, boiled 45 1
Green salad 45 1
Onions (raw) 45 4
Celery (raw) 45 0
Broccoli, green (boiled) 45 0
Brussels sprouts (boiled) 45 2
Cauliflower (boiled) 45 1
Tomatoes, tinned (whole contents) 45 1
Mushrooms (raw) 45 0
Mixed vegetables, frozen (boiled) 45 3
Curly kale. boiled in salted water 45 0
Courgette (boiled) 45 1
Asparagus (boiled) 45 1
Red peppers, capsicum 45 3
Green peppers, capsicum 45 1
Bamboo shoots, canned 45 2
Butternut squash (baked) 45 3
Spinach 45 1
Carrots (boiled) 47 2
Peas, frozen (boiled) 48 5
Sweetcorn, canned 55 9

Medium GI Vegetables

Vegetable Type GI GL
Sweet potato (baked) 61 17
Turnip (boiled) 63 1
Beetroot, pickled 64 4

High GI Vegetables

Vegetable Type GI GL
Swede (boiled) 72 2
Pumpkin (boiled) 75 2
Broad Beans (boiled) 79 4
Parsnip (boiled) 97 13

Table 5 - Breakfast Cereals

Popular breakfast cereal brands.

Low GI Cereals

Cereal Type GI GL
Kelloggs All Bran 45 22
Porridge (made with water) 51 4
Porridge (made with milk) 51 7
Oatso Simple syrup swirl porridge (Quaker) 51 36
Ready Brek 51 33
Alpen muesli original (Weetabix) 55 36
Oatibix 55 35

Medium GI Cereals

Cereal Type GI GL
Quaker Porridge Oats 58 20
Just Right (Kelloggs) 60 46
Kelloggs Fruit and fibre 68 47
Special K 69 56

High GI Cereals

Cereal Type GI GL
Sugar Puffs 70 65
Nutri-Grain 70 50
Shreddies 70 54
Weetos 70 56
Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes 72 66
Cheerios 74 60
Bran Flakes 74 53
Shredded Wheat 75 54
Weetabix 75 57
Coco Pops 77 70
Rice Krispies 81 75
Corn Flakes 93 83

Table 6 - Desserts, Cakes and Biscuits

Low GI Desserts, Cakes and Biscuits

Dessert Type GI GL
Fruit sorbet 34 8
Custard tart (individual) 34 11
Chocolate fudge cake 38 21
Swiss rolls, chocolate (individual) 38 22
Mr Kipling Angel Slices  42 25
Sponge cake, jam filled 42 27
Lemon tart 45 7
Trifle, fruit 45 9
Chocolate mousse 45 9
Tiramisu  45 15
Suet pudding 45 18
Sponge cake with dairy cream and jam 45 20
Mince pies (individual) 45 27
Sponge pudding with jam or treacle 46 22
Go Ahead Cake Bars (McVities) 46 29
Chocolate chip muffins (Tesco) 53 25
Bourbon biscuits 55 39
Rich Tea biscuits 55 41

Medium GI Desserts, Cakes and Biscuits

Dessert Type GI GL
Oatcakes 57 36
Blueberry Muffin 59 23
Hobnobs 59 38
Digestive biscuits 59 40
Ice cream, non-dairy, vanilla 61 11
Cheesecake 63 16
Fruit crumble 63 23
Carrot cake (with topping) 63 23
Chocolate Eclairs, fresh 63 24
Profiteroles 63 24
Lemon meringue pie 63 27
Pandoro Italian cake 63 30
Danish pastries 63 32
Christmas pudding 63 35
Fruit pie (individual) 63 36
Flapjacks 63 39
Jam tarts 63 39
Shortbread 63 40
Chocolate fingers (Cadburys) 63 40
Chocolate chip cookies 63 41
Chocolate digestive biscuits 63 42
Fruit cake, rich, iced 63 42
Weight Watchers choc chip cookie 63 42
Oreo biscuits 63 44
Jaffa cakes 63 48
Gingernut biscuits 63 50
Amaretti biscuits (Doria) 63 53
Meringue 68 65

High GI Desserts, Cakes and Biscuits

Dessert Type GI GL
Banoffee pie 70 26
Snowballs (Tunnock's)  70 33
Jammie Dodgers 70 48
Hot cross buns 72 42
Doughnut, jam 76 37
Scones. plain 92 49

Table 7 - Chocolate and Sweets

Low GI Chocolate and Sweets

Sweet Type GI GL
Whole Nut Chocolate bar (Cadbury's) 43 21
Ripple (Galaxy) 43 22
Organic dark chocolate 70% cocoa (Green&Blacks) 43 22
Wispa (Cadbury) 43 23
Mint Aero (Nestle) 43 26
Minstrels 43 29
Twix 44 30
Twister ice lolly 45 9
Fruit and nut bar (Cadbury's) 45 25
Lion Bar (Nestle) 45 29
Mint crisp chocolates 45 30
Quality Street chocolates  45 30
After Eights 45 33
Milky Way 45 34
Alpen Bar (Strawberry & Yoghurt) 51 37
Snickers 55 31

Medium GI Chocolate and Sweets

Sweet Type GI GL
Tracker bar 57 33
Kellogg's Fruit & Fibre Bar 57 41
Bounty bar 63 37
Maltesers (Mars) 63 39
Kit Kat 63 40
Double Decker 63 41
Chocolate covered caramels 63 42
Rolo  63 42
Nutrigrain bar, chocolate (Kelloggs) 63 42
Curly Wurly 63 44
Creme egg 63 45
Cadbury's Fudge 63 45
Crunchie (Cadbury's) 63 45
Mars bar 65 50
Foam sweets 68 54
Boiled sweets 68 59
Peppermint creams 68 67

High GI Chocolate and Sweets

Sweet Type GI GL
Slim Fast yogurt muesli meal bar 70 32
Nutty crunch bar (Jordans) 70 40
Raisin & Hazelnut Fruisli Bar (Jordans) 70 43
Nature Valley granola bar 70 46
Toffees, mixed 70 47
Coco-pops cereal & milk bar (Kelloggs) 70 51
Nestle Fitnesse Apricot Bar 70 51
Kelloggs Special K Bar 70 53
Liquorice allsorts 70 54
Fudge 70 56
Marshmallows 70 58
Wine gums  78 60
Jelly Babies 78 61
Starmix sweets (Haribo) 78 62
Fruit pastilles 78 66
Chew sweets 78 68
Skittles 78 72

Create Your Own GI Plan

You can follow our Low GI Diet plan or use the planning tools in WLR to create your own plan - an interesting thing to do! You can try it free for 24 hours..

Take our FREE trial »

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