Low Glycemic Foods list PDF – A Smart Choice For Good Health

Low glycemic foods are a smart choice for good health. Even more so when you suffer from Adrenal Fatigue. Use our low glycemic foods list PDF. Low-glycemic foods cause a steadier rise of blood sugar and the fiber in these foods will help you feel more satisfied between meals.

Blood Sugar

Blood sugar, or glucose, is a key source of energy and provides nutrients to your body’s organs, muscles and nervous system. During the digestion of food, your body breaks down digestible carbohydrates to sugar before absorbing and using them for energy. Carbohydrates can be either “simple” or “complex”. Simple carbohydrates are composed of simple-to-digest sugars with little real value for your body and are often considered as “bad”. Complex carbohydrates are considered “good”. They consist of longer series of sugars which takes the body more time to break down.

The glycemic index

Describing carbohydrates in simple or complex is one way to classify them. Another way to classify carbohydrates is by using “glycemic index”. The glycemic index ranks carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 based on how rapidly and to what extent the carbohydrates raise your blood sugar levels after eating. Foods that have a high glycemic index are quickly digested and cause serious fluctuations in your blood sugar levels. Foods that have a low glycemic index are digested more gradually, bringing a more gradual rise in your blood sugar levels.

Important note

Remember that blood sugar levels have an impact on your energy, concentration, performance, mood, ability to lose weight and much more??? Keeping balanced blood sugar levels is highly important for a healthy working HPA axis and to restore adrenal health.

Index numbers for the low glycemic foods list PDF

Glycemic Index – Pay attention to those important numbers using the low glycemic foods list PDF.

The lower the number, the less of an impact the food has on your blood sugar:
55 or less = Low (good)
56- 69 = Medium
70 or higher = High (bad)

Blood Sugar & Adrenal Fatigue

A rapid rise in blood sugar levels by consuming large meals, simple carbohydrates or glycemically imbalanced meals can excessively elevate blood sugar levels. This causes the body to panic and overcompensate by releasing to much insulin. The insulin causes blood sugar levels to drop too low  pushing the body (adrenal glands) to produce more cortisol to help restore blood sugar levels. When this pattern continues over time (years), it increases the risk of developing Adrenal Fatigue and other health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, dementia and cancer. Maintaining a diet that helps keep your blood sugar levels stable is crucial to treating Adrenal Fatigue and preventing other health conditions. If you keep your blood sugar levels stable you will have more even energy levels, you will feel more satiated between meals and your cravings for unhealthy foods are reduced.

Lower your glycemic
 

Eating foods with a lower glycemic index may be beneficial for your health. It can help you live heart healthy, may lower the risk for developing diabetes and metabolic syndrome. It also may contribute to weight loss/maintenance  by preventing spikes in your blood sugar and thus cut cravings and urges.

 

There is a time and place however for foods with a high glycemic index, as they can help re-fuel and maximize carbohydrate stores after exercise.

 

The Glycemic Load

 

 

The glycemic load (GL) is a relatively new measurement to assess the impact of carbohydrate consumption on blood sugar levels. But it gives a more accurate picture than glycemic index alone. The GI does not show how high your blood sugar will go when you actually eat a particular food. That is obviously also determined by the AMOUNT of carbohydrate in a food. And to understand a food’s effect on blood sugar you need to know both. This is where “glycemic load” comes in.

Calculation

The glycemic load is calculated by multiplying the grams of a carbohydrate in a serving of food by the glycemic index and then dividing it by 100.

• a glycemic load of 10 or less is considered low;
• 11-19 is considered medium;
• 20 or above is considered high

Example

Watermelon has a high glycemic index (80). But there are not a lof ot carbohydrates in a serving of watermelon (6 grams). So the glycemic load is therefore only 5.

Factors Influencing Glycemic Response

The glycemic index is not cut-and-dry. First of all, the GI of a food can slightly vary from person to person. But there are other factors that influence your glycemic response. For instance your glycemic response to a food also depends on the other foods you eat with it. Consuming a food along with protein or fat slows the rate of stomach emptying and therefore foods are digested at a slower rate. Foods with acid content in them have a similar effect.

Fat and protein content

Acid content

• Sourdough wheat bread (GI = 54)
• Wonder white bread (GI=73)

 

As you can see in the above examples in the case of m&m’s, potato chips and sourdough bread, the presence of protein, fat and acid content all reduce the food’s GI.

 

Glycemic Index & Glycemic Load Index For More Than 100 Foods

(¹).

FOOD	Glycemic index (glucose = 100)	Serving size (grams)	Glycemic load per serving
BAKERY PRODUCTS AND BREADS
Banana cake, made with sugar	47	60	14
Banana cake, made without sugar	55	60	12
Sponge cake, plain	46	63	17
Vanilla cake made from packet mix with vanilla frosting (Betty Crocker)	42	111	24
Apple, made with sugar	44	60	13
Apple, made without sugar	48	60	9
Waffles, Aunt Jemima® (Quaker Oats)	76	35	10
Bagel, white, frozen	72	70	25
Baguette, white, plain	95	30	15
Coarse barley bread, 75-80% kernels, average	34	30	7
Hamburger bun	61	30	9
Kaiser roll	73	30	12
Pumpernickel bread	56	30	7
50% cracked wheat kernel bread	58	30	12
White wheat flour bread	71	30	10
Wonder® bread, average	73	30	10
Whole wheat bread, average	71	30	9
100% Whole Grain® bread (Natural Ovens)	51	30	7
Pita bread, white	68	30	10
Corn tortilla	52	50	12
Wheat tortilla	30	50	8

FOOD	Glycemic index (glucose = 100)	Serving size (grams)	Glycemic load per serving
BEVERAGES
Coca Cola®, average	63	250 mL	16
Fanta®, orange soft drink	68	250 mL	23
Lucozade®, original (sparkling glucose drink)	95 ±10	250 mL	40
Apple juice, unsweetened, average	44	250 mL	30
Cranberry juice cocktail (Ocean Spray®)	68	250 mL	24
Gatorade	78	250 mL	12
Orange juice, unsweetened	50	250 mL	12
Tomato juice, canned	38	250 mL	4

 

FOOD	Glycemic index (glucose = 100)	Serving size (grams)	Glycemic load per serving
BREAKFAST CEREALS AND RELATED PRODUCTS
All-Bran®, average	55	30	12
Coco Pops®, average	77	30	20
Cornflakes®, average	93	30	23
Cream of Wheat® (Nabisco)	66	250	17
Cream of Wheat®, Instant (Nabisco)	74	250	22
Grapenuts, average	75	30	16
Muesli, average	66	30	16
Oatmeal, average	55	250	13
Instant oatmeal, average	83	250	30
Puffed wheat, average	80	30	17
Raisin Bran® (Kellogg’s)	61	30	12
Special K® (Kellogg’s)	69	30	14

 

FOOD	Glycemic index (glucose = 100)	Serving size (grams)	Glycemic load per serving
GRAINS
Pearled barley, average	28	150	12
Sweet corn on the cob, average	60	150	20
Couscous, average	65	150	9
Quinoa	53	150	13
White rice, average	89	150	43
Quick cooking white basmati	67	150	28
Brown rice, average	50	150	16
Converted, white rice (Uncle Ben’s®)	38	150	14
Whole wheat kernels, average	30	50	11
Bulgur, average	48	150	12

 

FOOD	Glycemic index (glucose = 100)	Serving size (grams)	Glycemic load per serving
COOKIES AND CRACKERS
Graham crackers	74	25	14
Vanilla wafers	77	25	14
Shortbread	64	25	10
Rice cakes, average	82	25	17
Rye crisps, average	64	25	11
Soda crackers	74	25	12

FOOD	Glycemic index (glucose = 100)	Serving size (grams)	Glycemic load per serving
DAIRY PRODUCTS AND ALTERNATIVES
Ice cream, regular	57	50	6
Ice cream, premium	38	50	3
Milk, full fat	41	250mL	5
Milk, skim	32	250 mL	4
Reduced-fat yogurt with fruit, average	33	200	11

 

FOOD	Glycemic index (glucose = 100)	Serving size (grams)	Glycemic load per serving
FRUITS
Apple, average	39	120	6
Banana, ripe	62	120	16
Dates, dried	42	60	18
Grapefruit	25	120	3
Grapes, average	59	120	11
Orange, average	40	120	4
Peach, average	42	120	5
Peach, canned in light syrup	40	120	5
Pear, average	38	120	4
Pear, canned in pear juice	43	120	5
Prunes, pitted	29	60	10
Raisins	64	60	28
Watermelon	72	120	4

 

FOOD	Glycemic index (glucose = 100)	Serving size (grams)	Glycemic load per serving
BEANS AND NUTS
Baked beans, average	40	150	6
Blackeye peas, average	33	150	10
Black beans	30	150	7
Chickpeas, average	10	150	3
Chickpeas, canned in brine	38	150	9
Navy beans, average	31	150	9
Kidney beans, average	29	150	7
Lentils, average	29	150	5
Soy beans, average	15	150	1
Cashews, salted	27	50	3
Peanuts, average	7	50	0

 

FOOD	Glycemic index (glucose = 100)	Serving size (grams)	Glycemic load per serving
PASTA and NOODLES
Fettucini, average	32	180	15
Macaroni, average	47	180	23
Macaroni and Cheese (Kraft)	64	180	32
Spaghetti, white, boiled, average	46	180	22
Spaghetti, white, boiled 20 min, average	58	180	26
Spaghetti, wholemeal, boiled, average	42	180	17

 

FOOD	Glycemic index (glucose = 100)	Serving size (grams)	Glycemic load per serving
SNACK FOODS
Corn chips, plain, salted, average	42	50	11
Fruit Roll-Ups®	99	30	24
M & M’s®, peanut	33	30	6
Microwave popcorn, plain, average	55	20	6
Potato chips, average	51	50	12
Pretzels, oven-baked	83	30	16
Snickers Bar®	51	60	18

 

FOOD	Glycemic index (glucose = 100)	Serving size (grams)	Glycemic load per serving
VEGETABLES
Green peas, average	51	80	4
Carrots, average	35	80	2
Parsnips	52	80	4
Baked russet potato, average	111	150	33
Boiled white potato, average	82	150	21
Instant mashed potato, average	87	150	17
Sweet potato, average	70	150	22
Yam, average	54	150	20

 

To summarize: low glycemic foods list PDF

• Low GI foods are great choice when battling Adrenal Fatigue as they provide natural, slowly released energy.
• In general, the less processed a carbohydrate, the more likely it is have a low glycemic index.
• Foods that are made with white flour and white sugar, including processed foods, tend to have a high glycemic index.
• There are several factors that influence your glycemic reponse to foods. For instance whether you eat a food in isolaton or as part of a meal.
• Eat a well-balanced diet that includes low glycemic index foods and as a guide for controlling portions you can use the glycemic load.
• See our diet page for more information about healthy eating.

If you want to learn more about the glycemic index, you can have a look at the glycemic index website from the University of Sydney. It provides extensive information and has a searchable database for GI values.

References & Further Reading