Glycemic Index &
Food Lookup

The glycemic index (GI) is a scale from 0 to 100 that measures how quickly a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood sugar levels compared to pure glucose (GI = 100). Low GI foods (≤55) raise blood sugar slowly, medium GI foods (56–69) cause a moderate rise, and high GI foods (≥70) cause rapid spikes.

Glycemic load (GL) accounts for both the GI of a food and the amount of carbohydrates in a typical serving. GL = (GI × carbs per serving in grams) ÷ 100. A GL below 10 is low, 11–19 is medium, and 20 or above is high. GL gives a more realistic picture of a food's blood sugar impact than GI alone.

Diabetics should favour low GI foods (GI ≤55) such as most vegetables, legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans), nuts, whole grains (oats, barley, rye bread), and many fruits. These cause slower, smaller rises in blood sugar and help maintain stable glucose levels throughout the day.

Yes. Cooking generally increases the GI of foods by breaking down starches and making them more digestible. Al dente pasta has a lower GI than overcooked pasta. Cooling cooked starches (like rice or potatoes) lowers their GI by forming resistant starch. Ripeness also matters — riper fruit has a higher GI than underripe fruit.

No. Portion size, total carbohydrate content, fibre, protein, fat, and the overall composition of the meal all matter. Eating a high-GI food alongside protein, fat or fibre will lower the overall glycemic impact of the meal. A balanced, low-GI diet should be part of a broader healthy eating and lifestyle plan.