G.I. value charts
The two traffic light tables below show at a glance the G.I. category of some common foods. Green and amber foods may be eaten on the low G.I. diet while red foods should be avoided. As individual needs vary, your dietician will advise you on the number of portions you should allow yourself each day.
Fruits
| Low G.I. (0-55) | Medium G.I. (56-69) | High G.I. (70 and above) | |||
| All deciduous fruits: | Tropical Fruit: | Melons: | |||
| Apples | 1 small | Bananas | 1 small or 60g (peeled) | Cantaloupe | 170g |
| Apricots | 3 small | Litchis | 90g | Honeydew melon | 170g |
| Cherries | 100g | Mangoes | 120g | Watermelon | 170g |
| Mulberries | 140g | Paw Paw | 130g | ||
| Peaches | 2 small or 120g | Pineapple | 120g | Dried Fruit: | |
| Pears | 1 small or 100g | Grapes | 90g | Bananas, Mango | 3 thin slices |
| Plums | 2 small or 120g | Dried Fruit: | Prunes, Dates | 3 small pieces | |
| Strawberries | 200g | Raisins and sultanas | Small handful (inside palm) | Figs | 2 small |
| All citrus fruit: | |||||
| Grapefuit | 150g (peeled) | ||||
| Oranges | 120g (peeled) | ||||
| Kiwi-fruit | 90g (peeled) | ||||
Other foods
| Low G.I. (0-55) | 1 Starch exchange equivalent | Medium G.I. (56-69) | 1 Starch exchange equivalent | High G.I. (70 and above) |
| Cereals and porridges | ||||
| All bran, Fibre First, Bran buds
Oats, no added sugar Muesli |
½ cup
¼ cup raw |
Bran flakes, Special K, Shredded wheat, Fruit and fibre | ½ cup | Corn flakes, Rice crispies, Coco pops, Frosties, Weetabix, Puffed wheat,Ready Brek |
| Breads | ||||
| Vogels, Burgen, 100% stoneground wholemeal, wholegrain pumpernickel, sourdough, wholemeal rye bread | 1 thin slice | Wholewheat pita bread Regular granary, oat bread |
½
1 thin slice |
White, brown, wholemeal, French bread, baguette, bagel |
| Cakes, pastries and snack bars | ||||
| Regular muffins, waffles, pancakes, doughnuts, bagels, croissants, biscuits, cake, cereal bars | ||||
| Crackers | ||||
| Ryvita, Fincrisp, Gourmet thins (bran and rye) | 2 biscuits/ 3 for smaller varieties | Matzos, water crackers, melba toast, rice cakes | ||
| Potatoes | ||||
| Potato sweet | 60g | New potatoes (skin on) | 60g | Potato mashed, baked, roasted, boiled and French fries |
| Rice, grains and pasta | ||||
| Pasta (all types made from durum wheat or durum
wheat semolina, cooked al dente)
Pearled barley, buckwheat, bulgur (cracked wheat), quinoa, semolina | ½ cup cooked spaghetti and 1 cup penne ½ cup cooked |
Basmati rice, wild rice, brown rice, long grain
rice Cous Cous, Instant noodles |
1/3cup cooked
½ cup |
Instant rice, sticky rices, short grain, instant white varieties, gnocchi, risotto, tinned pasta |
| Pulses | ||||
| Baked beans All other beans (tined or dried), Chick peas Lentils |
¼ cup cooked ½ cup 1/3 cup |
Sweet corn
Peas Haricot beans |
½ cup cooked or 1 average corn on the cob ½ cup ½ cup cooked |
Broad and refried beans |
| Sweeteners | ||||
| Jam (low G.I. fruit and no added sugar ), fructose, tablet sweeteners e.g. Splenda, Canderel | 2 tsp | Honey, table sugar (sucrose) | 2 tsp | Glucose, granulated sweeteners e.g: Splenda, Canderel |
| Convenience foods | ||||
| Pizza | ||||
| Desserts and snacks | ||||
| Sorbet, ice-cream, sweets or sweet filled chocolate, potato crisps, pretzels, alcoholic drinks | ||||