When choosing glycemic index foods, you’ll want to choose the healthiest low GI Foods.
This glycemic index food list of low GI foods and high GI food is based on research from the Stanford Center for Disease Prevention.
Research consultants, Arianna Carughi, Ph.D., C.N.S. and Gene Spiller, Ph.D., C.N.S., designed the perfect glycemic index food list of low glycemic foods for optimum health, weight loss and blood sugar levels.
You’ll find two simple categories of glycemic index foods to choose from:
1. “Foods to Refuse” are high glycemic and/or unhealthy foods.
2. “Foods to Choose” are the healthiest low glycemic index foods.
Focusing on the low GI “Foods to Choose” list offers many health benefits:
- Enhances your moods,
- Lowers heart disease risk,
- Decreases the risk of cancer,
- Gives you sustained endurance,
- Helps reduce hunger and cravings,
- Reduces your risk of Type 2 diabetes,
- Improves memory and brain functioning,
- Lowers triglycerides and HDL cholesterol,
- Improves blood sugar and insulin sensitivity,
- Contributes to permanent healthy weight loss.
Scroll down for the list of protein, vegetables, fruit, breads & cereals, starchy foods, dairy, beverages, condiments and sweets & treats.
Glycemic Index Food List of High & Low GI Foods
Choosing wisely from our “Foods to Choose” glycemic index food list can help you design a healthy low GI diet of low glycemic foods. It’s the best way to achieve all of your health, fitness and weight loss goals.
More Commonsense Health for You:
Food Fat List of Bad Fat Good Fat
Low GI Diet of Low Glycemic Index Foods
Unhealthy Food to Avoid and Foods Not to Eat
Sugar Addicts Guide to Overcoming Sugar Addiction
Thank you for this extremely helpful list! My boyfriend has lost 55 lbs and i have lost 20 in the past 5 months by simply eating lower carb/lower glycemic foods…however i am still noticing we are making some mistakes and our weight loss some weeks is at a standstill. We have brought his cholesterol & LDL levels down compared to 6 months ago as well as controlling his blood sugar by eating a lot of yummy things instead of resorting to METFORMIN. most websites ask for a credit card before divulging this sort of helpful info…so THANK YOU!! <3
You’re welcome Sharon! Glad to hear that you are both doing so well with your healthy lifestyle.
Can cinnamon and chromium decrease blood sugar levels and so prevent diabetes 2 besides exercise and food with low GI and GL levels ?
please advise. Many thanks
Hi Andreas,
Yes, natural, food-based chromium helps everyone regulate blood sugar levels and cinnamon may help those with type II diabetes. But like you pointed out, they do not replace exercise and proper food choices.
Dear Moss Greene,
Do you know which foods and fruits can prevent cancer ?
thank you for your reply.
Thanks for your question Andre. Of course no one can definitively say what exactly can prevent cancer, but WebMD reports that according to research done by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research, a plant-based diet including foods such as broccoli, berries, and garlic showed some of the strongest links to cancer prevention.
Personally, I like to eat all of the foods on my list of the Top 10 Healthiest Vegetables and this High Fiber Foods List.
Its never too late to make changes in eating habits. I am 60 years old and never have felt better .By eliminating sugar and unhealthy food and switching to eating more salads vegetables fruits has brought my weight down from 235 to 175. After my physical a week ago my PCP told me Ill see you in a year, Thank you for your commitment in educating people like myself so we can make the right choices in our diets.
Sweet potatoes – good or bad? They are on the veggies to avoid list but i know they have a lot of benefits.
Sweet potatoes, yams, bananas, mangoes and pineapple are all fruits and vegetables with valuable nutritional benefits that are high on the glycemic index. Since they’re high glycemic, it’s best not to eat them alone. However, they can be combined with a low glycemic protein foods (such as sweet potatoes with fish or chicken and bananas with plain unsweetened yogurt); this reduces the overall glycemic load.
Yours is a very good question, Karen, and deserves a complete future article. So, thank you.
I have had diverticulitis for the past 2 years. Some people say I should not eat lettuce as it ferments in the gut. Is that right? I just love salads and need to loose at least 1 stone. Please help x
No worries, Christine. You can eat lettuce.
I think some well meaning people have been misinformed about lettuce and how the digestive system works. First of all, there’s nothing wrong with fermentation. It’s actually part of the digestive process of some foods.
Secondly, fermented foods, like sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt and kefir, offer valuable nutrition and beneficial bacteria to our intestines. I point this out only to make it clear there’s nothing wrong with fermentation.
Now, with all that said, you do have to be careful about how much fiber you’re eating IF you should be having a flair up of your diverticulitis. Fiber, which is one of the main things you’re getting when you eat lettuce, is good for you – and important – but it can make a flair up more uncomfortable for you.
Also, be choosy about the lettuce you eat. Mixed greens, spring greens, Romaine, etc. have more nutrition and are a better choice than iceberg lettuce. Thanks for dropping by!