by Jenny Hegmann
Jenny Hegmann, MS, RD, is co-author of The Cyclist’s Food Guide: Fueling for Distance ((c) 2005 Sports Nutrition Publishers) with Nancy Clark, MS, RD. Hegmann is a sports nutritionist and long-distance cyclist. She lives and works in the greater Boston area.
Glycemic Index* and Glycemic Load
All foods are from the US or Canada unless otherwise specified. Glycemic index is based on a 50-gram carbohydrate portion. Glycemic load is based on selected portion sizes (indicated in the last column).
| Low GI | <40 |
| Moderate GI | 40 – 70 |
| High GI | >70 |
| Low GI (<40) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Food | Glycemic Index | Glycemic Load | Serving size (grams) |
| fructose | 12 | 1 | 15 (1 tbsp) |
| lentils | 28 | 5 | 100 (1/2 cup) |
| wheat tortilla (Mexican) | 30 | 8 | 50 (8-inch) |
| apricots, dried | 31 | 6 | 30 (10 halves) |
| milk, skim | 32 | 4 | 250 (8 oz) |
| spaghetti, whole-wheat | 32 | 11 | 140 (1 cup) |
| yogurt, low-fat, fruit (Australia) | 33 | 13 | 240 (8 oz) |
| milk, chocolate low-fat | 34 | 9 | 250 (8 oz) |
| tomato juice | 33 | 4 | 250 (8 oz) |
| Ironman PR bar, choc. | 39 | 7 | 45 (1 bar) |
| Moderate GI (40 – 70) | |||
| Food | Glycemic Index | Glycemic Load | Serving size (grams) |
| apple, raw | 40 | 7 | 140 (3-inch) |
| spaghetti, white | 47 | 20 | 140 (1 cup) |
| baked beans | 48 | 25 | 240 (1 cup) |
| sweet potato | 48 | 18 | 180 (large) |
| banana, ripe | 51 | 13 | 120 (7-inch) |
| orange juice | 52 | 12 | 251 (8 oz) |
| Alpen meusli | 55 | 23 | 55 (1/2 cup) |
| sucrose (table sugar) | 59 | 6 | 10 (2 tsp) |
| raisins | 64 | 17 | 35 (1/4 cup) |
| Quick or Minute Oats, cooked | 66 | 17 | 250 (1 cup) |
| Snickers bar | 68 | 23 | 60 (1 bar) |
| cranberry juice cocktail | 68 | 24 | 250 (8 oz) |
| High GI (>70) | |||
| Food | Glycemic Index | Glycemic Load | Serving size (grams) |
| white bread | 70 | 9 | 30 (1 slice) |
| PopTarts, dbl choc (Australia) | 70 | 25 | 50 (1 pastry) |
| 100% whole-wheat bread | 73 | 8 | 30 (1 slice) |
| PowerBar, chocolate | 83 | 37 | 65 (1 bar) |
| Russet potato, baked | 85 | 31 | 180 (3-4 inch) |
| honey | 87 | 10 | 15 (1 tbsp) |
| Gatorade, orange | 89 | 11 | 250 (8 oz) |
| cornflakes | 92 | 22 | 30 (1 cup) |
| glucose/dextrose | 99 | 12 | 15 (1 tbsp) |
| dates, dried (Australia) | 103 | 32 | 40 (5 dates) |
| Clif bar, cookies and cream | 104 | 48 | 68 g (1 bar) |
*sources: www.glycemicindex.com (August 2006) and Foster-Powell K, Holt SH, Brand-Miller JC. International table of glycemic and glycemic load values: 2002. Am J Clin Nut 2002;76:5-56
