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Glycemic Index is a ranking system for carbohydrates based on their immediate effect on blood glucose levels. It is a scale that ranks carbohydrate-rich foods by how much they raise blood glucose levels compared to glucose or white bread. A number of factors determine a food's glycemic index. One of the most important is how highly processed the carbohydrates are. Whole-grain foods tend to have a lower glycemic index than their refined products. For example, white rice, which its bran and germ have been removed, has a higher glycemic index than brown rice, which is less processed.  Glycemic Load is the most practical way to apply the Glycemic Index to dieting, Glycemic Load gives a relative indication of how much that serving of food is likely to increase your blood sugar levels. Because Glycemic Load is related to the food's effect on blood sugar, low Glycemic Load meals are often recommended for diabetic control and weight loss.

Glycemic Indexes and Glycemic Loads for Common Foods The table below shows values of the Glycemic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) for a few common foods.

GI/GL Range: Low 55 or less/10 or less Intermediate 55 - 70/10 - 20 High 70 or higher/20 or higher

GI and GL for Common Foods Food GI Serving Size Net Carbs GL Peanuts 14  4 oz (113g) 15 2 Eggplant,Artichoke, Asparagus, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumber, Eggplant, Green beans, Lettuce, Spinach,Tomatoes, Zucchini 15          Bean sprouts 25  1 cup (104g) 4 1 Grapefruit 25  1/2 large (166g) 11 3 Pizza 30  2 slices (260g) 42 13 Lowfat yogurt 33  1 cup (245g) 47 16 Apples 38  1 medium (138g) 16 6 Spaghetti 42  1 cup (140g) 38 16 Carrots 47  1 large (72g) 5 2 Oranges 48  1 medium (131g) 12 6 Bananas 52  1 large (136g) 27 14 Potato chips 54  4 oz (114g) 55 30 Snickers Bar, Popcorn 55  1 bar (113g) 64 35 Brown rice 55  1 cup (195g) 42 23 Honey 55  1 tbsp (21g) 17 9 Oatmeal 58  1 cup (234g) 21 12 Ice cream 61  1 cup (72g) 16 10 Macaroni and cheese 64  1 serving (166g) 47 30 Raisins 64  1 small box (43g) 32 20 White rice 64  1 cup (186g) 52 33 Sugar (sucrose) 68  1 tbsp (12g) 12 8 White bread 70  1 slice (30g) 14 10 Watermelon 72  1 cup (154g) 11 8 Popcorn 72  2 cups (16g) 10 7 Baked potato 85  1 medium (173g) 33 28 Rice pasta 92          Glucose 100  (50g) 50 50 Dates 103