A well-balanced diet is essential in reducing one’s risk of developing type II diabetes. It is important to eat foods that will help keep one’s weight in check and maintain relatively consistent levels of sugar in the bloodstream.
Glycemic Index (GI)
A glycemic index or GI, measures how a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood glucose (American Diabetes Association). Eating foods with low glycemic indexes prevents large spikes and drops in one’s blood sugar level and also helps curbs appetite which can contribute to weight loss.
Below is a list of 100 foods and their GI obtained from health.harvard.edu
FOOD | Glycemic index (glucose = 100) | Serving size (grams) | Glycemic load per serving |
BAKERY PRODUCTS AND BREADS | |||
Banana cake, made with sugar | 47 | 60 | 14 |
Banana cake, made without sugar | 55 | 60 | 12 |
Sponge cake, plain | 46 | 63 | 17 |
Vanilla cake made from packet mix with vanilla frosting (Betty Crocker) | 42 | 111 | 24 |
Apple, made with sugar | 44 | 60 | 13 |
Apple, made without sugar | 48 | 60 | 9 |
Waffles, Aunt Jemima (Quaker Oats) | 76 | 35 | 10 |
Bagel, white, frozen | 72 | 70 | 25 |
Baguette, white, plain | 95 | 30 | 15 |
Coarse barley bread, 75-80% kernels, average | 34 | 30 | 7 |
Hamburger bun | 61 | 30 | 9 |
Kaiser roll | 73 | 30 | 12 |
Pumpernickel bread | 56 | 30 | 7 |
50% cracked wheat kernel bread | 58 | 30 | 12 |
White wheat flour bread | 71 | 30 | 10 |
Wonder™ bread, average | 73 | 30 | 10 |
Whole wheat bread, average | 71 | 30 | 9 |
100% Whole Grain™ bread (Natural Ovens) | 51 | 30 | 7 |
Pita bread, white | 68 | 30 | 10 |
Corn tortilla | 52 | 50 | 12 |
Wheat tortilla | 30 | 50 | 8 |
BEVERAGES | |||
Coca Cola®, average | 63 | 250 mL | 16 |
Fanta®, orange soft drink | 68 | 250 mL | 23 |
Lucozade®, original (sparkling glucose drink) | 95±10 | 250 mL | 40 |
Apple juice, unsweetened, average | 44 | 250 mL | 30 |
Cranberry juice cocktail (Ocean Spray®) | 68 | 250 mL | 24 |
Gatorade | 78 | 250 mL | 12 |
Orange juice, unsweetened | 50 | 250 mL | 12 |
Tomato juice, canned | 38 | 250 mL | 4 |
BREAKFAST CEREALS AND RELATED PRODUCTS | |||
All-Bran™, average | 55 | 30 | 12 |
Coco Pops™, average | 77 | 30 | 20 |
Cornflakes™, average | 93 | 30 | 23 |
Cream of Wheat™ (Nabisco) | 66 | 250 | 17 |
Cream of Wheat™, Instant (Nabisco) | 74 | 250 | 22 |
Grapenuts™, average | 75 | 30 | 16 |
Muesli, average | 66 | 30 | 16 |
Oatmeal, average | 55 | 250 | 13 |
Instant oatmeal, average | 83 | 250 | 30 |
Puffed wheat, average | 80 | 30 | 17 |
Raisin Bran™ (Kellogg’s) | 61 | 30 | 12 |
Special K™ (Kellogg’s) | 69 | 30 | 14 |
GRAINS | |||
Pearled barley, average | 28 | 150 | 12 |
Sweet corn on the cob, average | 60 | 150 | 20 |
Couscous, average | 65 | 150 | 9 |
Quinoa | 53 | 150 | 13 |
White rice, average | 89 | 150 | 43 |
Quick cooking white basmati | 67 | 150 | 28 |
Brown rice, average | 50 | 150 | 16 |
Converted, white rice (Uncle Ben’s®) | 38 | 150 | 14 |
Whole wheat kernels, average | 30 | 50 | 11 |
Bulgur, average | 48 | 150 | 12 |
COOKIES AND CRACKERS | |||
Graham crackers | 74 | 25 | 14 |
Vanilla wafers | 77 | 25 | 14 |
Shortbread | 64 | 25 | 10 |
Rice cakes, average | 82 | 25 | 17 |
Rye crisps, average | 64 | 25 | 11 |
Soda crackers | 74 | 25 | 12 |
DAIRY PRODUCTS AND ALTERNATIVES | |||
Ice cream, regular | 57 | 50 | 6 |
Ice cream, premium | 38 | 50 | 3 |
Milk, full fat | 41 | 250mL | 5 |
Milk, skim | 32 | 250 mL | 4 |
Reduced-fat yogurt with fruit, average | 33 | 200 | 11 |
FRUITS | |||
Apple, average | 39 | 120 | 6 |
Banana, ripe | 62 | 120 | 16 |
Dates, dried | 42 | 60 | 18 |
Grapefruit | 25 | 120 | 3 |
Grapes, average | 59 | 120 | 11 |
Orange, average | 40 | 120 | 4 |
Peach, average | 42 | 120 | 5 |
Peach, canned in light syrup | 40 | 120 | 5 |
Pear, average | 38 | 120 | 4 |
Pear, canned in pear juice | 43 | 120 | 5 |
Prunes, pitted | 29 | 60 | 10 |
Raisins | 64 | 60 | 28 |
Watermelon | 72 | 120 | 4 |
BEANS AND NUTS | |||
Baked beans, average | 40 | 150 | 6 |
Blackeye peas, average | 33 | 150 | 10 |
Black beans | 30 | 150 | 7 |
Chickpeas, average | 10 | 150 | 3 |
Chickpeas, canned in brine | 38 | 150 | 9 |
Navy beans, average | 31 | 150 | 9 |
Kidney beans, average | 29 | 150 | 7 |
Lentils, average | 29 | 150 | 5 |
Soy beans, average | 15 | 150 | 1 |
Cashews, salted | 27 | 50 | 3 |
Peanuts, average | 7 | 50 | 0 |
PASTA and NOODLES | |||
Fettucini, average | 32 | 180 | 15 |
Macaroni, average | 47 | 180 | 23 |
Macaroni and Cheese (Kraft) | 64 | 180 | 32 |
Spaghetti, white, boiled, average | 46 | 180 | 22 |
Spaghetti, white, boiled 20 min, average | 58 | 180 | 26 |
Spaghetti, wholemeal, boiled, average | 42 | 180 | 17 |
SNACK FOODS | |||
Corn chips, plain, salted, average | 42 | 50 | 11 |
Fruit Roll-Ups® | 99 | 30 | 24 |
M & M’s®, peanut | 33 | 30 | 6 |
Microwave popcorn, plain, average | 55 | 20 | 6 |
Potato chips, average | 51 | 50 | 12 |
Pretzels, oven-baked | 83 | 30 | 16 |
Snickers Bar® | 51 | 60 | 18 |
VEGETABLES | |||
Green peas, average | 51 | 80 | 4 |
Carrots, average | 35 | 80 | 2 |
Parsnips | 52 | 80 | 4 |
Baked russet potato, average | 111 | 150 | 33 |
Boiled white potato, average | 82 | 150 | 21 |
Instant mashed potato, average | 87 | 150 | 17 |
Sweet potato, average | 70 | 150 | 22 |
Yam, average | 54 | 150 | 20 |
MISCELLANEOUS | |||
Hummus (chickpea salad dip) | 6 | 30 | 0 |
Chicken nuggets, frozen, reheated in microwave oven 5 min | 46 | 100 | 7 |
Pizza, plain baked dough, served with parmesan cheese and tomato sauce | 80 | 100 | 22 |
Pizza, Super Supreme (Pizza Hut) | 36 | 100 | 9 |
Honey, average | 61 | 25 | 12 |
The complete list of the glycemic index and glycemic load for more than 1,000 foods can be found in the article “International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2008” by Fiona S. Atkinson, Kaye Foster-Powell, and Jennie C. Brand-Miller in the December 2008 issue of Diabetes Care, Vol. 31, number 12, pages 2281-2283.
An earlier version of this table appeared here: “International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2002,” by Kaye Foster-Powell, Susanna H.A. Holt, and Janette C. Brand-Miller in the July 2002 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 62, pages 5–56.
source: http://www.health.harvard.edu/glycemic
Carbohydrates
The amount of carbohydrate in a food should also be carefully considered as carbohydrates are essentially converted to sugar in the body. One would should limit the amount of carbohydrates eaten daily to a minimum if they are prediabetic. Generally, one should eat foods that are high in fiber, low in fat, unprocessed, and unrefined.
Here is a chart describing foods to avoid and a couple of smarter alternatives to eat instead that can still help get the nutrients the body needs (according to myfoodplate.gov and American Diabetes Association). The important thing to remember is that one doesn’t have to avoid the foods listed entirely, but to eat them less frequently and in smaller portions:
AVOID: |
ALTERNATIVES: |
|
FRUITS |
Raisins, dried fruits, pineapples, mangoes, grapes, bananas, juices from concentrate |
Apples, strawberries, grapefruit, blueberries, raspberries |
GRAINS |
White bread, packaged pastries, foods made from white flour |
Whole oats, brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat |
VEGETABLE |
French fries, canned vegetables, potatoes, corn |
Beans, leafy greens, broccoli, celery, cucumber, eggplant |
PROTEIN |
Fatty red meats, processed meats such as hot dogs |
Beans, fish, skinless chicken, skinless turkey |
DAIRY |
Sugar-filled flavored yogurts, whole milk, cheddar cheese |
Fat free or 1% milk, plain or nonfat yogurt, soy milk, almond milk, cottage cheese |