A Glycemic index (GI) is basically a ranking system of our carbohydrates that describes how quickly your food will influence your blood sugar level. This GI tool gives an idea of the rate of absorption and digestion of your carbohydrates. The GI has been classified in three categories - low, medium and high GI. The high glycemic index foods are quickly broken down in your intestine and cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels after consumption. The moderate glycemic index foods get broken slightly slow in your intestine than high GI. These foods may also spike your blood sugar but not instantly. Low-GI foods are best for your health if you want to stay healthy and lean. The purpose of a low GI diet is to provide sustained energy levels and prevent the instant rise of blood glucose levels. Low GI foods do not spike your blood sugar. Because of this, they reduce the risk of having diabetes. The glycemic index only tells what food increases blood glucose but fails to describe how much food we should take at a particular time. Therefore, Glycemic Index is not a perfect system but a helpful tool for calculating glycemic load. Glycemic load gives a more accurate picture of your food. It describes the effect of a specific amount of carbohydrates on blood glucose levels. Overall, glycemic load minimizes the limitation of glycemic index.

1. Know Glycemic Index of Indian Foods for
Diabetes Reversal: non-pharmacological
management of Diabetes
Posted By SUMIT SHARMA
Contents
● Introduction
● What does glycemic index mean, and why is it important in Diabetes?
● Which Indian foods have a high glycemic index?
● What foods are a moderate glycemic index?
● Which Indian food has a lowest glycemic index?
● What are the limitations of glycemic index? Why is the glycemic index sometimes misleading?
● How to overcome the limitation of glycemic index?
● What Indian food is OK for Diabetics?

2. 1. Glycemic load of watermelon
2. Glycemic load of mango
3. Glycemic load of banana
4. Glycemic load of Paneer
● Conclusion
● FAQ
Q 1. What foods have a 0 glycemic index?
Q 2. Can I eat Banana if I have Diabetes?
Q 3. Is papaya low glycemic?
Q 4. Is pomegranate low glycemic?
Q 5. Is guava good for diabetes?
Introduction
Diabetes cases have been increasing in recent times. In India, the major culprit of
diabetes is to consuming refined carbohydrates. So, it is essential to understand the
glycemic index of Indian foods.
Carbohydrates are considered a base of Indian foods. They are powerful stimulants
for insulin secretion that causes insulin resistance.
We all know that insulin resistance is the main reason for developing diabetes.

3. Should we stop eating carbohydrates?
Everyone needs carbohydrates, but it doesn’t mean we should eat anything in our
food.
Our body is designed to eat good and healthy nutrients.
All carbohydrates are not similar. Some are a good source of carbs, and some are
bad carbs.
Good carbs are also called complex carbohydrates, whereas bad carbs are called
simple carbohydrates.
Simple carbohydrates are easily digestible and absorbable, which spikes your
blood sugar level. On the contrary, complex carbohydrates are slowly digestible
and absorbable that do not spike your blood sugar level.
A glycemic index is a tool that tells what else carbohydrate makes your blood
sugar rise or decrease.
Using the glycemic index, you can find your best carbohydrate to control diabetes.
Therefore, it is essential to know everything about glycemic index, and we should
also understand what low glycemic index of Indian foods that controls diabetes
mellitus.
Let the article be started.

4. What does glycemic index mean, and why is it important
in Diabetes?
A Glycemic index (GI) is basically a ranking system of our carbohydrates that
describes how quickly your food will influence your blood sugar level.
Let me explain in a nutshell.
The GI does not present in fat and protein. It is present in carbohydrates, giving
information only about carbohydrate food.
Whatever we eat carbohydrates in our daily routine, it gets converted into glucose.
Eventually, we get energy in the form of ATP.
Those carbohydrates are quickly digested and absorbed; they shoot up your blood
sugar, which is bad for diabetes mellitus.
While some carbohydrates are good for diabetes and they do not spike your blood
sugar level.
This GI tool gives an idea of the rate of absorption and digestion of your
carbohydrates.
The concept of GI was introduced in 1981 by David J. Jenkins and co-workers to
control Diabetes.
According to a study of NCBI, the GI represents the scale from 0 to 100, and it has
been classified into three categories –
Glycemic Index Range
Less than 55 Low Glycemic Index

5. 56 to 69 Moderate Glycemic Index
More than 70 High Glycemic Index

6. Which Indian foods have a high glycemic index?
The high glycemic index foods are quickly broken down in your intestine and
cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels after consumption.
This elevated PPBS (postprandial blood sugar) level is unsuitable for your health.
These carbohydrates have more than 70 GI values.
Many observational studies suggest high GI foods are strongly associated with
diabetes mellitus, obesity, coronary heart disease and cancer.
Sometimes, these high-GI foods can be beneficial to those who need instant
energy. For example, athletes, dancers, sportspeople and hypoglycaemia
conditions.
Let’s see the high Glycemic Index chart of Indian foods –
High Glycemic Index Chart of Indian foods (>70 GI)

7. S. No. Food Items GI value
1. Glycemic Index of maltodextrin 95
2. Glycemic Index of instant mashed Potato 88
3. Glycemic Index of Corn Flakes 85
4. Glycemic Index of Jaggery 84
5. Glycemic Index of boiled Potato 82
6. Glycemic Index of White Bread 81
7. Glycemic Index of Regular White Rice (waxy
or sticky rice after cooking)
79
8. Glycemic Index of Watermelon 72
9. Glycemic Index of Naan (white floor) 71
10. Glycemic Index of Sweet Potato 70

8. 11. Glycemic Index of Biscuits and Cookies 70
Here, Maltodextrin is used as a food additive in many products, including
processed foods, sauces, beverages, and sports drinks.
As far as the waxy rice is concerned, they have a high amount of amylopectin and
a low amount of amylose. This high amylopectin is not suitable for health that
spikes blood sugar levels.
What foods are a moderate glycemic index?
The moderate glycemic index foods get broken slightly slow in your intestine than
high GI. These foods may also spike your blood sugar but not instantly.
They have glycemic numbers ranging from 56 to 69. There are some examples of
moderate GI foods –
Moderate Glycemic Index Chart of
Indian foods (56 to 69 GI)
S.
No.
Food Items GI
value
1. Glycemic Index
of Pineapple
59

9. 2. Glycemic Index
of Papaya
60
3. Glycemic Index
of Sugary soft
drinks
60
4. Glycemic Index
of Honey
60
5. Glycemic Index
of Whole wheat
chapati
62
6. Glycemic Index
of Corn Chips
63
7. Glycemic Index
of Table Sugar
65
8. Glycemic Index
of Pumpkin
65
9. Glycemic Index
of Suji
66

10. 10. Glycemic Index
of Hamburger
66
Which Indian food has a lowest glycemic index?
If you are taking high-GI foods, you must stop and think! Is it the right food for
you or not?
You might choose moderate GI foods but should always prefer low GI foods.
Low-GI foods are best for your health if you want to stay healthy and lean.
The purpose of a low GI diet is to provide sustained energy levels and prevent the
instant rise of blood glucose levels.
Low GI foods do not spike your blood sugar. Because of this, they reduce the risk
of having diabetes.
Moreover, a low GI food may also be beneficial in certain conditions –
● Decrease risk of heart disease and stroke
● Increase sensitivity of Insulin receptors
● Decrease obesity or maintain a healthy weight
● Control your appetite
● Control your cholesterol level (↓ LDL & ↑ HDL level)
● Resolve your acne problems

11. Here, I have mentioned the low glycemic index of Indian foods in different
categories –
Table 1
Low Glycemic Index Chart of Fruits (<55 GI)
S. No. Food Items GI value
1. Glycemic Index of Guava 12-24
2. Glycemic Index of Cherry 20
3. Glycemic Index of Pomegranate 35
4. Glycemic Index of Pear 38
5. Glycemic Index of Apple 39
6. Glycemic Index of Orange & Plum 40
7. Glycemic Index of Peach 42
8. Glycemic Index of Banana 51

12. 9. Glycemic Index of Mango, Grapes and
Blueberries
53
10. Glycemic Index of Custard Apple 54
Table 2
Low Glycemic Index Chart of Grains (<55 GI)
S.No. Food Items GI value
1. Glycemic Index of Indian Pulses 8 to 51
2. Glycemic Index of cooked Bulgur (Dalia) 46
3. Glycemic Index of Multigrain Bread 48
4. Glycemic Index of Wholegrain Basmati rice
(long grain varieties)
50 to 58
5. Glycemic index of sweet corn 52

13. 6. Glycemic Index of Brown Rice 55
7. Glycemic Index of Jowar Roti (Sorghum) <55
8. Glycemic Index of Poha <55
Here, Brown rice and long-grain white basmati rice have a high amount of amylose
and a low amount of amylopectin. This ratio is good for Diabetes.
Table 3
Low Glycemic Index Chart of Vegetables (<55 GI)
S. No. Food Items GI value
1. Glycemic Index of Cauliflower, Cabbage,
Cucumber, radish and Broccoli
15
2. Glycemic Index of Lady Finger 20
3. Glycemic Index of Tomato, Carrots, and
Beetroot
30

14. Table 4
Low Glycemic Index Chart of Dairy Products (<55 GI)
S.No. Food Items GI value
1. Glycemic Index of Plain Yogurt 14
2. Glycemic Index of Milk 30 to 37
3. Glycemic Index of low-fat Vanilla Ice
cream
46
Click here – Low glycemic Index Indian foods List PDF
What are the limitations of glycemic index? Why is the
glycemic index sometimes misleading?
Having a low GI doesn’t mean the food is nutrient-dense or healthy.
GI tool is only used to measure the glycemic response (PPBS level) after
consuming carbohydrate-containing foods. There will be no GI of foods that do not
contain carbs.
GI tool is not always 100% accurate.

15. Because GI does not tell us the quantity of carbohydrates means how much
carbohydrates we should take in our meal.
Suppose a food has a very low GI; it does not mean we keep eating for a whole
day.
Let’s understand with an example –
If you see the nutritional values of Chinese noodles. It has a low GI (35), but it
contains very high carbs (67 g) in 100 g noodles.
This food indicates a low GI food can have high carbs. Eating a large portion of a
low-GI meal can also increase your blood sugar level.
Similarly, a high-GI food can have a low amount of carbs.
For example, watermelon has a high GI (72) but contains much fewer carbs (7 g in
100 g watermelon). Watermelon fruit contains 92% water.
Instead of having a high GI of watermelon, Diabetes people can eat watermelon
because it contains significantly fewer carbs.
Thus, GI theories are not giving clarity because it does not reflect the quantity of
carbs.
Another limitation is that it does not describe the insulin production in our body,
which can be measured by the insulin index.
Moreover, several factors influence the value of glycemic index –
1. Ripening
Excess ripped fruit may have high GI. For example, the GI of Banana fruit goes up
as they start ripening.
● Banana (green, unripe) – Low GI
● Banana (ripe, yellow) – Medium GI

16. ● Banana (overripe, brown) – High GI
2. Processing or cooking
GI of carbs may be altered in processed food. Overcooking may also increase the
GI of food. The longer you cook food or starches like pasta. Then, GI will be
higher.
For example,
Unprocessed food (e.g., boiled sweet corn) has a low GI. While roasting or baking
foods (e.g., crisp potatoes) will be a high GI.
3. Particle size
Fruit juice has a high GI rather than complete fruit. For example, the whole orange
fruit has a low GI. While GI can be increased in orange juice.
4. Varieties of food
Brown rice or long-grain basmati rice has a low GI, whereas regular waxy white
rice has a high GI.
How to overcome the limitation of glycemic index?
Researchers have found the Glycemic Load formula to address the limitation of
glycemic index.
This Glycemic load (GL) tool tells how much carbohydrate will raise blood sugar
levels. In short, it describes the quantity and quality of food.

17. To calculate glycemic load, you must know the glycemic index and carbohydrate
content of a particular portion of food. Then, you need to multiply its carbohydrate
content by its glycemic index and divide by 100.
Glycemic Load (GL) = GI of carbs X amount of carbs (g)/100
According to a study, the glycemic load has been classified into three categories –
Glycemic Load Range
Low Glycemic Load 0 to 10
Medium Glycemic load 11 to 19
High Glycemic load 20 and over

18. What Indian food is OK for Diabetics?
If you have diabetes, you need to select your food by yourself.
To manage Diabetes, you still need a healthy meal plan that includes protein and
fat.
The glycemic load tool is the best way to find your food to manage diabetes.
It would always be better to consider a low glycemic load of food in your diabetic
diet because it does not increase your blood glucose.
Glycemic load tells what food is good for you and how much you should take in
your diet. Low GL is a safe range. You should keep your food in less than 10 GL
range.
Diabetes people are always in a dilemma about what food and how much food we
should take.
Let’s take examples of some foods and calculate their GL value.
1. Glycemic load of watermelon
To calculate the GL of watermelon, you will require to know the glycemic index
and carbohydrate content of a particular portion of watermelon.
Suppose we have taken 100 gm watermelon, and its carbohydrate content is 8 g.
The glycemic index of watermelon is 72.
It would help if you put these values in the glycemic load formula.

19. Glycemic Load (GL) = GI of watermelon x carbs content of 100 g watermelon
/100
= 72 x 8/100
= 5.7 (low GL)
Here, you have seen that the glycemic load is around 5 (low GL) of 100 gm
watermelon, which is safe in diabetes.
2. Glycemic load of mango
In India, the Mango fruit has also been controversial when discussing this fruit in
Diabetes.
Let’s know the truth and find out the glycemic load of mango.
Glycemic Load (GL) = GI of mango x carbs content of 100 gm mango /100

20. = 52 x 15
= 7.8 (low GL)
You can see the glycemic load of 100 g mango is around 8, which is considered a
low GL range.
There will be no spike in blood glucose levels if you consume up to 100 grams of
mango daily.
3. Glycemic load of banana
Bananas are a healthy addition to a balanced diet for people with Diabetes when
eaten in moderation.
Glycemic Load (GL) = GI of Banana x carbs content of 100 g banana /100

21. = 51 x 23/100
= 11.73 (moderate GL)
If you consume Banana in moderation or less than 100 g, then it will not spike your
blood sugar level.
4. Glycemic load of Paneer
If you see the nutritional value of Paneer, it contains –
● Low glycemic index
● High protein
● High fat

22. ● Negligible carbohydrates
The glycemic index of Paneer is 30. If you take 100 g paneer, you will get 4 g
carbohydrates.
Glycemic Load (GL) = GI of Paneer x carbs content of 100 g Paneer /100
= 30 x 4/100

23. = 1.2 (Very low GL)
So, Paneer is an excellent food choice for diabetes because it does not shoot up
blood glucose.
Similarly, you can find the GL value of any food and consider it in your diet to
control Diabetes.
Conclusion
We have seen the different categories of Glycemic Index of Indian Foods.
The glycemic index only tells what food increases blood glucose but fails to
describe how much food we should take at a particular time.
Therefore, Glycemic Index is not a perfect system but a helpful tool for calculating
glycemic load.
Glycemic load gives a more accurate picture of your food. It describes the effect of
a specific amount of carbohydrates on blood glucose levels.
Overall, glycemic load minimizes the limitation of glycemic index.
If you have diabetes, you should keep your food in the low glycemic load category.
I hope you found this article informative. It will help to reverse your Diabetes.
FAQ
Q 1. What foods have a 0 glycemic index?
The glycemic index is absent in foods that do not contain carbohydrates, such as
oil, fish, chicken, meats, etc.

24. Q 2. Can I eat Banana if I have Diabetes?
The glycemic load of a Banana is 11, which is moderate GL. You can add banana
fruit to your diabetic diet in moderation.
Q 3. Is papaya low glycemic?
The glycemic index of Papaya is 60, which is moderate GI. It is absolutely safe in
diabetes because if you calculate the glycemic load of 100 g papaya, then it would
be around 4 (low GL).
Q 4. Is pomegranate low glycemic?
Yes. The glycemic index of pomegranate is 35, which is low GI and carbohydrate
content of 100 g pomegranate is 17g. If you calculate glycemic load of
pomegranante, it would be around 6 (low GL).
Q 5. Is guava good for diabetes?
Yes. Guava can be a great fruit choice in diabetes. The glycemic index of guava is
18 and carbs content of 100 g guava is 14 g. If you calculate glycemic load of
guava, it would be around 2 (low GL).