Extremely Low Glycemic Index Foods

This is an extensive list of meats, vegetables, fruits, fish, poultry and fats that are very low glycemic.  On the table below you will see them listed with numerical values like 0 or under (or less than) 20 or < 20, the numbers vary up to < 40 but any number under 55 is considered low on the usual glycemic index charts.  These foods are low glycemic  because they contain few or no carbohydrates or sugars (which cause blood sugar to rise).  In addition, many of these foods are high in fiber, which helps to prevent excessive blood sugar increases.

Another way to determine the approximate glycemic index of any food is to look for the carb content and the fiber content.  Low carbohydrate high fiber foods are generally low glycemic index foods.

The listings of high protein meat, poultry and fish do not include all varieties but all unprocessed items are mostly 0 on the GI scale.  Some processed meats have added sugar or other high glycemic additives which raise the glycemic index a bit (bacon is one example along with luncheon meats like bologna).  Check the carbohydrate content of the food in order to estimate the glycemic index.

Since the above protein foods have no carbohydrate content, they generally do not raise blood sugar levels excessively.

High protein fish are 0 on the glycemic index (processed products such as surimi are not included, they may be higher).   Adding anything to the fish, including bread crumbs or flour, will of course, increase the glycemic index.Some shellfish are also higher, again, check the carb content to decide about the GI.Below is a table or list of common very low glycemic index foods.

Note that nuts are low glycemic and they contain healthy fats and protein rather than the unhealthy fat found in most meats and other animal products.

Many vegetables are very low glycemic and are an especially good choice for diabetics, particularly when eaten in salads or raw.

Meat and Poultry Beef Steak – 0 Hamburger – 0 Roast – 0 Liver – 0 Pork Chops – 0 Roast – 0 Ground Sausage  <20 Lamb Chops – 0 Roast – 0 Ground – 0 Poultry Chicken – 0 Turkey – 0 Duck – 0 Goose – 0 Fish  Anchovies  < 10 Halibut  < 10 Salmon  < 10 Sardines  < 10 Sole  < 10 Tuna  < 10

Nuts Almonds  < 20 Brazil Nuts  <20 Cashews 25 Hazelnuts  < 30 Peanuts 15 Pine nuts  < 20 Pistachios  < 30 Cheese Brie  < 20 Blue  < 20 Cheddar  < 20 Cottage  < 20 Jack  < 20 Swiss  < 20 Eggs – 0 Oils and Fats Butter – 0 Canola Oil – 0 Ghee – 0 Olive Oil – 0 Peanut Oil – 0 Soy Oil – 0 Fruits Apple – 39 Blackberries  <30 Blueberries  < 30 Cherry – 22 Currant  < 20 Grapefruit – 25 Lemons  < 20 Pear – 38 Plum – 39 Raspberries  <30 Sweeteners Agave Nectar – 11 Fructose  < 20 Xylitol  – 12 Stevia – 0 Sucralose  < 10 Aspartame  < 10 Saccharine  < 10

Vegetables Avocado  < 30 Bell Pepper  <20 Broccoli < 20 Brussels Sprouts <30 Cabbage, Green <20 Cabbage, Red <20 Cauliflower  < 20 Celery  < 20 Chard  < 20 Chili Pepper  <30 Chinese Cabbage  <10 Collards  < 20 Cucumber  < 10 Eggplant  < 20 Fennel  < 20 Garlic  < 20 Green Bean  <20 Jerusalem Artichoke  < 40 Kale  < 20 Kohlrabi  < 30 Leek  < 30 Lettuce, Butter <10 Lettuce, Red  <10 Lettuce, Romaine  < 10 Mushroom  < 30 Onion, Dry  < 30 Onion, Green  <20 Parsley  < 10 Radish  < 10 Shallot  < 20 Soybeans  < 15 Spinach  < 20 Summer Squash -<20 Tomato  < 20 Turnip  < 20 Zucchini  < 20

Resources for this list came from the University of Sydney lists as well as from the USDA lists of carbohydrate contents of many foods.