A glycemic load [GL] of 10 or less is considered low; a GL of 11 to 19 is considered medium; and a GL of 20 or more is considered high. Use the tables here to look up some of your favorite foods to see where they fall, as well as to select low-glycemic foods when planning your meals.
Glycemic load of common bakery treats
Who doesn't enjoy a donut, muffin, or cupcake every now and then? Choose baked goods made with whole grains and fruit for the healthiest and lowest-calorie options. Sweet treats are just that — a sometimes treat, not an everyday part of your food choices. So even though the items in the following table are medium- to high-glycemic, indulging in them once in a while is perfectly okay.
| Food Type | Portion Size | Glycemic Load |
|---|---|---|
| Angel food cake | 2-ounce slice | High |
| Apple muffin | 1 small muffin | Medium |
| Blueberry muffin | 1 small muffin | Medium |
| Bran muffin | 1 small muffin | Medium |
| Cake with frosting | 4-ounce slice | High |
| Donut | 1 donut | Medium |
| Scone | 1 small | Low |
Glycemic load of breads and snacks
Whenever you purchase breads and snacks, look for the phrase 100% whole grain on the package advertising or the word whole listed first in the ingredients. That way you can be confident that you're purchasing the most wholesome, low-glycemic bread and snack products available. Make even better choices by searching out companies that specialize in producing low-glycemic foods, such as Natural Ovens. You can also use the following table as a guide.
| Food Type | Portion Size | Glycemic Load |
|---|---|---|
| 100% whole-wheat bread | 1 ounce | Medium |
| Air-popped popcorn | 3 cups | Low |
| Baguette | 1 ounce | Medium |
| Corn tortilla | 1 small tortilla | Low |
| Gluten-free bread | 1 ounce | Medium |
| Hamburger bun | 1 large bun | Medium |
| Healthy Choice Hearty 100% Whole Grain Bread | 1 ounce | Low |
| Healthy Choice Hearty 7-Grain Bread | 1 ounce | Low |
| Hot dog bun | 1 roll | Medium |
| Natural Ovens 100% Whole-Grain Bread | 1 ounce | Low |
| Natural Ovens Hunger-Filler Bread | 1 ounce | Low |
| Natural Ovens Multi-Grain Bread | 1 ounce | Medium |
| Pita bread | 1/2 of a 6"-diameter pita | Medium |
| Popcorn (plain, air-popped) | 1 ounce | Medium |
| Pretzels | 1/2 cup of small pretzels | Medium |
| Pumpernickel bread | 1 ounce | Low |
| Rice cakes | 2 cakes | Medium |
| Rye bread | 1 ounce | Low |
| Ryvita Rye Crispbread | 2 slices | Low |
| Saltine crackers | 3 crackers | Medium |
| Sourdough bread | 1 ounce | Low |
| Sourdough wheat bread | 1 ounce | Low |
| Stoned wheat thin crackers | 1 ounce | Medium |
| Tortilla chips | 1 ounce | Medium |
| Water crackers | 1 ounce | Medium |
| Wheat-flour flat bread | 1 ounce | Low |
| Wheat tortilla | One 8-inch | Low |
| White bagel | 3 ounces | High |
| White Wonder bread | 1 ounce | Medium |
| Whole-grain rye bread | 1 ounce | Low |
| Whole-wheat bread | 1 ounce | Medium |