Low Glycemic Foods List and Carb Counts

Carbohydrate, fiber, net carbs and glycemic index for 80 common foods, from USDA FoodData Central and the international glycemic index tables. Search, filter and sort, or open a food for portions and pairings.

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Carbs per serving

80 foods

Foods with carbs and glycemic index. Use the column buttons to sort.
		Serving
Almonds	Fats and nuts	1 oz (about 23 almonds)	6	3.5	2.5	Not applicable
Apple	Fruits	cup, quartered or chopped	17	3	14	Low (39–44)
Asparagus	Vegetables	cup	5.2	2.8	2.4	Not applicable
Avocado	Fats and nuts	half an avocado	5.8	4.6	1.2	Not applicable
Banana	Fruits	1 medium	27	3.1	24	Low to medium (47–57)
Beef sirloin steak, grilled	Proteins	3 oz cooked	0	0	0	Not applicable
Beer, regular	Drinks	can	12	0	12	Medium (66)
Black beans, cooked	Proteins	0.5 cup	20	7.5	13	Low (23–32)
Blueberries	Fruits	cup	21	3.6	18	Not listed
Broccoli	Vegetables	cup chopped	6	2.4	3.6	Not applicable
Brown rice, cooked	Grains and starches	cup	52	3.2	48	Medium to high (65–87)
Cabbage	Vegetables	cup, chopped	5.2	2.2	2.9	Not applicable
Canned tuna in water	Proteins	3 oz	0	0	0	Not applicable
Carrots	Vegetables	cup chopped	12	3.6	8.7	Low (32–49)
Cauliflower	Vegetables	cup chopped	5.4	2.1	3.2	Not applicable
Cheddar cheese	Dairy and alternatives	1 oz slice	1	0	1	Not applicable
Cheese pizza, regular crust	Grains and starches	1 serving (per package label)	23	1.8	22	Not listed
Cherries, sweet	Fruits	cup, with pits	22	2.9	19	Low to medium (29–63)
Chicken breast, roasted	Proteins	3 oz cooked	0	0	0	Not applicable
Chickpeas, cooked	Proteins	0.5 cup	22	6.2	16	Low (36)
Coffee, black	Drinks	cup	0	0	0	Not applicable
Corn, sweet	Grains and starches	cup	27	2.9	24	Low to medium (51–59)
Cucumber	Vegetables	0.5 cup slices	1.9	0.3	1.6	Not applicable
Dates, Medjool	Fruits	date, pitted	18	1.6	16	Low (47)
Diet soda	Drinks	can	0.4	0	0.4	Not applicable
Egg, hard-boiled	Proteins	1 large	0.6	0	0.6	Not applicable
Eggplant	Vegetables	cup, cubes	4.8	2.5	2.4	Not applicable
Flour tortilla	Grains and starches	tortilla	24	1.7	22	Not listed
Grapefruit	Fruits	cup sections, with juice	19	2.5	16	Not listed
Grapes	Fruits	cup	27	1.4	26	Low (48–54)
Green beans	Vegetables	cup 1/2" pieces	7	2.7	4.3	Not applicable
Green peas	Vegetables	cup	21	8.3	13	Low (25–29)
Honey	Sweets and treats	1 tbsp	17	0	17	Low to high (35–74)
Kale	Vegetables	cup	0.9	0.9	0.1	Not applicable
Kiwi	Fruits	cup, sliced	26	5.4	21	Low (47)
Lemon	Fruits	1 lemon	5.4	1.6	3.8	Not applicable
Lentils, cooked	Proteins	0.5 cup	20	7.8	12	Low (21–37)
Mango	Fruits	cup pieces	25	2.6	22	Low (31–34)
Maple syrup	Sweets and treats	1 tbsp	13	0	13	Low (54)
Milk chocolate	Sweets and treats	1 oz	17	1	16	Low (39–54)
Milk, 2%	Dairy and alternatives	cup	12	0	12	Low (26–34)
Mushrooms	Vegetables	cup, pieces or slices	2.3	0.7	1.6	Not applicable
Oat cereal (Cheerios-type)	Grains and starches	1 cup	20	2.8	18	Not listed
Oatmeal, cooked with water	Grains and starches	cup	28	4	24	Low to medium (48–63)
Olive oil	Fats and nuts	1 tbsp	0	0	0	Not applicable
Onion	Vegetables	cup, chopped	15	2.7	12	Not applicable
Orange juice	Drinks	cup	26	0.5	25	Low (41–46)
Oranges	Fruits	cup, sections	21	4.3	17	Low (33–45)
Pasta, cooked	Grains and starches	cup spaghetti not packed	38	2.2	36	Low (45–55)
Peach	Fruits	cup slices	15	2.3	12	High (76)
Peanut butter	Fats and nuts	2 tbsp	7.1	1.6	5.5	Not applicable
Pear	Fruits	cup, sliced	21	4.3	17	Low (24–33)
Pineapple	Fruits	cup, chunks	22	2.3	19	Low to high (39–82)
Plain bagel	Grains and starches	medium bagel	56	2.4	54	Medium to high (61–77)
Plain low-fat yogurt	Dairy and alternatives	container	12	0	12	Low (35)
Popcorn, air-popped	Grains and starches	1 cup	6.2	1.2	5.1	Low (55)
Potato	Grains and starches	Potato medium	37	4.5	33	Low to high (41–94)
Quinoa, cooked	Grains and starches	cup	39	5.2	34	Not listed
Raspberries	Fruits	cup	15	8	6.6	Not listed
Red bell pepper	Vegetables	cup, chopped	8.9	3.1	5.8	Not applicable
Red wine	Drinks	serving	3.8	0	3.8	Not applicable
Romaine lettuce	Vegetables	cup shredded	1.6	1	0.6	Not applicable
Salmon, cooked	Proteins	3 oz cooked	0	0	0	Not applicable
Shrimp, cooked	Proteins	3 oz cooked	0.2	0	0.2	Not applicable
Spinach	Vegetables	cup	1.1	0.7	0.4	Not applicable
Strawberries	Fruits	cup, halves	12	3	8.7	Low (40)
Sushi roll, California	Grains and starches	1 roll, 6 to 8 pieces	28	1.5	26	Low (45–48)
Sweet potato	Grains and starches	cup, cubes	27	4	23	Low to high (48–94)
Sweet potato fries, frozen	Grains and starches	3 oz	22	2.9	19	Not listed
Tofu, firm	Proteins	0.5 cup	3.5	2.9	0.6	Not applicable
Tomato	Vegetables	cup cherry tomatoes	5.8	1.8	4	Not applicable
Turkey, light meat, roasted	Proteins	3 oz cooked	0	0	0	Not applicable
Vanilla ice cream	Sweets and treats	serving 1/2 cup	16	0.5	15	Low to medium (36–68)
Walnuts	Fats and nuts	1 oz	3.8	1.9	2	Not applicable
Water	Drinks	bottle 11.2 fl oz	0	0	0	Not applicable
Watermelon	Fruits	cup, balls	12	0.6	11	Low to high (50–80)
White bread	Grains and starches	1 slice	14	0.8	14	Medium to high (59–88)
White rice, cooked	Grains and starches	cup	45	0.6	44	Low to high (50–83)
Whole-wheat bread	Grains and starches	slice	14	1.9	12	Medium to high (69–77)
Zucchini	Vegetables	cup, chopped	3.8	1.2	2.6	Not applicable

Serving sizes are USDA household measures. GI is shown as band and range of published values; “not applicable” means too little carbohydrate to test and “not listed” means we found no matching published entry.

How to use this low glycemic foods list

The glycemic index (GI) ranks carbohydrate foods by how quickly they raise blood glucose compared with pure glucose. Foods with a GI of 55 or less are called low, 56 to 69 medium, and 70 or higher high. People who track carbohydrate sometimes use the index to compare foods in the same group, like two kinds of rice or two breakfast cereals.

It works best as one clue, not a rule. A food’s index changes with ripeness, cooking and what you eat it with, and a low-GI food eaten in a large portion still raises glucose. That is why every row also shows carbs, fiber and net carbs per serving, and every food page shows glycemic load, which accounts for portion size.

We only show values that are published. Where the international tables list several studies for a food, the range is shown. Foods with almost no carbohydrate, like eggs, meat and oils, are marked “not applicable”. Where we found no matching entry, we say so instead of guessing.

Food guides

Each guide has carbs by portion, the glycemic index and load with the studies behind them, how the food fits the plate method, and portion ideas.

Banana

1 medium: 27 g carbs · Low to medium (47–57)

Apple

cup, quartered or chopped: 17 g carbs · Low (39–44)

Sweet potato

cup, cubes: 27 g carbs · Low to high (48–94)

Potato

Potato medium: 37 g carbs · Low to high (41–94)

White rice, cooked

cup: 45 g carbs · Low to high (50–83)

Strawberries

cup, halves: 12 g carbs · Low (40)

Carrots

cup chopped: 12 g carbs · Low (32–49)

Watermelon

cup, balls: 12 g carbs · Low to high (50–80)

Quinoa, cooked

cup: 39 g carbs · Not listed

Corn, sweet

cup: 27 g carbs · Low to medium (51–59)

Grapes

cup: 27 g carbs · Low (48–54)

Oatmeal, cooked with water

cup: 28 g carbs · Low to medium (48–63)

White bread

1 slice: 14 g carbs · Medium to high (59–88)

Pasta, cooked

cup spaghetti not packed: 38 g carbs · Low (45–55)

Black beans, cooked

0.5 cup: 20 g carbs · Low (23–32)

Milk, 2%

cup: 12 g carbs · Low (26–34)

Flour tortilla

tortilla: 24 g carbs · Not listed

Cheese pizza, regular crust

1 serving (per package label): 23 g carbs · Not listed

Honey

1 tbsp: 17 g carbs · Low to high (35–74)

Popcorn, air-popped

1 cup: 6.2 g carbs · Low (55)

Cheddar cheese

1 oz slice: 1 g carbs · Not applicable

Oranges

cup, sections: 21 g carbs · Low (33–45)

Peanut butter

2 tbsp: 7.1 g carbs · Not applicable

Vanilla ice cream

serving 1/2 cup: 16 g carbs · Low to medium (36–68)

Pineapple

cup, chunks: 22 g carbs · Low to high (39–82)

Egg, hard-boiled

1 large: 0.6 g carbs · Not applicable

Cherries, sweet

cup, with pits: 22 g carbs · Low to medium (29–63)

Mango

cup pieces: 25 g carbs · Low (31–34)

Milk chocolate

1 oz: 17 g carbs · Low (39–54)

Blueberries

cup: 21 g carbs · Not listed

Dates, Medjool

date, pitted: 18 g carbs · Low (47)

Sushi roll, California

1 roll, 6 to 8 pieces: 28 g carbs · Low (45–48)

Beer, regular

can: 12 g carbs · Medium (66)

Red wine

serving: 3.8 g carbs · Not applicable

Coffee, black

cup: 0 g carbs · Not applicable

Diet soda

can: 0.4 g carbs · Not applicable

Maple syrup

1 tbsp: 13 g carbs · Low (54)

Sweet potato fries, frozen

3 oz: 22 g carbs · Not listed

Plain bagel

medium bagel: 56 g carbs · Medium to high (61–77)

Oat cereal (Cheerios-type)

1 cup: 20 g carbs · Not listed

Tools for these foods

Carb counter

Add up the carbs in a meal, then send it to the planner.

Net carbs calculator

Total carbs minus fiber from a label, with an honest note on the term.

Glycemic load calculator

GL from a food or from any GI and carb amount.

Best sweeteners for diabetes

Stevia, monk fruit, sugar alcohols and sugar: what each does to carbs.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as a low glycemic food?

A glycemic index of 55 or less is low, 56 to 69 is medium, and 70 or more is high. Glycemic load, which also considers how much carbohydrate is in a portion, is low at 10 or less.

Why do some foods say “not applicable”?

Eggs, cheese, meat, oils and most non-starchy vegetables have too little carbohydrate to test. A glycemic index is measured with a portion that holds 25 to 50 grams of carbohydrate, which would not be a realistic serving.

Is a low GI food always a good choice?

No. Chocolate and ice cream can have a lowish index because of fat. The index is one tool; portion, fiber, the rest of the meal and your own readings matter just as much.

Why does the same food show a range?

Studies test different varieties, ripeness and cooking methods, and the results differ. We show the range of the published entries we used instead of averaging them away.

Sources

Last reviewed: October 22, 2026 by the Diabetes Blogs editorial team. Information only, not medical advice.