How Fruits and Vegetables Rank on the Glycemic Index
Nutrition & FitnessDiet & Nutrition

Ranking Fruits and Vegetables Using the Glycemic Index

Ranking Fruits and Vegetables Using the Glycemic Index
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Updated on September 19, 2025
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The glycemic index, or GI, is a tool for evaluating the ability of foods containing carbohydrates to raise blood sugar. When blood sugar increases, the hormone insulin is released to metabolize it. If the increase is very high, the insulin that’s acting to quickly move sugar out of the blood causes a sharp drop in blood sugar. This causes a so-called “crash” that can leave you feeling lethargic.

Eating an excess of foods that cause sharp spikes in blood sugar can make it hard for the pancreas to keep up with insulin production. That can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes, among other health issues.

Foods with a low GI result in smaller fluctuations in blood glucose (sugar) and insulin after eating, while foods with a higher GI cause larger fluctuations in your blood sugar and insulin levels. Low GI foods are associated with maintaining weight loss, as well as a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes or heart disease. A value of 55 and under is considered low, between 56 and 69 is medium, and 70 and above is high.

The GI value of foods can vary significantly based on processing or cooking methods, ripeness, and fiber content.

 It may even vary across different varieties of the same fruit or vegetable — for example, the GI of a Braeburn apple is 32, while the GI of a Golden Delicious apple is 39.

Low GI Fruits

Many fruits have a low GI value.

 This makes them good choices for keeping your blood sugar levels steady and maintaining optimal health. Fresh fruits that range from 0 to 55 on the GI include (from lowest GI value to highest):
  • Plums
  • Asian pears
  • Peaches
  • Cherries
  • Pitted prunes
  • Braeburn apples
  • Strawberries
  • Bartlett pears
  • Apricots
  • Navel oranges
  • Bananas

Keep in mind that drying, baking, stewing, peeling, or otherwise altering these fruits will likely change their GI value. Make sure you’re looking up the GI value for the fruit as you intend to eat it.

Medium GI Fruits

Many fruits have a medium GI value, which ranges between 56 and 69.

 Although these fruits do not produce as sharp a rise in your blood sugar levels as a high GI food would, their influence over your blood sugar and insulin levels is higher than that of low GI fruits. Such fruits include:
  • Raisins
  • Lychees
  • Kiwifruit
  • Papayas
  • Mangoes
  • Persimmons
  • Cranberries, dried, sweetened
  • Grape juice
  • Cantaloupes
  • Pineapples
  • Breadfruit

High GI Fruits

Eating high GI fruits, especially in large quantities, can cause your blood sugar levels to rise quickly. Fruits that range from 70 to 100 on the GI include:

  • Maktoomi dates
  • Pomelo
  • Watermelon

Low GI Vegetables

Most vegetables have a low GI. If you are aiming to lower your dietary GI, you can include an abundance of vegetables to help keep your blood sugar levels more stable. Low GI vegetables include:

  • Kale
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Spinach
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Tomatoes
  • Carrots, raw
  • Peas
  • Sweet corn

Medium GI Vegetables

Medium GI vegetables can be part of a healthy and balanced low GI diet if eaten in moderation. Vegetables with a GI of 56 to 69 include:

  • Beetroot, boiled
  • French fries, oven-baked
  • New potatoes
  • Pumpkin, boiled

High GI Vegetables

Eating high GI vegetables can result in a sharp increase in your blood sugar levels, potentially leading to a crash once insulin does its job of moving sugar from the blood. Vegetables with a GI of 70 to 100 include:

  • White potatoes, roasted
  • Carrots, boiled
  • Corn, boiled
  • Potatoes, mashed
  • Russet potatoes, baked
  • Sweet potatoes, fried, roasted, or baked
  • Yams
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Heather Alexander. 4 Tips to Avoid Sugar Spikes. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. February 14, 2022.
  2. Glycemic Index and Diabetes. MedlinePlus.
  3. Glycemic Index–GI Search–Apple . The University of Sydney.
  4. Glycemic Index. The University of Sydney.
  5. Glycemic Index Chart. Arkansas Heart Hospital.
Additional Sources



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