Glycemic Index for Beans

Where a food falls on the glycemic index (GI) indicates how much it raises blood sugar levels, information that’s particularly important for people with diabetes. While beans are carbohydrates, most varieties have a low GI, making them a smart choice for people managing diabetes, as well as those looking to maintain a healthy weight and stable energy levels. Beans are also packed with fiber, protein, and essential nutrients, and they’re an easy food to incorporate in balanced and nutrient-dense meals.
The GI of Beans: Popular Types and How They Rank The glycemic index ranks foods on a scale of 0 to 100 , with 100 representing pure sugar. Therefore, foods with a low GI raise blood sugar more slowly than foods with a high GI. Generally, more processed, high-carbohydrate foods have a higher GI while foods containing more fiber and fat have a lower GI. If a food has a low GI — less than 55 — it will affect your blood sugar less than a medium or high GI food will. The GI score of beans ranges from 10 to 40 for a ½-cup serving. The GI of popular bean varieties are as follows: Black beans : 30 Chickpeas : 35 Pinto beans : 39 Red kidney beans : 36 Soybeans : 20
Glycemic Index Limitations Unfortunately, the GI isn’t a foolproof measurement of how foods impact blood sugar. For instance, foods that contain fat tend to fall lower on the index than high-carbohydrate foods, meaning that a candy bar may appear healthier than oatmeal based on GI ranking alone. Other factors affect the GI of a food, too, such as cooking times, storage methods, the degree to which a food is processed, and the ripeness of foods like fruits and vegetables. A single food’s effect on blood sugar is also impacted by other foods consumed in the same meal.



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