Starch Products
The GI (Glycemic Index) & GL (Glycemic Load) table for starches to help make a better choice when choosing starch products.
| GI | Name of product / food | GL | Unit | Mass (g) | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | Barley, pearled, cooked e.g. Imbo | <5 | 3/4 cup | 115 | GIFSA & DSA; world average GI |
| Low | Pasta, durum wheat, long and short shapes, cooked | <20 | 1 cup | 120 | GI ranges from 38 - 61; world average |
| Low | Pasta la Vita, all shapes | <20 | 3/4 cup | 90 | GIFSA & DSA; tested by GI Science Lab |
| Low | Pearled wheat or stampkoring or wheat rice or whole wheat kernels, cooked e.g. Imbo | <10 | 3/4 cup | 115 | GIFSA & DSA, Australian GI |
| Low | Samp, cooked, cooled | <10 | 1/2 cup | 100 | GF |
| Low | Sorghum porridge, acid added (Ting) | <10 | 1 cup | 250 | Traditional African food, GF |
| Low | Cassava, Kenyan, cooked | <20 | 1/2 cup | 100 | Kenyan GI, GF |
| Low | Soba noodles, cooked | <20 | 1 cup | 120 | Australian GI, GF |
| Low | Corn / sweet corn, whole kernels, frozen, cooked | <10 | 1/2 cup | 80 | Canadian GI, GF |
| Low | Bulgur cracked or crushed wheat, cooked | <10 | 1/2 cup | 80 | Canadian GI |
| Low | Basmati rice, white extra-long grain, India Gate, Spekko, cooked | <20 | 3rd February 1900 | 105 | GIFSA & DSA, GF |
| Low | Brown rice, extra-long grain, parboiled, Saman, Spekko, cooked | <20 | 4/5 cup | 115 | GIFSA & DSA, GF |
| Low | Barley, cracked or crushed, cooked | <10 | 1/2 cup | 80 | Wolever et al (Tunisia) |
| Low | "Krummelpap", mieliemeal porridge or phutu, crumbly, cooled (sifted & unsifted) | <20 | 1/2 cup | 70 | Note the 1/2 cup serving, GF |
| Low | Mieliemeal porridge or phutu, stiff, cooled (sifted & unsifted) | <20 | 1/2 cup | 125 | Note the 1/2 cup serving, GF |
| Low | Sorghum, whole, cooked | <20 | 3/4 cup | 128 | Estimated GI, GF |
| Low | Gnocchi | <20 | 1/2 cup | 83 | Italian GI |
| Low | Salad, samp & bean, Werda | <20 | 1/4 packet | 100 | |
| Low | Green mielie (whole cob 250g, kernels 165g) | <20 | 1 mielie | 165 | World average GI, GF |
| Low | Macaroni or short pasta shapes, durum wheat, cooked | <20 | 3/4 cup | 90 | SA values |
| Low | Mealiemeal porridge, stone ground, cooked, hot or cold, Afya | <20 | 3/4 cup | 100 | GIFSA, GF |
| Low | Potato, Carisma, low GI, cooked, Earth Apple | <10 | 1 medium | 100 | GIFSA & DSA, GF |
| Low | Quinoa, cooked | <20 | 1/2 cup | 80 | GF |
| Low | Sweet corn, fresh (whole cob 165g, kernels 95g) | <10 | 1 cob | 95 | World average GI, GF |
| Low | White rice, extra-long grain, parboiled, Americano, Spekko, cooked | <20 | 3rd February 1900 | 108 | GIFSA & DSA, GF |
| Low | White rice, extra-long grain, parboiled, Spekko, cooked | <20 | 4/5 cup | 108 | GIFSA & DSA, GF |
| Low | Amadumbe | <20 | 1/2 medium | 150 | Estimated GI, GF |
| Low | Brown rice, Old Millstream, Tastic Nature's, cooked | <20 | 1 cup | 140 | GF |
| Low | Buckwheat, cooked | <20 | 1/2 cup | 85 | Canadian GI, GF |
| Low | Sweet potato, white flesh, purple skin, baked / cooked | <20 | 1/2 medium | 150 | GI ranges from 45 - 54, depending on season, GF |
| Low | Wild rice, cooked | <20 | 1 cup | 140 | Australian GI, GF |
| Low | Spaghetti or long pasta shapes, durum wheat, cooked | <20 | 1 cup | 120 | SA values |
| Medium | Jasmine brown rice, Thai Royal Umbrella, Spekko, cooked | <20 | 1/2 cup | 70 | GF |
| Medium | Buckwheat noodles, cooked | <10 | 1/2 cup | 74 | Australian GI, GF |
| Medium | Potato, Nicola (Mediterranean), cooked | <10 | 1 medium | 100 | Australian GI, GF |
| Medium | Salad, African wheat, Werda | <20 | 1/4 packet | 100 | |
| Medium | Basmati rice, Tastic, cooked | <30 | 3/4 cup | 123 | GF |
| Medium | Potato, baby or new, cooked | <20 | 3 | 100 | GF |
| Medium | Couscous, durum wheat or bulgar, cooked | <10 | 1/3 cup | 64 | Australian GI; note the 1/3 cup serving |
| Medium | Arborio or risotto rice, cooked | <20 | 1/2 cup | 75 | Australian GI, GF |
| Medium | Samp and beans, cooked | <20 | 1/2 cup | 100 | GF |
| High | Green beans and potato, cooked* | <20 | 1 cup | 200 | Note the lower GL due to the vegetable |
| High | Jasmine rice, Spekko, cooked | <20 | 1/2 cup | 83 | GF |
| High | Pasta, homemade with wheat, cake, corn or rice flour, cooked | <20 | 3/4 cup | 90 | Estimated GI; lower GI with legume flour |
| High | Potato salad, commercial*** | <20 | 1/2 cup | 150 | Estimated GI, very high fat |
| High | Two-minute noodles, South African**, cooked | <30 | 1/2 packet | 77 | High fat. High GI, except if made from durum wheat |
| High | Mashed potato, made with full cream milk and butter* | <20 | 1/2 cup | 125 | SA tested by ARP Walker, 1984, GF |
| High | Millet, cooked | <20 | 3/4 cup | 120 | GF |
| High | Polenta, cooked | <20 | 1/2 cup | 110 | Average GI, GF |
| High | Rice noodles, cooked | <30 | 3/4 cup | 135 | Average GI, GF |
| High | "Krummelpap", mieliemeal porridge / phutu, crumbly, hot (sifted & unsifted) | <20 | 1/2 cup | 70 | Note the 1/2 cup serving; lower GI with milk / sour milk, GF |
| High | Mieliemeal porridge / phutu, crumbly, hot (sifted & unsifted) | <20 | 1/2 cup | 70 | Note the 1/2 cup serving; lower GI with milk / sour milk, GF |
| High | Mieliemeal porridge / phutu, stiff, hot (sifted & unsifted) | <20 | 1/2 cup | 125 | Note the 1/2 cup serving; lower GI with milk / sour milk, GF |
| High | "Slap" chips or French fries*** | 24.9 | 10 chips | 100 | Very high fat, GF |
| High | Rice and corn pasta, (Ris'O'Mais), Orgran | <20 | 3/4 cup | 90 | Australian GI; 90% rice flour, GF |
| High | Sweet potato, orange flesh, baked or cooked | <20 | 1/2 medium | 150 | Australian GI, GF |
| High | Corn pasta, gourmet natural, Orgran | <20 | 3/4 cup | 90 | Australian GI; 89% maize and rice flour, GF |
| High | Sorghum porridge, fermented (Ting) | <20 | 1 cup | 250 | Lower GI with milk / sour milk, GF |
| High | Potato, microwaved | <20 | 1 medium | 100 | GF |
| High | Potato, baked | <20 | 1 medium | 100 | GF |
| High | Potato, roasted without fat | <20 | 1 medium | 100 | GF |
| High | Smash, instant mashed potato, ready-to-eat* | <20 | 1/2 cup | 125 | High fat due to added milk & margarine |
| High | Samp, cooked, hot | <20 | 1/2 cup | 100 | GF |
| High | Jasmine rice, cooked | <30 | 1/2 cup | 83 | World average GI, GF |
| High | Polenta, cooked, frozen & defrosted | <30 | 1/2 cup | 110 | GF |
| High | Sago pearls, uncooked | >30 | 125 ml | 80 | Estimated GI, GF |
A true Low GI food releases glucose slowly and steadily into the bloodstream without overstimulating the pancreas to produce too much insulin. A High GI food, on the other hand, causes a sudden, large increase in blood glucose, resulting to either hyperglycaemia in Diabetics or hypoglycaemia in hypoglycaemics. GI of Glucose = 100
The products marked by an * are high in fat.
GF – means gluten free.
