Insulin index chart of 140+ foods - complete list with sources
The insulin index of foods demonstrates how much a food increases the insulin level in the blood, in the first two-hour period after consumption. The insulin index is measured by using a portion of the given food, along with a reference food, containing equal amounts of calories, usually 250 calories or 1000kJ (1).
Prolonged high levels of insulin in the blood can be a risk factor for various diseases. Therefore, food’s ability to induce insulin secretion after consumption can play an important role in the prevention and management of metabolic syndromes, such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (2).
Whilst the well-studied glycemic index of foods provides an idea of how the given food affects the body, it often falls short when giving information about foods with low carbohydrate content, such as lean meats, certain vegetables, or dairy products. For this reason, the insulin index can be a more useful tool when measuring the body’s response to food.
The dietary insulin index depends not only on carbohydrate content but also quantity and quality of protein, fat, and their interactions (2).
The higher the insulin index of the food, the more insulin the body produces as a response. Foods with lower insulinemic indices are recommended as part of a healthy diet, to help reduce risk of developing metabolic syndromes. The insulin index of pure glucose, for example, is 100, while avocados have an insulin index of 6.
Using all reliable and accessible, scientifically-backed information we have collected a complete list of the insulin indices of over 100 foods. This list will grow as more studies are carried out about the insulin index of other foods.
Sources.
Insulin index table
