While medications and lifestyle are important for blood sugar management, one powerful strategy to help keep your blood sugar levels in acceptable range is to eat foods that scientist classify as having a low glycemic index.
These foods when digested release sugar into the blood stream slowly, causing less of a spike in blood sugar.
For people living with diabetes, choosing carbohydrate foods with a low glycemic index, 55 or less that are digested and absorbed slowly helps to:
- Keep the surge in blood sugar levels low.
- Reduce the amount of insulin or other medications needed after a meal.
- Improve your average blood sugar level over time (A1C),
- Help reduce risk of medical complications, such as damage to the heart, kidneys and eyes.
Even with medications, diet and lifestyle changes, favoring low glycemic foods can help make blood sugar easier to manage. If you eat foods of moderate or high glycemic index, combine them with foods with low glycemic index to lower the blood sugar spike
- Whole Grains – Steel-cut oats, Quinoa, Brown Rice, Farro, Barley, Bulgur, Whole Grain Pasta al dente (firm), Millet, Buck Wheat, 100% Whole Grain Bread. Note the glycemic index for rolled oats is ranked medium.
2. Legumes – Green Mung Bean, Kidney Beans, Yellow split Peas, black beans, chickpeas, Green Lentils, Pinto Beans, , Green Split peas. Red Lentils.
3. Fruits – Apples, berries, oranges, Pears, , Peaches, Cherries, kiwi,
4. Vegetables – Broccoli, Kale, Sweet Peppers, Cauliflower, Spinach, Brussels Sprout, Asparagus, Zucchini, Swiss Chard or Rainbow Chard, Cumber, Tomatoes, Avocado.
5. Breads/Wraps – Multigrain Bread, Artisan Round Country Loaf, Dark Rye/Pumpernickel Bread, Seeded Whole Grain Rolls, Flaxseed Roll, Sesame Roll, Whole Wheat Roll, Rustic Sourdough-Style Loaf , Seeded Whole Grain Bread, Whole Grain Sandwich Bread, Whole Wheat loaf, Flatbread Pita Bread, Seeded Bread Rolls, Seeded Whole Grain Bread.
6. Milk and Milk Alternatives – soy milk, almond milk, cow’s milk, Yoghurt, Greek yogurt, frozen yogurt
7. Other – Boiled carrots, green bananas, , peas, green plantains , Popcorn Air Fried, Sweet Potatoes , winter squash.
This list is by no means exhaustive, however including these foods in your diet would be a great help. As usual this is general information based on scientific studies. Always check with your provider for any medical conflict and of course avoid foods to which you are allergic.
Ionie Ponde, MS, RD, LDN
B Food Savvy 
References:
- Inger Bjorck, Helena Liljeberg and Elin Ostman, Department of Applied Nutrition and Food Chemistry, Chemical Center, Lund University, PO Box 124, 2000, Low glycaemic-index foods, British Journal of Nutrition (2000), 83, Suppl. 1, S149–S155, https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/low-glycaemicindex-foods/D2838F899CF15F236AC706F94553BAEC
- Glycemic Index Food Guide, diabetes Canada, 1-800-BANTING (22608464), https://www.diabetes.ca/DiabetesCanadaWebsite/media/Managing-My-Diabetes/Tools%20and%20Resources/glycemic-index-food-guide.pdf?ext=.pdf
- Mayo Clinic Staff, August 19th, 2025, Low-glycemic index diet: What’s behind the claims? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/low-glycemic-index-diet/art-20048478