The glycemic index of a food is determined by how quickly the carbohydrates in it are broken down and absorbed into your bloodstream. This affects blood sugar levels, so understanding the glycemic index can be important for people with diabetes or those trying to manage their weight.
Baked products such as breads, cakes and pastries generally have higher glycemic indices than other foods because they contain large amounts of refined grains and added sugars that break down easily during digestion. Cereal bars may also contain high-glycemic ingredients like syrup or dried fruit, which cause them to rank similarly on the Glycemic Index (GI).
Generally speaking, anything made from white flour will have a high GI rating due to its lack of fiber content – meaning it breaks down quickly. Whole wheat products tend to score lower on the GI scale since they contain more fiber than processed grain flours do, however, this depends on how much whole wheat is used when making these items versus other kinds of flour sources.
For example, something labeled “half-whole wheat” would likely still rate fairly high on the GI scale due to only half being made with whole grains rather than all-wheat varieties like 100% whole wheat breads (which would rate low).
Below you can find a complete list for baked products with its glycemic index and glycemic load ranks.
Note: GI = Glycemic Index, GL = Glycemic Load
