Glycemic Index of Beans: What You Need to Know

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. That means foods with a low GI raise blood sugar more slowly than foods with a high GI. Generally, 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. The GI score of beans ranges from 10 to 40 for a half-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, such as cooking times, storage methods, the degree to which a food is processed, and the ripeness of foods like fruits and vegetables, affect the GI of a food. A single food’s effect on blood sugar is also impacted by other foods consumed in the same meal.