Glycemic Index for Beans

Where a carbohydrate food falls on the glycemic index indicates how much it will raise your blood sugar. This is particularly important if you have diabetes, as your body's ability to manage the amount of sugar in your blood is impaired. Although carbohydrate counting is a more effective way to plan meals and manage your glucose levels, the glycemic index can help you fine-tune your carb intake, reports the American Diabetes Association.

If a food has a low GI – less than 55 -- it will affect your blood sugar less than a medium or high food will. The GI score of beans ranges from 10 to 40 for a serving of about a 1/2-cup. Dried chickpeas come in the lowest at 10, while kidney beans and lentils score 29. Black beans have a GI of 30, canned chickpeas are at 38 and baked beans come in at 40. Here's an added bonus: Eating beans with foods higher on the GI scale will even out the effect of the less nutritious foods on your blood sugar, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Unfortunately, the GI is not foolproof. Foods that contain fat are lower on the index, meaning that a candy bar may appear healthier than oatmeal due to a lower glycemic index. Other factors affect GI too, such as cooking or storage time, amount of processing and degree of ripeness.