Fruit · Glycemic index
Do blueberries spike blood sugar?
Not much. Blueberries have a low GI of 53, and a 148 g serving (1 cup) has a low glycemic load of 10. Blueberries have a low GI, and a cup carries a low glycemic load â a little more than strawberries, because blueberries contain more carbohydrate per cup.
Key numbers
- Glycemic index
- 53
- Low GI
- Glycemic load
- 10
- Low GL
- Available carbs
- 18 g
- 3.6 g fiber
- Serving
- 1 cup
- 148 g · raw
GI vs GL for blueberries
The glycemic index (GI) compares how fast the carbohydrate in a food raises blood sugar against pure glucose (100), using a fixed amount of carbohydrate. The glycemic load (GL) adds the other half of the story â how much carbohydrate a normal serving actually contains: GI Ă available carbs Ă· 100. For blueberries: 53 Ă 18 g Ă· 100 â 10.
That figure comes from a single published test in the 2021 international GI tables (âBlueberries, wild (Canada)â), so treat it as approximate. Only one ISO-standard test has been published, on wild blueberries from Canada. Composition shown is for regular (cultivated) raw blueberries.
Eating a different amount? Work out the glycemic load of your portion.
How to eat blueberries with less of a spike
- Top plain yogurt or oatmeal with half a cup instead of adding sugar.
- Frozen blueberries work year-round in breakfasts and desserts.
- Choose fresh or frozen berries over blueberry muffins, jams or sweetened dried blueberries.
Other low-GI choices
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Frequently asked questions
What is the glycemic index of blueberries?
Blueberries have a glycemic index of 53, which is low. That figure comes from a single published test in the 2021 international GI tables (âBlueberries, wild (Canada)â), so treat it as approximate. A 148 g serving (1 cup) contains about 18 g of available carbohydrate, giving a glycemic load of 10 (low).
Is blueberries good for prediabetes?
Blueberries are a good fruit choice for prediabetes. A cup is a reasonable portion, and half a cup is plenty for topping oatmeal or yogurt.
Are blueberries or strawberries better for blood sugar?
Both are low GI. Strawberries have the edge on glycemic load because a cup contains less than half the available carbohydrate of a cup of blueberries.
Sources
GI values come from the international GI tables; carbohydrate and fiber per serving are calculated from USDA FoodData Central.
- Atkinson FS, Brand-Miller JC, Foster-Powell K, Buyken AE, Goletzke J. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values 2021: a systematic review. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021;114(5):1625â1632, Supplemental Table 1
- USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 171711: Blueberries, raw
- USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 167762: Strawberries, raw
Data last checked .