Fruit · Glycemic index
Does pineapple spike blood sugar?
Moderately. Pineapple has a medium GI of 59, and a 165 g serving (1 cup chunks) has a medium glycemic load of 11. Pineapple sits in the medium GI band, and a cup of chunks carries a medium glycemic load.
Key numbers
- Glycemic index
- 59
- Medium GI
- Glycemic load
- 11
- Medium GL
- Available carbs
- 19 g
- 2.3 g fiber
- Serving
- 1 cup chunks
- 165 g · raw
GI vs GL for pineapple
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 — how much carbohydrate a normal serving actually contains: GI × available carbs ÷ 100. For pineapple: 59 × 19 g ÷ 100 ≈ 11.
That figure is an average reported in the 2008 international GI tables (“Pineapple, raw: 59 ± 8 (average of multiple studies)”). Pineapple results vary: an Australian test in the 2008 tables found 66, and a 2008 test of Malaysian pineapple in the 2021 tables found 82. No newer average exists.
Eating a different amount? Work out the glycemic load of your portion.
How to eat pineapple with less of a spike
- Keep to about half a cup of fresh chunks at a time.
- Pair it with cottage cheese, yogurt, or grilled chicken or fish.
- Have the fruit rather than pineapple juice.
Lower-GI swaps
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Frequently asked questions
What is the glycemic index of pineapple?
Pineapple has a glycemic index of 59, which is medium. That figure is an average reported in the 2008 international GI tables (“Pineapple, raw: 59 ± 8 (average of multiple studies)”). A 165 g serving (1 cup chunks) contains about 19 g of available carbohydrate, giving a glycemic load of 11 (medium).
Is pineapple good for prediabetes?
Pineapple is fine in moderate portions. Stick to about half a cup of fresh chunks and have it alongside protein, for example with cottage cheese.
Is pineapple high glycemic?
It is medium on average — 59 in the 2008 international tables — although individual tests have run as high as 82. A half-cup portion keeps its glycemic load low.
Sources
GI values come from the international GI tables; carbohydrate and fiber per serving are calculated from USDA FoodData Central.
- Atkinson FS, Foster-Powell K, Brand-Miller JC. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2008. Diabetes Care. 2008;31(12):2281–2283, Table 1
- USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169124: Pineapple, raw, all varieties
- Atkinson FS, Foster-Powell K, Brand-Miller JC. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2008 — online appendix, Table A1
- 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):1625–1632, Supplemental Table 1
Data last checked .