Is Butter on the Glycemic Index?
The glycemic index is a measure of the effect that foods containing carbohydrates have on your blood sugar levels. The effect that these foods have on your blood sugar is compared to glucose, the reference food, which has a glycemic index score of 100. Although high in fat, butter will not impact your blood sugar.
Butter and Blood Sugar
Butter is not included in the glycemic index because it does not contain carbohydrates. Foods that do not have carbohydrates do not directly affect blood sugar in the same way that foods with carbohydrates do, and they are not included in the glycemic index. Just remember that you should limit your consumption of butter due to its saturated fat content.
Related Articles
What Happens to Sugar Levels in the Blood While Fasting?
Learn More
List of Non-starchy Foods
Learn More
Easiest Way to Get Rid of Love Handles
Learn More
What Can I Eat on a No Carb Diet?
Learn More
How Many Calories in Vietnamese Food?
Learn More
Calories in a Slice of Whole-Grain Bread
Learn More
What Is Glycemic Index of Plantains?
Learn More
The Calories in a One-Egg Omelet
Learn More
Shelled Peanuts: Nutrition Facts
Learn More
The Carb Count in Carrots
Learn More
References
- The University of Sydney: Search for the Glycemic Index
- Ojo O, Ojo OO, Adebowale F, Wang XH. The effect of dietary glycaemic index on glycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrients. 2018;10(3):373. Published 2018 Mar 19. doi:10.3390/nu10030373
- Glycemic Index and Diabetes. American Diabetes Association
- Search for the Glycemic Index. The University of Sydney
- Zeevi D, Korem T, Zmora N, et al. Personalized Nutrition by Prediction of Glycemic Responses. Cell. 2015;163(5):1079-1094. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2015.11.001+
- Sacks FM, Carey VJ, Anderson CA, et al. Effects of high vs low glycemic index of dietary carbohydrate on cardiovascular disease risk factors and insulin sensitivity: the OmniCarb randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2014;312(23):2531-41. doi:10.1001/jama.2014.16658.
- Vega-lópez S, Venn BJ, Slavin JL. Relevance of the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load for Body Weight, Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disease. Nutrients. 2018;10(10). doi:10.3390/nu10101361
- Glycemic Index Database. University of Sydney. Updated October 13, 2020
- Eleazu C. O. (2016). The concept of low glycemic index and glycemic load foods as panacea for type 2 diabetes mellitus; prospects, challenges and solutions. African health sciences, 16(2), 468–479. doi:10.4314/ahs.v16i2.15
- Foster-Powell, Kaye, Holt, Susanna and Brand-Miller, Janette. "International table of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2002." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 76,:1: 5-56 (2002).
- International Carbohydrate Quality Consortium, Jenkins, D. J., Willett, W. C., Astrup, A., Augustin, L. S., Baer-Sinnott, S., … Wolever, T. M. (2014). Glycaemic index: did Health Canada get it wrong? Position from the International Carbohydrate Quality Consortium (ICQC). The British journal of nutrition, 111(2), 380–382. doi:10.1017/S0007114513003905
- Leroux, MarcusFoster-Powell, Kaye, Holt, Susanna and Brand-Miller, Janette. "International Table of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values: 2002." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vol. 76, No. 1, 5-56, (2002).
- Lui, S., Willett, WC, et al. "A prospective study of dietary glycemic load, carbohydrate intake, and risk of coronary heart disease in US women.." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 71(6):1455-61. (2001).
- Mayer-Davis, E.J., Dhawan, A et al. "Towards understanding of glycaemic index and glycaemic load in habitual diet: associations with measures of glycaemia in the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study.." British Nutrition Journal. 95(2):397-405. (2006).
- Sacks, F. M., Carey, V. J., Anderson, C. A., Miller, E. R., 3rd, Copeland, T., Charleston, J., … Appel, L. J. (2014). Effects of high vs low glycemic index of dietary carbohydrate on cardiovascular disease risk factors and insulin sensitivity: the OmniCarb randomized clinical trial. JAMA, 312(23), 2531–2541. doi:10.1001/jama.2014.16658
- Salmeron, J, Manson, JE, et al. "Dietary fiber, glycemic load, and risk of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in women.." Journal of the American Medical Association. 12;277(6):472-7. (1997).
- Vega-López, S., Venn, B., & Slavin, J. (2018). Relevance of the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load for Body Weight, Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disease. Nutrients, 10(10), 1361. doi:10.3390/nu10101361
- Zeevi, D. Korem N. et al. Personalized Nutrition by Prediction of Glycemic ResponsesCell. 163:(5):1079-94. November 2015.
Writer Bio
Dr. Peter Nickless has been a chiropractor and Nutritional Counselor for 13 years specializing in sports nutrition and sport related injuries. He received a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, a Master's degree in human nutrition and has a Certified Nutrition Specialist CNS designation. In addition to clinical experience, Dr. Nickless has been an educator and administrator at the undergraduate and graduate levels for the past five years.