Carrots glycemic index

Carrots has a glycemic index of 32, which is low. A 80 g serving (1 side portion) has a glycemic load of 1 (low).

Also known as: carrot, boiled carrots

Glycemic indexLow
32
glucose = 100
Glycemic loadLow
1
per 80 g
  • Serving80 g
  • Available carbs4.2 g
  • Fiber2.4 g
  • Sugars2.8 g
  • Protein0.6 g
  • Calories28 kcal

Serving: 1 side portion.

What to know

Carrots have a reputation for being high GI from one old study, but most tests put them in the low range, and they contain so little carbohydrate that their glycemic load is tiny.

Glycemic load by portion size

GI stays the same whatever you eat, but glycemic load scales with the amount: eating twice as much doubles the effect on blood sugar.

AmountAvailable carbsGlycemic load
50 g2.6 g<1Low
100 g5.2 g2Low
80 g · 1 side portion4.2 g1Low
160 g · double serving8.3 g3Low

What the studies found

The value of 32 is the mean calculated by the authors of the International Tables of Glycemic Index (2021) across 10 studies. Results range from 16 to 92. That spread is normal: GI changes with variety, ripeness, cooking and processing, and between labs.

05570100

Each dot is one study. Green dots followed the ISO 26642 standard method.

  • 16 · Romania 1982
  • 23 · Bangladesh 2011
  • 31 · New Zealand 2011
  • 32 · Australia 2020
  • 33 · Australia 2000
  • 35 · Australia 1982
  • 39 · Australia 1982
  • 49 · Australia 1982
  • 60 · Australia 2000
  • 92 · Canada 1981
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Frequently asked questions

Is carrots low glycemic?

Yes. With a GI of 32, carrots is in the low range (55 or less).

What is the glycemic load of carrots?

A 80 g serving (1 side portion) has a glycemic load of 1, which is low. Glycemic load combines GI with the amount of carbohydrate in the portion: 10 or less is low, 11 to 19 medium and 20 or more high.

Can people with diabetes eat carrots?

With a GI of 32 and a low glycemic load per serving, carrots usually fits a diabetes-friendly diet in normal portions. Everyone responds differently, so talk to your doctor or dietitian about your plan.

How many carbs are in carrots?

A 80 g serving has about 6.6 g of total carbohydrate, including 2.4 g of fiber, leaving 4.2 g of available carbohydrate (the part that raises blood sugar). Per 100 g: 8.2 g of carbohydrate.

Nutrition facts

per 100 gServing (80 g)
Calories35 kcal28 kcal
Carbohydrates8.2 g6.6 g
Available carbs5.2 g4.2 g
Fiber3 g2.4 g
Sugars3.5 g2.8 g
Protein0.8 g0.6 g
Fat0.2 g0.1 g

Source: USDA FoodData Central, Carrots, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt (SR Legacy, FDC 170394). Available carbohydrate = total carbohydrate minus fiber.

Sources: 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. USDA FoodData Central. How we calculate each value: Methodology & sources.

Data last reviewed 2026-09-29.