The Glycemic Index

by Nutrition Focus

The glycemic index is a measure of how much glucose circulates in the blood over several hours after a standard amount of a single food is eaten: this is then expressed as a percentage compared with a standard reference food. The standard is either 50 grams of glucose or 100 grams of white bread. Very different numbers can be derived using the different reference foods.

High glycemic index foods include instant rice, white potatoes, and corn flakes; low glycemic index foods are apples, milk, and beans.

The glycemic index is very popular in books on weight loss even though there is little evidence that foods with a low glycemic index cause weight loss. The glycemic index can be influenced by the amount of fiber and carbohydrate but also by fat. Ice cream has a relatively low glycemic index because of the fat, which slows emptying from the stomach.

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

The glycemic index was developed for helping diabetics choose foods that would not cause big swings in blood glucose levels. The type of starch, particle size, maturation of a fruit or vegetable, cooking time, and many other factors affect the glycemic index. Only knowledge of many variables makes the glycemic index useful for those who need to control their blood sugar.

Copyright 2004 - Nutrition News Focus

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