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The Glycemic Index

Have you ever eyed a new food and wondered how much it would raise your blood glucose? Nutrition researchers wonder the same thing and they use a tool called the “glycemic index” to compare different high-carbohydrate foods.

What is Glycemic Index (GI)?

Glycemic Index is the ranking of carbohydrates in foods according to how much they affect blood glucose levels. There are many factors contributing to the GI of a food, including the type of carbohydrate, fat content, processing and digestibility.

What does it mean?

High GI foods elevate blood sugar levels more rapidly and to a greater extent than low GI foods. For instance, mashed potatoes are a high GI food and eating them makes blood sugar rise a lot. Beans are a low GI food and eating them causes only a small change in blood sugar.

Examples of different kinds of foods and their GI values are shown in the table below.

Glycemic Index of Selected Foods
(Glucose = 100)

Source:
Foster-Powell et al. International table of glycemic index and glycemic load values. Am J Clin Nutr 2002; 76:5-56.

Is a low GI diet beneficial?

A low GI diet can help control blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, helps with weight management, makes you feel full for a longer period of time, improves blood cholesterol profiles and may improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin.

How are foods categorized?

Foods have been divided into categories based on their glycemic index values and classified as low GI, intermediate GI and high GI.

Is GI the only factor to be considered when planning a diet for people with diabetes?

Now that you know what GI is, the next time you plan your meals, remember to select low GI foods that will only cause a small change in your blood sugar level. However, you should also take into consideration your total intake of carbohydrates and calories as well. For instance, ice-cream has a low GI value but is high in saturated fat, which is not desirable if you have diabetes and/or hyperlipidemia.

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GI index of Glucerna SR is determined based on the internationally recognized GI methodology established at the Sydney University of Glycemic Index Research Service.

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