What is the Glycemic Index? The glycemic index or glycaemic index (GI) is a number associated with a particular type of food that indicates the food’s effect on a person’s blood glucose (also called blood sugar) level. After a carbohydrate-containing food is eaten there is a rise, and subsequent decrease, in blood sugar (glucose). This phenomenon is known as the glycemic response. The glycemic response after eating different carbohydrate-containing foods can be compared to the glycemic response after consuming a standard food, such as white bread or glucose. The resulting measurement is called the glycemic index of that food. The glycemic index typically ranges between 50 and 100, where 100 represents the standard, an equivalent amount of pure glucose. Foods that break down quickly during digestion, for example sticky rice, have the highest glycemic indexes. They raise blood sugar levels higher and more quickly than foods with low GI. Low GI foods, such as beans, break down moreslowly, releasing glucose gradually into the bloodstream. There are three ratings for GI as table below : Why is the Glycemic Index Important? Digestion transforms carbohydrates into glucose and by so doing raises blood sugar levels. When blood sugar rises, a hormone called is released. Insulin carries blood sugar into the body’s cells where it can be stored or used for energy. Insulin’s actions bring blood sugar back down to normal. Research over the last 30 years has found that not all carbohydrates are digested and absorbed at the same rate. This means that different carbohydrates have different effects on blood glucose and insulin levels. High-GI foods are digested and absorbed very quickly and cause a steep rise in blood glucose levels. In response to this, our bodies try keep the blood sugar levels as stable as possible by releasing a large surge of insulin. The high insulin levels induced by consumption of high-GI foods may cause a sharp decrease in blood glucose levels
