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health advisory Hospital Diseases 2007-11-12 17:55:52

Answer:

Go visit their website and have fun reading it there.

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It is the rating or ranking of different carbohydrate containing food items according to their ability to increase blood sugar levels. For example those with low GI don't cause much increase in levels. Some of the nutritional management plans for diabetes are based on GI.

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When we eat carbohydrates (including starch and sugars), they are digested and converted into glucose, a simple sugar, by our bodies. Glucose is then absorbed and therefore enters into the blood stream providing energy for our daily activities. Glycemic Index is a standardized system of ranking foods based on their effect on blood glucose levels over 2 - 3 hours compared to a reference food. Foods that are digested and absorbed faster will have a higher glycemic index.

Glycemic Index Range

Low 55 or less

Intermediate 55 - 70

High 70 or higher

Here is a link to a GI database:

http://www.glycemicindex.com/

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The glycemic index is a wonderful chart that assigns a value to food items to help you understand which ones affect your blood sugar most quickly. The higher the value, the more quickly it will affect blood glucose levels. Anything over 55 is considered high and will cause a rapid rise in your levels. Anything under 55 will affect your levels, but much more slowly. I refer to it often if I am unsure of how a certain food will affect me. Here is one I refer to often:

http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_food...

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The gylcemic index shows how carbs react and effect your glucose levels, like a white potato and a sweet potato have the same amount of carbohydrates per ounce, but the white potato will raise you glucose faster than the sweet potato.

I use it when planning meals, check out the site below, I've found it helpful in the past.

http://www.glycemicindex.com/

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