The Glycemic Index (GI) and the Low-Glycemic Diet

Some diabetics have used the glycemic index (GI) to manage their blood sugar levels, and it has been catching on with other people as well. Foods are ranked according to how much simple carbohydrate they contain and how quickly it increases one's blood glucose level.

The idea is to avoid high-glycemic foods and combinations of foods, which cause spikes in blood glucose. Using the glycemic index, it’s possible to roughly calculate the glycemic impact of a food you’re thinking of eating (“roughly” because most foods are eaten with other foods, and these combinations affect how quickly the glucose from the food will enter your bloodstream. The glycemic impact of a given food can even be affected by how the food is prepared, how it’s cooked, and other factors).

The glycemic index was developed in Canada nearly 30 years ago and has become quite popular there and in Australia.

Is the glycemic index a good way to manage one’s health? The data are mixed. Two reports this month in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition offered little support for the approach. “Neither found benefits in using the GI approach to control blood sugar or to cut the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes,” said an article in the Washington Post., discussing the AJCN ariticles.

Even though many experts may not be in favor of using the glycemic index or a low-glycemic diet to manage one’s health, the low-glycemic emphasis on eating whole grains, vegetables, and fruits would probably be a healthy change for most people.