| Glycemic Index (GI) explained
What's the Glycemic Index (GI) you ask? It's not just an easy measure says Katherine Beals, assoc. professor at Univ of Utah and speaker at the recent meeting of the California Dietetic Assoc. The accurate definition is complex.
GI was created in 1987 by Univ. of Toronto researchers to determine how equal weights (50g) of various foods affect the uptake of glucose (e.g. blood sugar) into a person's bloodstream after an overnight fast. The responses, measured for 2 hours after eating specific foods, were compared with a reference food like pure sugar or a slice of bread. The percent difference between the rise in blood sugars in 2 hours between the test and reference foods became GI.
Foods with high GI make a higher peak in blood sugar within 2 hours of eating compared to foods with a low GI. Why should I care you ask? Well, people with diabetes care, as they have to keep their blood sugars in check.
What's controversial about GI?
• People respond differently to different foods. The blood sugar jump for a given food would vary drastically between a professional athlete and a diabetic.
• People can respond to food differently at different times.
• Certain studies have shown the same foods as having a high GI in one study versus a low GI in another study.
• GI is based on a specific amount of food eaten (50g)…eat more or less than that and the GI becomes dicey.
• Immature fruits have a lower GI than ripe ones.
• How food is made matters. The method that a food is chopped, backed, processed, sautéed, etc, can change GI. To avoid this issue just swallow your food whole. JUST KIDDING. Please don't do that!
• So what's the point of all this? Use GI to help you better understand how food can impact your blood sugar levels. This is every important for those that have diabetes.
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