What is glycemic index?

The glycemic 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. Carbohydrates with a low glycemic index increasing sugar in the blood slower, high glycemic index increasing sugar in the blood faster. As is sugar in foods is simpler (glucose, sucrose), rising level of sugar in blood is faster. Fructose (fruit sugar), although it is a simple carbohydrate, but rising level is slower. Complex carbohydrates, such as starch from cereals and potatoes, must first be separated to simpler sugars, and then pass into the bloodstream. This process takes place in the digestive tract and liver and depends on the: type of sugar, cooking food and dietary fiber (quantity) in the diet.

Foods with a low GI are slowly digested and long stays in the small intestine, hours after ingestion. Good sides are slow and continuous release of glucose that occurs during the performance of physical activity. For foods with a low GI sugar level in the blood is held stable while eating foods with a high GI will free glucose too quickly, which results in a tremendous increase in blood sugar.

THE IDEAL FOOD IS A  FOOD WITH GLYCEMIC INDEX LESS THAN 45. FOOD WITH GLYCEMIC INDEX FROM 45 TO 60 IS IMPORTANT TO USE OCCASIONAL. FOOD WHOSE GLYCEMIC INDEX OVER 60 IS IMPORTANT TO USE RERELY.

Diabetics should avoid concentrated sugars (honey, juices, white sugar, sweets stored with sugar, cakes, muffins), because glycemic index of glucose is 100, white sugar index is 68. If your body need sugar replace with fruit, fruit has index 23.

The quantity of fruit a day that you enter , not only determine the glycemic (sweet index), also determine the amount of dietary fiber, vitamin and mineral composition, the amount of water fruit acids and total caloric impact of certain types of fruit. Legumes (beans, peas, beans) have a large glycemic and caloric effect, but they should eat, because it is healthy food and this food is rich with dietary fiber.

Learn compositions of foods, their caloric value, glycemic index and amount of dietary fiber. At first it may be difficult, but once you get the hang yourself it will be surprised success and ease way to control your blood sugar. With increasing intake of sugar and food with a high GI your body will need more frequent intake of sugar, so it is important to bring groceries with low GI so you will be full after meal, do not need more food and also you will not increased your body weight.