Most diabetics are familiar with the glycemic index, or GI. According to the Joslin Diabetes Center, carbohydrates have the greatest effect on your blood sugar levels. Whether you are a diabetic trying to keep your blood sugar stable or a dieter who is trying to lose weight, becoming familiar with the glycemic index can greatly assist your efforts.
General Information
The glycemic index is a quantitative rating of how much a certain food or beverage will raise your blood sugar level. The Joslin Diabetes Center explains that the glycemic index indicates your body's after-meal response of how greatly a particular food will raise your blood sugar or blood glucose level in comparison to a standard amount of glucose. The GI scale is often the measuring stick of what separates a "good" carbohydrate from a "bad" carbohydrate.
High GI Carbohydrates
A food or beverage with a high GI is thought to quickly raise your blood sugar level. The Thagard Student Health Center at Florida State University explains that carbohydrates and foods that have been highly processed and highly refined generally receive a high GI value. Examples of high GI foods include high-sugar and highly processed breakfast cereals, snacking foods such as potato chips and pretzels, white potatoes and french fried potatoes. "White" carbohydrates such as white bread and white rice are also high GI carbohydrate foods.
Low GI Carbohydrates
A food or beverage with a low GI is thought to have a lesser effect on your blood sugar level. Complex carbohydrates, the opposite of carbohydrates made of simple sugars, are generally among the low GI foods. The Joslin Diabetes Center states that foods or beverages that are rich in fiber, an indigestible carbohydrate, are considered to be low glycemic foods. The Thagard Student Health Center at Florida State University includes carbohydrate sources that receive a low GI rating as vegetables, most fruits, sweet potatoes, whole-grain breads, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, barley, bulgur wheat and natural dairy products without added sweeteners, such as high fructose corn syrup.
Significance
The glycemic index serves as a frame of reference for carbohydrates, since not all carbohydrates are alike. For example, an equal amount of sugar from whole organic fresh fruit will have significantly less of an effect on your blood sugar levels than an identical amount of sugar from a candy bar. Foods and beverages with a GI rating of 70 or about are considered to be high GI carbohydrates. Foods and beverages that fall within 56 to 69 are considered to be moderate GI carbohydrates. Low GI carbohydrates receive a rating of 55 and below.
Application of GI
High GI carbohydrates are not necessarily "bad," nor are low GI carbohydrates necessarily "good." Each category has several benefits if incorporated into your diet correctly. Diets that incorporate predominantly low GI carbohydrates are better for weight management and weight loss. Low GI carbohydrates improve diabetes management. Low GI carbohydrates satisfy your appetite and keep you feeling full for longer periods of time. High GI carbohydrates can provide immediate energy boosts and restore carbohydrate stores following exercise. If you are inactive, however, a diet with large amounts of high GI carbohydrates will encourage fat storage because you will not be burning these carbohydrates as energy.
