Glycemic index

Importance of the index and glycemic load in a balanced diet

What is the Glycemic Index

The glycemic index ( GI ) represents the rate at which blood sugar rises after taking 50 grams of simple carbohydrates.

The rate of glycemic increase is expressed in percentages, taking glucose (or white bread) as a reference point (100%). Therefore:

a glycemic index of 50 indicates that the food examined raises the blood sugar with a speed that is half that of glucose.

Depends on what

The value of the glycemic index is primarily influenced by the quality of carbohydrates; in general, the more they are simple and refined, the more the glycemic index increases. However, there are no exceptions; for example, experimental studies have shown that some glucose polymers are absorbed more quickly than glucose. Simple sugars, in fact, if taken at high doses, attract water in the digestive lumen, slowing down the time of emptying and absorption.

The glycemic index value does not depend only on the complexity of the carbohydrates; for example, the starch of rice and potatoes has a glycemic index higher than that of apples and peaches. Fruit and vegetables generally have low glycemic indexes.

Foods with HIGH glycemic index

Glucose, honey, white bread, cereal potatoes, crackers, breakfast cereals, grapes, bananas, CARROTS, white rice.

Foods with MEDIUM glycemic index

MODERATE INDEX: wholemeal bread, pasta *, corn, oranges, whole grains for breakfast, polished rice.

LOW glycemic index foods

Fructose, yogurt, peas, apples, peaches, beans, nuts, parboiled rice, milk.

The glycemic index depends on several factors: the prevalence of amylose or amylopectin, any technological manipulation of foods, cooking, the presence of fibers and the amount of sugar present (a ripe fruit has a higher IG than an unripe fruit).

Furthermore, the glycemic index is influenced by interactions with fats and proteins since the presence of these two macronutrients slows the rate of intestinal absorption.

This is why it is healthier to associate protein-rich foods such as meat or fish and / or fiber-rich foods such as vegetables to a meal rich in carbohydrates such as pasta. Paradoxically, if the goal is to lose weight, it is better to eat a plate of pasta with a can of tuna and tomato or lean meat rather than eating the same quantity of pasta without seasonings.

And fats? Adding a tablespoon of olive oil, in addition to slowing the subsequent onset of hunger, also decreases the glycemic index of the meal.

The fructose-glucose ratio is also important: a higher fructose content reduces the rate of carbohydrate absorption.

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FIBER	FATS	PROTEIN
Water-soluble fibers slow intestinal glucose uptake. They are therefore able to maintain constant blood sugar levels for long periods.	The digestion of a food containing fat is slowed down; consequently the carbohydrates it contains are absorbed more slowly. As proof of this, it is sufficient to compare the glycemic index of skimmed milk (IG = 32) and the whole one (IG = 27).	The glycemic index decreases if proteins are added to a food. Indeed, proteins have very similar effects to those of fats and fibers. Despite having a low glycemic index, protein-rich foods have a medium insulin index.

The numerous factors that influence the glycemic index make it difficult to determine this data with precision.

It is therefore good to be wary of tables that propose a fixed glycemic index for a food. It is more correct to say, for example, that the glycemic index of bread varies from 50 for the integral to 100 or more for that made with very refined flours. And even more specifically, for wholemeal bread the glycemic index can vary from 45 to 55 depending on the fiber content of the flour.

Glycemic index values ​​»