Glycemic Index Table: What Is It?

During the early 1980s, Dr. David Jenkins and his colleagues at the University of Toronto were researching about the type of foods that were best for diabetes sufferers. It was through their study that the Glycemic Index Table was born, and since then, it has been used not only to help people with diabetes, but also those who wanted to live a healthier lifestyle. For those who want to know more about GI and the table, below are some important facts about them.

Before discussing the table, it is important to know what the Glycemic Index or GI is. Basically, it is the measure of the effects of foods, especially those with carbohydrates, to a person’s blood sugar levels. In the past, people and even experts believed that diabetes sufferers just needed to avoid plain sugar to avoid complicating their illness. However, further studies showed that complex carbohydrates were actually more dangerous for them. Thus, the Glycemic Index was created to help people measure the increase in their sugar levels after eating some types of food, thus giving them the knowledge of what foods to avoid or not.

Understanding the Glycemic Index Table is very easy, as it columns for the three classifications, the GI range, and some samples of foods that belong to each classification.

The first classification is food with Low GI which has a GI range of 55 or less. Foods belonging to this classification include most fruits and vegetables and products that have low carbohydrates. The lower the GI, the better it is for people with diabetes. The next classification is food with Medium GI, those with a range of 56 to 69. Examples of food in this classification include whole wheat products and table sugar.

The last classification in the Glycemic Index Table is the High GI classification, with a GI range of 70 and above. Food examples in this classification include baked potatoes, white rice, and some breakfast cereals. Foods in this classification are the foods that people with diabetes should avoid since this is what causes the blood sugar levels to rise. As long as one heeds the table, one can avoid having high blood sugar levels.