The glycemic index is a kind of tool that was developed by David Jenkins and Thomas MS Wolever, two doctors and researchers at the Faculty of Nutrition and Metabolism at the University of Toronto, Canada. It measures the impact of a food on the increase in blood sugar. In other words, the way the body digests, absorbs and uses the different carbohydrates to provide the body with the energy it needs.
Indeed, the ingestion of a food rich in sugar will cause a more or less significant spike in blood sugar 30 minutes after absorption. The level of this peak will determine the glycemic index of the food in question. The high glycemic index foods are rapidly converted into glucose. On the other hand, those at low glycemic index are transformed more slowly. And this difference is fundamental because the latter are digested gradually, and not all at once. They allow us to feel full longer.
The glycemic index and its variations
Canadian doctors have established a list of foods that diabetics can eat without risking discomfort, too high blood sugar can cause discomfort in a diabetic. They determined a basic index, then calculated and classified many other foods according to this index 100.
The index can vary according to certain factors, such as cooking, the fiber content it contains, the industrial processing of the food, whether it is precooked or not. Thus, the same food can have a different glycemic index. For example cooked white pasta al dente have a lower glycemic index than if boiled for a long time.
In this slideshow, discover the small gestures that can easily lower the glycemic index of your diet.
