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Glycemic index of foods

Glycemic index of foods

Edited by: at 10/10/2023

The glycemic index of food is a way of measuring the potential of food to raise blood glucose levels after eating, thereby increasing insulin production.

Dr. Gabriela Vertti Córdova

The GI is obtained by measuring the level of blood glucose generated by a food and is compared to a reference food, which are pure glucose, which is given a maximum value of 100. The GI classification ranges from 0 to 100 and is divided into low, medium and high. A low IG ranges from 0 to 55, medium IG is 56 to 60 and high IG is 70 to 100.

Foods with a low GI are those that will take longer to be absorbed and therefore will not cause a peak of insulin, since glucose does not rise dramatically in blood. However, with high-GI foods, the higher the GI, the greater the decrease in blood glucose and the greater the increase in insulin. Therefore, it is most recommendable that glucose be released gradually, gradually to the bloodstream, to achieve adequate uptake by our cells and there are no excess, so that it avoids the transformation of that excess glucose in fat cells.

 

There are physical and chemical factors that can alter the value of the GI of the food and this not be exact as it is in standard conditions taken in a laboratory, where only the chemical composition of the food is taken into account. These factors are: the type of carbohydrate, starch, how to prepare food, heat, water, cooking time, its fiber and fat content, combining other foods, processing techniques, freezing, acid pH, among others.

Some researchers consider the glycemic load to be more significant than the glycemic index; since it is better indicator of the response to the effect of glucose in a person. The glycemic load refers to the amount of carbohydrate in the food multiplied by the glycemic index of the food. The glycemic load is also divided into low, medium and high. A high glycemic load is greater than or equal to 20, mean glycemic load is considered 11 to 19 and a low glycemic load is less than or equal to 10.

 

The glycemic load and the glycemic index of a food are a better option to carry good eating habits. For example, for people with diabetes, they do not cause elevated blood glucose fluctuations. On the other hand, they are foods that sometimes contain significant amounts of fiber which helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, prostate as well as help lower LDL "bad cholesterol" and increase HDL cholesterol "cholesterol good, "in addition to helping to keep glucose levels stable, as other benefits such as weight control and hunger.

At present, tables exist that help to easily identify the glycemic index and the glycemic load of a food. An easy way to consume foods with low glycemic load and index is to eat foods high in fiber, unprocessed (beans, beans, lentils, fresh vegetables).

Nutrition & Dietetics in Magdalena Contreras