The glycemic or glycemic index is a system that helps to know the GI to quantify the glycemic response of a certain food.
If at any time you have followed a weight loss diet, or you have passed through the shelves of books dedicated exclusively to the sector of dietetics and nutrition, surely you have read or heard about the glycemic index.
In general, it is a term whose concept and meaning can be misleading, although the truth is that it is common that it is always related to nutrition and weight loss or weight control diets.
What is the glycemic index?
It is called the glycemic index or glycemic index to a system to quantify the glycemic response that a certain food has, which contains the same amount of carbohydrates as a reference food.
It consists of an adequate system to compare the “quality” of the different carbohydrates that we can find in individual foods, while providing a numerical index based mainly on blood glucose measurements after ingestion.
In other words, it is a useful system to know not only the amount of carbohydrates that a certain food has, but also how quickly they are digested and absorbed by our body.
Taking into account that in diseases such as diabetes, the control of glycemic levels is essential, knowing the glycemic index of the foods that are consumed is essential for following a varied but adequate diet.
What is the glycemic index for?
The glycemic index helps to know the quantity and quality of carbohydrates that a certain food has, while providing information on how quickly they are ingested and absorbed by our body.
In this sense, the glycemic index measures the effect of a certain food, rich in carbohydrates, on blood sugar levels.
What is a high glycemic food?
A food with a high glycemic index is one whose carbohydrates are rapidly absorbed, which means that its sugar is absorbed quickly and causes greater swings in insulin.
For this reason, this type of food is not recommended in diabetic people or in those who follow a weight loss diet, since they facilitate the accumulation of fat and cause us a faster sensation of appetite.
What is a low glycemic index food?
They are foods that, due to their low glycemic content, are rich in complex carbohydrates or slow absorption, so that they are digested little by little and our blood insulin levels remain constant.
