Glycemic Index

The figure given from 0 to 100 to the food shows the food’s ability to raise the blood glucose level after two hours of consuming the food(Jenkins et al., 1981). The pure glucose suppository is given the number 100. This scale shows how fastly food could raise blood glucose and cause metabolic effects. Every food has a different glycemic index(Zeevi et al., 2015), and the figure depends upon the following factors.

• Amount of the food taken and amount of the enmesh carbohydrates in the food.
• Type of carbohydrates present in the food; carbohydrates may be complex or straightforward. Food containing simple carbohydrates dissolve readily in the blood and promptly increases the blood sugar level, thus having a high glycemic index. Food with complex carbohydrates has large molecules that initially break down into smaller ones. This time-consuming breakdown results in a slow increase of blood sugar in the body, thus having a low glycemic index.
• The protein and fat content in the food as these molecules decrease digestion, resulting in a low glycemic index.
• The number of organic acids in the food; higher the acid lowers the glycemic index.
• The degree of cooking of the food as more cooking causes the breakdown of the structure of the food molecule, causing easy absorption, increasing blood glucose level. Thus, having a high glycemic index.
• The ripeness of the foods, such as the glycemic index of the banana, increases on riping
• Food processing makes food structure less complex, which readily releases glucose and raises levels in the body. The higher the refining or grinding, the higher the glycemic index.

Glycemic index score

Based on the figure of glycemic index, the food is divided into three main groups(Brouns et al., 2005)(Foster-Powell et al., 2002)

1. The low glycemic index food having number 55 or less
2. The medium glycemic index food having number 56-69
3. The high glycemic index food having number 70 or more

Measurement

After 12 hours of fasting, the testing product is consumed, and blood glucose levels are measured every 30 minutes until 2 hours. Pure glucose is also consumed to compare with the testing. The area under the curve (AUC) of the testing food is divided by the area under graph (AUC) of the pure glucose and multiply by a hundred to get the glycemic index of the food under testing(Dodd et al., 2011).

Application

1.     Weight control

The insulin in the body causes the glucose in the blood to enter the body cells, thus using it for cellular functions. Excess glucose stores energy in the form of fat, thus promoting obesity. Monitoring the food’s glycemic index is necessary for maintaining a healthy weight(Thomas et al., 2007). The low glycemic index food slowly releases glucose, which causes the constant release of insulin. The energy produced is utilized by the body. No excess energy leads to less fat deposition and helps in reversing obesity(Schwingshackl et al., 2015)(Zeevi et al., 2015).  

2.     Cholesterol management

The high cholesterol in the body predisposes the body to an increased risk of cardiovascular disorders such as coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis(Temelkova-Kurktschiev et al., 2000). The level of cholesterol in the body is closely related to the level of glucose. Eating low glycemic index food causes an increase in body HDL (good) cholesterol and a decrease in LDL (bad) cholesterol. Thus, monitoring the glycemic index has a protective effect on the body’s cholesterol levels(Glycemic Index: What It Is and How to Use It, n.d.).

3.     Disease prevention

The low level of sugar and cholesterol in the body lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The low blood glucose level also protects the kidneys. Thus, the idea of the glycemic index of the food is necessary to prevent diseases. The low glycemic index diet also improves lipid profile(Brouns et al., 2005).

4.     Diabetes management

In patients with diabetes, blood glucose monitoring is essential to reduce complications. Food with a high glycemic index causes a sudden rise in blood glucose levels which needs more insulin. (Chiu et al., 2011) As in diabetes type I, there is an insufficient release of insulin. In diabetes type II, the cells do not respond to insulin. The body cannot deal with the high glucose levels resulting from high glycemic index food in both conditions. Thus, the knowledge of the glycemic index is necessary to control the complications of diabetes(Sheard et al., 2004).

5.     Appetite control

The sudden spikes in the blood glucose level cause a rapid increase in insulin, which in turn causes an early response. Also, the rapid consumption of glucose decreases body energy which in turn increases hunger. Therefore, the athlete prefers to use high carbohydrates diet before the performance(Walton & Rhodes, 1997). However, food with a low glycemic index causes the constant release of sugar, maintaining the body’s energy and good appetite control.

Food Good For Health

Food selection depends on your health goals;  to monitor your weight, healthy foods for your cardiovascular disease, or maintain blood sugar to control diabetes mellitus(Jenkins et al., 1981). The food with low a glycemic index helps in

1. Weight loss
2. Preventing diabetes type II
3. Controlling diabetes
4. Lowering blood cholesterol levels
5. Have good appetite control

Following is the list of foods with a low glycemic index (Schwingshackl et al., 2015)(Thomas et al., 2007) good for health.

• Bread made with millet and quinoa.
• Vegetables like green peas, carrots, celery, mushrooms, tomatoes, pepper, snow peas, bok choy, artichokes, and all green vegetables
• Fruits like peaches, strawberries, pears, plums, cranberries, blueberries, oranges, apricot, apples, coconut, and grapefruit
• Dairy products include milk, yogurt, cheese (swiss, cottage, ricotta, mozzarella, cheddar), almond milk, and coconut milk.
• Cereals and legumes such as oats, flakes, chickpea, lentils, hummus, and beans
• Grains such as kernels, barley, oat bran, grain pasta, and lasagna
• Rice
• Seafood such as fish and prawns
• Nuts including walnuts, pistachios, almond, cashew, peanut
• Others salads, dark chocolate, soups, mayonnaise, olives, avocado

Food bad for health

Food with a high glycemic index(Balkau et al., 1998) causes a sudden rise in blood glucose levels and is bad for health for the following reasons.

• The average blood glucose level increases, which causes an increase in the complications of diabetes, such as a decrease in vision and kidney problems. This high blood glucose level also causes cardiovascular problems.
• The demand for insulin in the body increases, which predispose the body to diabetes mellitus type 2
• The sudden rise in the blood glucose level follows a drop in blood sugar levels, which causes hunger and weakness(Glycemic Index: What It Is and How to Use It, n.d.)

Following is the list of food with a high glycemic index and should be avoided to attain healthy life goals.

• Bread such as white bread
• Fruits such as dates, watermelon, banana
• Vegetables such as mashed, boiled, and baked potatoes, parsnips, pumpkin, and French fries
• Cereals and legumes such as bran flakes, coco pops, puffed wheat (Chiu et al., 2011)
• Drinks such as maple syrup, high fructose corn syrup, golden syrup, and caramel syrup
• Grains such as brown rice, instant white rice, sago
• Snacks like donuts, crackers, rice cakes, waffles, jelly beans, pikelets, pretzels, and fruit rollups

Conclusions

The understanding of the glycemic index of the food is essential for the proper maintenance of health. The low glycemic index food is good for weight loss, increasing good cholesterol, lowering bad cholesterol, preventing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes control(Freeman, 2005)(Brouns et al., 2005). While the high glycemic index food is consumed before games in the tournament by athletes. This goal can be obtained only when one has the proper knowledge of the glycemic index and its score(Glycemic Index: What It Is and How to Use It, n.d.)(Hollenbeck et al., 1986).