What is the glycemic index?

The glycemic index (GI) is the response of carbohydrates on the human blood glucose level. A low glycemic index results in only moderate increases and decreases of the blood sugar level, maintaining it at a constant level for a longer period of time. A diet with a low GI helps reduce fluctuations in blood sugar levels.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recommend that people in industrial nations base their diets on foods with a low glycemic index to help reduce the risk of certain diseases.

The glycemic index provides a way of depicting the quality of carbohydrates in food and no longer relying on the trend of merely counting calories.