In simple words what is a glycaemic index?

Answer 1

A measure of the relative increase in blood glucose levels after eating similar amounts of different carbohydrate-containing foods. Pure glucose is given a glycaemic index of 100 per cent and all other foods are compared with it.

The glycaemic index was devised to help diabetics manage their diet, but it can also be used by athletes. Many sports nutritionists recommend that exercisers eat complex carbohydrates such as whole-wheat pasta, which have a glycaemic index of less than 50 per cent. A meal with a low glycaemic index should release its glucose slowly during exercise and allow the body's carbohydrate stores to last.

{| ! INDEX (%) !

| 100 pure glucose

80-90 carrots, cornflakes, honey, maltose, parsnips

70-79 wholewheat bread, white rice, new potatoes

60-69 bananas, white bread, brown rice, raisins 50-59 sweet corn, frozen peas, digestive biscuits

40-49 wholewheat spaghetti, dried peas, Oranges

30-39 butter beans, apples, milk, ice-cream, yoghurt

20-29 lentils, kidney beans

10-19 peanuts, soy beans

from the oxford university press

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