What is the Glycaemic Index?
The glycaemic index (GI) is a way of ranking individual foods according to the effect they have on blood glucose levels. Carbohydrate foods with a low GI cause a slow, steady rise in blood glucose levels. High GI foods cause blood glucose levels to rise quickly. The GI is related to how quickly the food is digested The speed at which mixed foods are digested depends on the amount of fat and protein present, as well as the amount of fibre. If a low GI food is eaten at the same time as a high GI food, the overall effect on blood glucose level will be a combination of the individual effects. In real terms, this means that, for example, the sharp rise in blood glucose caused by eating sweets can be blunted by eating them at the end of a meal. Cooking foods can raise the GI because it makes them easier to digest. Processing and refining of starchy foods also tends to make them more digestible and raises the GI. Therefore processed foods and highly refined starches tend to raise the blood gl
