The Glycemic Index(GI)

Definition

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a system of ranking the quality of carbohydrate in a food according to the immediate effect it has on blood glucose. Individual foods are compared to pure glucose, which has its Glycemic Index set at 100. For comparison, pearl barley has a value of 33, oranges are 49, and whole wheat bread is 71.

The Glycemic Index was conceived in 1979 by Dr. David Jenkins, together with Dr. Thomas Wolever and Dr. Alexandra Jenkins. The GI breakthrough was the outcome of research conducted at both Oxford University and at the University of Toronto to determine which foods would be best for people with diabetes.