The glycemic index is an important element taken into account to regulate the daily diet . Nutrition specialists believe that this indicator is also essential for other reasons. Discover its definition as well as its importance for your health and your nutritional program .
Definition of the glycemic index (GI)
First, you should know that each food can contain carbohydrates. The amount of carbohydrates ingested will affect blood glucose levels. The glycemic index then indicates the "hyperglycemic" power of a food, that is to say its ability to lead to an increase in glycemia (the level of sugar in the blood).
The reference index is that of glucose, which means that that of other foods is expressed as a percentage of the latter. Because of this, foods with a low glycemic index (GI) have a number below 40. A medium GI is between 40 and 59 and a high GI is above 70.
To reduce the risk of diabetes
With our diet, we are currently subject to an increased risk of diabetes. Monitoring the glycemic index of foods can significantly reduce this. Following a nutritional program adapted to your body helps to avoid spikes in blood sugar. It should be noted that the latter are the cause of the weakening of the pancreas.
If this organ is constantly solicited with spikes in blood sugar, the body will find it increasingly difficult to secrete insulin. If this happens, sugar builds up in the blood and causes diabetes. It is therefore very important to monitor the GI of foods, especially if you are predisposed to this disease.
To limit weight gain and cardiovascular disease
Following a better nutritional program with constant monitoring of the GI is also recommended for people who wish to monitor their weight. A suitable nutritional program based on the GI can even help you lose your extra pounds. The principle is always to limit blood sugar peaks which also promote the accumulation of sugar which turns into fat in the long term.
Monitoring the GI of ingested foods also avoids the risk of cardiovascular disease. This is because excess sugar in the body is stored in the form of triglycerides. If they are present in abundance, these are nevertheless the source of certain diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
