The Glycemic Index is an important element in the nutritional therapy of diabetes, however many diabetic individuals don't know what the glycemic index is or how to use it when selecting carbohydrates. The following is a description of the glycemic index and why it is important in the management of diabetes.

Definition

The glycemic index of a carbohydrate food is related to the magnitude of the rise in blood glucose that results from ingestion of that food. Eating a food with a high glycemic index, such as white bread, causes a greater increase in blood glucose than eating a food with a lower glycemic index, such as beans. Below is a table listing the glycemic indices of some common foods:

Food	Glycemic Index
White bread   Baked potato   Cornflakes   Popcorn   Sugar Cereal   Milk Chocolate   White Rice   Banana   Regular Pasta   Whole Wheat Bread   Brown Rice   Whole Grain Cereal   Oats   Whole Wheat Pasta   Kidney Beans   Dairy Products   Lentil Beans   Dark Chocolate   Soy   Green Vegetables	95 95 85 85 70 70 70 60 55 50 50 50 40 40 40 35 30 22 15 15 or less

The Importance of the Glycemic Index in Diabetes Management

Ingestion of a carbohydrate food with a low glycemic index causes a smaller rise in blood glucose than ingestion of a food with a high glycemic index. So why is this important to persons with diabetes? The glycemic index is very important in the nutritional management of diabetes because recent research has definitively shown that diabetic individuals who eat a diet rich in low glycemic index foods have lower fasting plasma glucose levels and lower blood lipid levels than diabetic individuals who consume a diet rich in high glycemic index foods. Maintaining desirable blood glucose and lipid levels can help delay or even prevent the onset of some of the serious complications of diabetes such as heart disease and kidney disease. Therefore, persons with diabetes should choose carbohydrates with a low glycemic index whenever possible.