What is Glycemic Index: Key Factor, Scale Range, Limitations

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The glycemic index is an indicator that reflects the speed at which the digestion of the carbohydrates in food takes place. That converts in the form of glucose in the blood. If the Glycemic index is high in a range that means the rise in blood after consuming the food will be high.

The GI calculates the rise in blood glucose which converts from intaking the carbohydrates from food of 50gram. Indian Basmati rice is the best source for right fibres of fine quality.

Foods are categorized in three, on a scale range

  1. Low – In this, if the Glycemic index measures between 0-55, then the food has a low GI.
  2. Medium – In this category, the index presents 56-59 range
  3. High – here, we find the high GI range which is under 70 or more.

According to the study, the main benefits of low GI foods by replacing with high GI would be:

  • Firstly, it helps in reducing hypoglycemia events. That is generally found in type one diabetic patients, indicating the initial stage.
  • Low to medium glycemic index foods help in improving the blood lipids in those who are suffering from type one and two diabetic stages.

Key factors of GI

There are several factors that affect the value of GI, also creating complicatedness in its use. However, it is important to keep in mind that glycemic load doesn’t advise you to forget the basic healthier diet. 

Only, the glycemic index can be a useful tool for choosing the best nutritious food for you. The nutritional recommendations are specifically for those diabetics in order to help them to consume the right fibre foods. 

Helps in distributing the carbohydrates intake level in a day to avoid the accurate sugars. It is advisable for them to consume foods that are in the range of low to medium in GI.

It was believed that basmati rice has a GI range between low to medium, and is considered the most preferable item. 

Indian basmati rice exporters play an integral role in keeping the rice quality. There are variants of basmati rice and brown is more preferable as it is unpolished and unprocessed grain. 

How GI helpful in weight loss

There are suggestions for weight loss to consume low glycemic foods. Also, low GI diets have been promoted for long as a promising tool. 

However, the GI cannot help in reducing weight, as it is only a tool to measure the right and healthy diet. The other properties of the food must be calculated by the glycemic index and accordingly must be consumed. 

The properties which are useful and necessary to be careful, for example – high in fibre, low in calories and less processed meals. These properties are the ultimate source for losing weight.

This index can be used as a guideline while losing weight. It is advisable not to depend fully on this index as it may not be accurate for calculating the nutrients in food. 

Purpose of GI

The main purpose of the Glycemic Index is to prefer carbohydrate-containing food. It is necessary as it measures the blood sugar levels which is important in various states such as:

  • While losing weight, and follow a health conscious diet.
  • While suffering from diabetes,
  • When planning to follow the healthier diet,
  • While having some heart related issues or cholesterol level. 

Glycemic index helps in maintaining a healthy heart and blood sugar levels in control. It also helps in achieving the goal of a fit body. It is also considered to consult with a nutritionist while planning on this and follow a GI preferable diet.

Truth About the Glycemic Index

The glycemic index has a long history and this concept was first developed by Jenkins in 1981 as a ranking system that calculates the ratio of carbohydrates based on the immediate impacts on the blood sugar level.

It was first developed as a strategy to guide diabetic people. And, it resulted as a very helpful tool to guide the best food to maintain the blood sugar level.

Limitations of GI value

Glycemic index value has some limitations also, one is that the index doesn’t reflect the likely prescribed quantity one should eat in their meal.

For example, the fruit – watermelon has a value of 80 which puts the fruit in the avoidable category as per the index. But, it is proven that watermelon has digestible carbohydrates. In simple words, to raise the blood sugar level, it is important to have watermelon in your diet.

Furthermore, to control this limitation, researchers have studied the problem and found the idea to resolve this by developing a glycemic load. The glycemic load is the numerical value that indicates the change in blood glucose level whenever a typical food is being eaten.

For example, a 4.2 ounce cup of watermelon that probably contains 120 grams, has shown a range of 5 in glycemic, which definitely accounts for a healthy and best choice to eat.  

Basmati rice and glycemic index

Indian basmati rice is known to have direct blessings of mother nature. It is widely presented everywhere and there are various social platforms that say this rice is better in many ways.

If we related basmati rice and glycemic index, the result would say, it is the best option to be healthy. Since this type of rice has a low to medium range, everyone suggested it as a better choice for healthier and for diabetic patients.

The basmati rice exporters and millers cultivate this meal with fine quality which concentrates on lower saturated fats. Ultimately this helps in eliminating fats and weight loss.

Many studies have proven that Indian basmati rice is an excellent match for heart health. It has protective effects and prevents heart failure also.

What does the glycemic index role in this? Basically, the glycemic index calculated the quantity which we should consume. As everyone is aware of the rule, excessiveness of anything causes dangerous loss sometimes. It controls the nutrients amount, fibre and other minerals.

The range is being calculated of basmati rice, which says it has the 55 number on a scale of 0 to 100. This is the preferable range of glycemic index for a healthy diet. 

Conclusion

The Glycemic index has a unique relationship with the diet and to diabetes. Any food that is being eaten by us contains carbohydrates. And, these carbohydrates break down into pieces of simple sugars. 

Here, the role of the glycemic index comes, where this indicator examines the duration of the process of carbohydrates turned into sugars. If the observation says the process is faster then the blood sugar level will be high in less time. The same thing applies in the opposite context.

Rice has been a mandatory meal in our kitchens. And, Indian basmati rice is the foremost choice of everyone. Though, if it was for regular meals or for occasion time, it remains the priority. 

To simply put, glycemic is an indicator that helps us to be fit and healthy. As it has been discussed, the high glycemic index in foods is considered to be digested soon. And low glycemic takes more time to digest.

Furthermore, there is a substitute for the index, known as glycemic load. It is a general formula that corrects the quantity that is misled by GI. It is often done by combining portion size and GI into one.

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