Glycemic Index & the Diabetes Diet

Insulin is the hormone that allows the body to use sugar by breaking it down for energy. Diabetes is the disease resulting from the body being unable to produce insulin or being unable to use the insulin that is produced. The glycemic index is a system used to measure how quickly a particular food will cause a person's blood sugar to go up. This kind of system is of particular interest to people with diabetes.

The food's ability to raise blood sugar is measured by assessing how fast the body breaks down carbohydrates to form the sugar. Foods with a high glycemic index cause high blood sugar when they are digested by the body. 

The Diabetes Diet
Due to the fact that their bodies cannot properly handle sugar, people with diabetes must be careful about eating carbohydrates. The higher the glycemic index of a particular food the less of it they should consume as these foods cause their blood sugar levels to spike. Foods with a low glycemic index form blood sugar less quickly and help to keep blood sugar levels from spiking. These are the foods that should be eaten instead. A meal from a sensible diabetes diet would limit the intake of white bread and potatoes and instead focus on high fiber foods like grains, fruits and legumes. Another part of the blood sugar problem for diabetics is portion control. While not even high glycemic index foods are strictly forbidden to diabetics, it is important that they exercise restraint when eating.  Medium-glycemic index foods can also cause blood sugar spikes when eaten in excess. 

Value of the Glycemic Index
Research has found that not only does this system help people diabetes to control their blood sugar; non-diabetic people who eat lower glycemic foods have been shown to have a lower likelihood of getting the disease. Cultures that traditionally foods that do not cause massive spikes in blood sguar levels have lower instances of diabetes.