Glycemic Index

Pure glucose is the reference standard for glycemic index with a value of 100. Higher glycemic index foods produce faster and larger blood glucose responses than lower glycemic index foods. Sweet potatoes have a much lower glycemic index compared to regular potatoes. Fruit juice is high glycemic index because juicing breaks cell walls and removes fiber, whereas whole fruit is medium glycemic index. Whole wheat and complex carbohydrates can still be high glycemic index despite being marketed as healthier options. Wheat bread and table sugar have approximately the same glycemic index. Wheat bread is presented as raising blood sugar faster than table sugar despite being a complex carbohydrate. Under the article's corrected scale, virtually every grain and starch is high glycemic. The glycemic index is considered limited because it measures blood glucose response but not fructose's liver effects. Glycemic index is useful as a concept but should not be treated as an absolute scientific truth. The article rejects the idea that complex carbohydrates are protective because they digest slowly. Published glycemic index values can vary because different people respond differently to the same…