The glycemic index (GI) is a property of the carbohydrates in different foods, specifically the blood glucose raising ability of the digestible carbohydrates. It compares carbohydrates on a weight for weight basis in single foods or food items, in the physical state in which they are normally consumed.
Oh boy, that was a mouthful! What does it mean in regular English? The glycemic index is the measurement of blood sugar over a period of time after having eaten a food item. Make more sense?
Controlling blood sugar is extremely important for people who struggle with this such as diabetics and hypoglycemics. But it is actually important for everyone. Simple sugars and food containing simple sugars (and there are many) tend to offer a huge spike in blood glucose, resulting in a 'sugar high', followed by a steep decline (sugar low). This phenomenon manifests itself as a spike of energy (like the old 'kids climbing up the walls' thing) followed by a feeling of fatigue or total lack of energy (sugar low). Then, we want more food to get that energy high again. And the vicious circle continues.
Foods containing simple sugars are so extremely prominent in our north American diet, that blood sugar related health disorders are reaching near epidemic proportions. As an example, Canadian Diabetes Association suggests that based on a U.S. study, a North American child born in 2000 stands a one in three chance of being diagnosed with diabetes in his or her lifetime. In Canada, over two million Canadians have diabetes and that number is expected to reach three million by 2010.
For these reasons and more, consumers are starting to understand the importance of eating foods that feature a low glycemic index. The glycemic index score is calculated from complex formulas, ultimately resulting in a GI classification, as follows:
- Low GI – 55 and below.
- Medium GI – 56 to 69.
- High GI – 70 and above.
Low GI foods are most desirable in order to provide sustained blood sugar and sustained energy, rather than energy highs and lows.
Five of our nine Taste of Nature bars were clinically tested by The Pharmacology & Toxicology Laboratory at Jahangirnagar University in Bangladesh for their GI score. The results were phenomenal. Our bars came in at GI scores ranging from 4.87 to 19.82, well below the 'low GI' target of 55.
Perhaps the best way to illustrate this is looking at the Plasma Glucose levels of the volunteers after taking Glucose in comparison to after the intake of Taste of Nature bars. The Plasma Glucose (mmol/L) (vertical line) measured in time (horizontal line) clearly shows that Taste of Nature bars provide sustained energy without a dramatic sugar spike.
