The short history of Glycemic Index research

The studies of the effects different foods cause on the blood glucose levels have began thirty years ago. Back in 1981 the first widely accepted article coining the term Glycemic Index and its importance in nutrition was published in the respectable The American Journal for Clinical Nutrition. Dr Jenkins et al have fed 62 commonly eaten foods to the group of healthy volunteers and measured their blood glucose levels during the next two hours after the intake of the meal. The largest rise in blood sugar was detected in volunteers who ate starchy vegetables, breakfast cereals, biscuits, fruits and dairy products.

Since that time a number of different universities and research institutions around the globe, both commercial and non-profit, conducted hundreds of studies of food glycemic index and glycemic load (this term was introduced later in 1997 by the researchers at the Harvard University as a further clarification of GI) and its effect on human health. World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized the importance of such studies back in 1997.

Today glycemic index is widely recognized as a reliable, respectful and physiologically based classification of food according to their effect on blood sugar level.

The negative effect of the high-GI diet (reach on starchy food and sweets) on human health have been proved by the several studies. One of the first of such studies was scientifically tested the link between high-GI diet and the development of the type 2 diabetes. Increased risk of the development of the various cardiovascular diseases due to high-GI carbohydrates consumption was proved next.

Also, scientists have found a lot of positive effects of the low-GI diets. Keeping the consumption of the starchy vegetables, sweets and pastries as low as possible have been proved to be useful of increasing the blood HDL-cholesterol—so called good cholesterol—levels. In the early 2000’s several studies in the US have simultaneously showed improvements in patients with type 1 diabetes eating low-GI meals. Putting obese children on a low-GI, high dietary fiber diet showed the most rapid decrease in their body mass index.

The short history of Glycemic Index research was posted by Vitali K. on 25th January 2012 as part of the Lifestyle section. Share your links or pictures with us by email: paradoxoff@gmail.com. Check the front page for the latest posts or use navigation links below: