The glycemic index is a theoretical concept that guides us on the speed with which a food increases glycemia, i.e. the glucose in blood and popularly known as sugar in blood. Let us remember that glucose is going to get through food intake. Carbohydrates are the nutrient that greater effect causes on the glycemia. In contrast, proteins and fats have less of an impact on the glycemia.
To settle this index compares the food with a pattern, glucose, to which it gives the value of 100. Those foods with values above 70 are considered high glycemic index. These foods would cause a rapid and short rise in blood sugar.
And in the lowest stripes, these are below 55 and thereby cause an increase in the slow but sustained glycemia.