Wolever and Jenkins tested sixty-two foods and recorded…
““Wolever and Jenkins tested sixty-two foods and recorded the blood-sugar response in the two hours after consumption. Different individuals responded differently, and the variation from day to day was “tremendous,” as Wolever says, but the response to a specific food was still reasonably consistent. They also tested a solution of glucose alone to provide a benchmark, which they assigned a numerical value of 100. Thus the glycemic index became a comparison of the blood-sugar response induced by a particular carbohydrate food to the response resulting from drinking a solution of glucose alone. The higher the glycemic index, the faster the digestion of the carbohydrates and the greater the resulting blood sugar and insulin. White bread, they reported, had a glycemic index of 69; white rice, 72; corn flakes, 80; apples, 39; ice cream, 36. The presence of fat and protein in a food decreased the blood-sugar response, and so decreased the glycemic index. One””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The glycemic index measures how quickly foods raise blood sugar compared to pure glucose; fat and protein lower this response, while carbs raise it, showing individual and daily variation.
In simple terms: Glycemic index ranks foods by blood‑sugar impact; fat/protein reduce it.
Key Takeaway
Consider food composition when managing blood sugar.
Themes
nutrition
health
science
Mood
analytical
informative
Type
educational
scientific
When to use this quote
- meal planning
- diabetes management
- weight control
- research analysis
Key Concepts
glycemic response
dietary planning
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you account for personal response differences in diet?
- What role do fats and proteins play in stabilizing blood sugar?
A Different Perspective
Individual variability limits a single index’s predictability.