Chances are, you’ve heard of the glycemic index. This system of
food classification — which assigns each food a value based on
how much, and how quickly, it raises the blood glucose level —
is mentioned frequently in the diabetes media as a way to
improve blood glucose control. But is the glycemic index
described in a way that makes it easy for people to incorporate
into their lives? And what exactly will using it accomplish? Not
knowing how to use the glycemic index to guide meal choices, or
what benefits these choices will have, can make the glycemic
index more of an abstract concept than a useful tool to many
people with diabetes. This may help explain why a recent study
sought to explore the effects of glycemic index education on
people with Type 2 diabetes. As described in an article on
Newswise.com, the study randomly assigned some participants to
take nine weekly sessions of education on the glycemic index;
the other participants attended no sessions during these weeks.
After this period, participants