Glycemic Index Trends and Clinical Implications: Where Are We Going?

Resumen

Glycemic index (GI) is currently consideredas an alternative system thatclassifies food according to the carbohydratequality (CHO), measuring its absorption speed;meanwhile, glycemic load GL is a more recent termthat relates the quality and quantity of the CHO pergram of the usual consumption portion. Glycemic indexand glycemic load reduce the post-prandial glycemicimpact without the total restriction of CHO in thediet. Initially, GI was used only in patients with diabetes,currently it is also considered as a risk indicator inother pathologies. However, there is great controversydue to an inaccurate interpretation of the knowledgeabout the methodology used for its determination.The aim of this review is to elucidate this currentdebate and to expand the relationship between the GIand the risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases;thus, highlighting new prospects for its applicability inthe dietary intervention for diabetic athletes and in theproduction of functional food designed for patients withdiabetes. There is strong evidence that this indicatorhas become an innovative system for various multidisciplinaryhealth programs.