glykämische

The term glykämische refers to glycemia and the body's handling of glucose, particularly in the field of nutrition and medicine. It is often encountered in relation to the glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL), which describe how carbohydrate-containing foods influence blood glucose after eating. The glycemic response is the postprandial rise in blood glucose (and insulin) that varies with the carbohydrate’s digestibility and the food’s matrix.

Glycemic index is a relative ranking of carbohydrate-containing foods based on their blood glucose response in healthy subjects. It uses a standard portion that contains 50 grams of available carbohydrate and compares the area under the glucose curve (AUC) after the test food with the AUC after a reference food, usually glucose, set to 100. GI values are influenced by factors such as starch structure, fiber content, fat and acidity, cooking, and ripeness.

Glycemic load improves on GI by incorporating portion size. GL is calculated as GI multiplied by the amount of carbohydrate per serving and divided by 100. This yields an estimate of a typical serving’s overall glycemic impact, combining quality and quantity of carbohydrate.

Applications and limitations: GI and GL are used to guide dietary choices, particularly for diabetes management, weight control, and cardiovascular risk reduction. Evidence on long-term outcomes is mixed, and GI is one of several indicators of dietary quality. Limitations include inter-individual variability and the effect of mixed meals, processing, and food context on glycemic responses.

History: The concept of glycemic index emerged in the early 1980s, developed by researchers including Jenkins and colleagues, and has since influenced nutrition education, research, and labeling in some regions.