Quantitative Concept
glycemic index Audio
gly·ce·mic in·dex [ gly-see-mik in-dex ]
Subclass of:
Nutritive Value
Definitions related to glycemic index:
  • A measure of the increase in the level of blood glucose (a type of sugar) caused by eating a specific carbohydrate (food that contains sugar) compared with eating a standard amount of glucose. Foods with a high glycemic index release glucose quickly and cause a rapid rise in blood glucose. Foods with a low glycemic index release glucose slowly into the blood. A relationship between the glycemic index and recurrent colorectal cancer is being studied.
    NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • A numerical system of measuring the rate of BLOOD GLUCOSE generation from a particular food item as compared to a reference item, such as glucose = 100. Foods with higher glycemic index numbers create greater blood sugar swings.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
  • A ranking of foods according to how quickly and how much they raise blood sugar.
    Harvard Dictionary of Health Terms
    Harvard Medical Publishing, 2011
  • A ranking of the relationship between various foods and glucose blood serum levels. The carbohydrate composition of the food directly effects the concentration of glucose in the blood. 2005
    NCI Thesaurus
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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