Glossary
Glycemic Index
Definition: A ranking of how quickly a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood glucose compared with a reference food, usually pure glucose.
Why it matters
Foods with a high glycemic index can cause faster blood sugar spikes than lower-index foods with the same amount of carbohydrate, though real meals combine foods in ways that change this effect.
Example
White bread has a higher glycemic index than steel-cut oats, even though both are primarily carbohydrate.