3 truths about the glycemic index from a registered dietitian

(BPT) - It is recommended by nutrition experts that fruits and vegetables should be part of everyone’s daily eating pattern. However, only one in 10 Americans meets the recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Confusion around the Glycemic Index (GI) and its dietary implications may be another barrier to adequate consumption.

"The GI has been around for 40 years," explains registered dietitian Constance Brown-Riggs, MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN. "Its intention is to indicate with a single number how quickly a food will cause a rise in glucose in the bloodstream, and it can be used by people who want to achieve weight loss or by people with diabetes for choosing which carbohydrate-containing foods to eat. However, the GI doesn't give the full picture, and many nutrition professionals, like me, believe that it leads to misinformation about the healthfulness or nutritional qualities of foods, including fruits and vegetables."