<P> The glycemic index or glycaemic index (GI) (/ ɡlaɪˌsiːmɪkˈɪndɛks /) is a number associated with the carbohydrates in a particular type of food that indicates the effect of these carbohydrates on a person's blood glucose (also called blood sugar) level . A value of 100 represents the standard, an equivalent amount of pure glucose . </P> <P> The GI represents the rise in a person's blood sugar level two hours after consumption of the food . The glycemic effects of foods depends on a number of factors, such as the type of carbohydrate, physical entrapment of the carbohydrate molecules within the food, fat and protein content of the food and organic acids or their salts in the meal . The GI is useful for understanding how the body breaks down carbohydrates and takes into account only the available carbohydrate (total carbohydrate minus fiber) in a food . Glycemic index does not predict an individual's glycemic response to a food, but can be used as a tool to assess the insulin response burden of a food, averaged across a studied population . Individual responses vary greatly . </P> <P> The glycemic index is usually applied in the context of the quantity of the food and the amount of carbohydrate in the food that is actually consumed . A related measure, the glycemic load (GL), factors this in by multiplying the glycemic index of the food in question by the carbohydrate content of the actual serving . Watermelon has a high glycemic index, but a low glycemic load for the quantity typically consumed . Fructose, by contrast, has a low glycemic index, but can have a high glycemic load if a large quantity is consumed . </P>

The glycemic index is a measure of the rate at which foods