La importancia de la velocidad de absorción de la glucosa a nivel intestinal está representada por el concepto de índice glucémico, ya estudiado durante más de treinta años pero del que todavía no se ha comprendido su gran importancia para la salud y para el bienestar en los seres humanos.

La infravaloración del concepto del índice glucémico es debida al hecho de que todavía se usa el concepto termodinámico de la Caloría (o del Julio) en las ciencias de la alimentación.

El Programa Bioimis, por otra parte, considera fundamental la importancia del control del aumento del azúcar (glucosa) después de las comidas.

Los estudios de referencia son los siguientes:

Jenkins DJ, Wolever TM, Taylor RH, et al. “Glycemic index of food: a physiological basis for carbohydrate exchange”. Am J Clin Nutr 1981; 34: 362-6.

Wolever TMS, Jenkins DJ, Jenkins AL, Josse RG. “The glycemic index: methodology and clinical implication”. Am J Clin Nutr 1991; 54: 846-54.

Wolever TMS, Jenkins DJA. “The use of the glycemic index in predicting the blood glucose respose to mixed meals”. Am J Clin Nutr 1986; 43: 167-72.

Wolever T, Bolognesi C. “ Prediction of glucose and insulin response of normal subject consuming mixed meals varying in energy, protein, fat carbohydrate and glycemic index”. Nutrition 1992; 126: 2807-12.

Collier G. McLean A, O’Dea K. “Effect of co-ingestion of fat on the metabolic responses to slowly and rapidly absorbed carbohydrates”. Diabetolgia 1984; 26: 50-4.

Bornet FR, Costagliola D, Rizkalla SW, et al. “Insulinemic and glycemic indexes of six starcy-rich foods taken alone and in a mixed meal by type 2 diabetics”. Am J Clin Nutr 1987: 45: 588-95.

Jenkins DJ, Wolever TM, Kalmusky J, et al. “Low-glycemic index diet in hyperlipidemia: use of trditional starchy foods”. Am J Clin Nutr 1987: 45: 66-71.

Wolever TM, Jenkins DJ, Vuksan V, Jenkins AL, Wong GS, Josse RG. “Beneficil effect of low-glycemic index diet in overweight NIDDM subjects”. Diabetes Care 1992; 15: 562-4.

Wahlqvist ML, Wilmshurst EG, Richardson EN. “The effect of chain length on glucose absorbtion and the related metabolic response”. Am J Clin Nutr 1978; 31: 1998-2001.

Ludwig DS. “The glycemic index: physiolgical mechanisms relating to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease”. JAMA 2002; 287: 2414-23.

Salmeron J, Ascherio A, Rimm E, Colditz G, Spiegelman D, Jenkins D, Stampfer M, Wing A, Willet W. “Dietary fiber, glycemic load, and risk of NIDDM in men”. Diabetes Care 1997; 20: 545-50.

Brand-Miller JC, Thomas M, Swan V, et al. “Physiological validation of the concept of glycemic load in lean adults”. J Nutr 2003; 133: 2728-2732.

Liu S, Willet WC, Stampfer MJ, et al. “ A prospective study of dietary glycemic load, carbohydrate intake, and the risk of coronary heart disease in US women”. Am J Clin Nutr 2000; 71: 1455-61.

Liu S, Manson JE, Stampfer MJ et al. “Dietary glyceic load assesed by food-frequency questionnaire in relation to plasma high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and fasting plasma triacylglycerols in postmenopausal women”. Am J Clin Nutr 2001; 73: 560-6.

Willet W, Manson J, Liu S. “Glycemic index, glycemic load, and risk of type 2 diabetes”. Am J Clin Nutr 2002; 76 (Suppl.): 274S-80S.

Opperman AM, Venter CS, Oosthuizen W, Thompson RL, Vorster HH. “Meta-analysis of the health effects of using the glycaemic index in meal-planning.”Br J Nutr. 2004 Sep;92(3):367-81.

Schwingshackl L, Hoffmann G. “Long-term effects of low glycemic index/load vs. high glycemic index/load diets on parameters of obesity and obesity-associated risks: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2013 Jun 17.