With nearly 10% of the U.S. population suffering from diabetes - amounting to almost 30 million people - maintaining a healthy blood sugar must be a priority for many, many Americans.

If you suffer from diabetes or pre-diabetes, and struggle to maintain a healthy blood sugar level, you are at greater risk of developing more serious complications. One way to safeguard your health is to learn about the glycemic index - what it is, how to use it, and the best way to maintain it.

What Is The Glycemic Index?

The glycemic index is a calculated number that gives pre-diabetics or diabetics an idea of how fast their body is converting carbohydrates into glucose. Since two foods with the same carb count can have two different glycemic index numbers, it’s important to search specifically for the glycemic index on all food labels.

How Does The Glycemic Index Work?

Helpful online glycemic index lists - like this one, from Harvard University - illustrate that there are three glycemic index ranges that food can fall into:

• 55 or less on the glycemic index = LOW (which means foods in this range are good options for those with diabetes or pre-diabetes)

• 56-69 on the glycemic index = MEDIUM

• 70 and above on the glycemic index = HIGH (which means foods in this range are bad options for pre-diabetics and diabetics)

What Affects The Glycemic Index?

While the glycemic index label on your food provides a helpful starting point when considering your blood sugar levels, there are a few additional factors that impact glycemic index and might make a food choice better or worse.

• How ripe is your fruit?
  

  Certain fruits - like bananas - will see a rise in their glycemic index the riper they become.

• How is your food prepared?
  

  Foods that have higher fat, fiber, or acid content - vinegar, lemon juice, etc. - can lower the glycemic index of your meal. On the other hand, cooking certain starches including pasta for longer periods of time can result in a higher glycemic index.

• What foods are you combining?
  

  Pairing higher glycemic index foods with far lower glycemic foods has a positive balancing effect, and can lower the overall glycemic index of your meal.

• What are the other factors that impact glycemic index?
  

  Individual identifiers including age, and personal activity level, along with portion sizes, calorie count, and the rate of your digestion also impact how your body processes and reacts to carbohydrates.

• Maintaining A Healthy Glycemic Index
  

  One way to supplement your diet and maintain a healthy glycemic index is to incorporate vitamins and minerals into your daily routine. Vitamins are a natural treatment option that can reduce a common but painful symptom of pre-diabetes and diabetes: peripheral neuropathy.

Studies show that at least half of those suffering from diabetes will develop peripheral neuropathy at some point. The good news is that natural, clinically-proven neuropathy treatment NeuraVite can help.

Monitoring your glycemic index is an indispensable tool in maintaining your long term health. Monitoring and maintaining proper blood sugar levels along with using the glycemic index, and adding in a once a day supplement that treats the source and the symptoms of neuropathy pain can improve your quality of life for years to come.

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