NUTRITIONAL MERITS OF LOW GLYCEMIC INDEX FOODS: A PART OF INTEGRATED APPROACH TO MANAGEMENT OF DIABETIC PATIENTS

Background Diabetes becomes an important public health problem. Besides drug treatment healthier lifestyle with emphasise on appropriate diet is of utmost importance. Methods Overview of literature on food glycemic index research and its role in planning, counselling and following diabetic diet. Results The results of the appropriate food choice are less as the recommendations in different diabetes guidelines. Glycemic indices of food components are well researched. Also Slovenian researchers contributed to the list of glycemic indices. In spite of some variability of glycemic indices due to variation of their nutrient composition, glycemic index presents the basis for the selection and recommendation of appropriate nutrition. Standardisation of the laboratory procedures and laboratories will further diminish the ambiguity regarding the variation in actual food chosen. Conclusions Glycemic index is a good measure of appropriateness in planning quality diabetic nutrition. Collaboration between different profiles of professional will become even more important in future planning and counselling of diabetic nutrition.