Glycemic index (GI)

Glycemic index, or GI, is a way of ranking foods by how quickly they raise your blood sugar. High-GI foods raise it fast, while low-GI foods raise it more slowly and gently.

For PCOS, slower rises in blood sugar are generally kinder, because they mean gentler insulin levels. So the idea of GI is useful.

But do not get lost in GI charts. In real life, how you combine and portion your food matters more than the GI number of any single item. Pairing a carb with protein, vegetables or curd slows down the whole meal, whatever its GI.

Read more in can I eat rice and roti with PCOS, and see glycemic load.