The glycemic index (GI) is a physiological ranking, 0 to 100, used to reflect how a carbohydrate-containing food causes an increase in blood sugar (glucose) levels. Different varieties of rice contain different types and ratios of starches (amylose and amylopectin), which influence the rate at which they are digested-the higher the proportion of amylose starch, the slower the rate of digestion, and the lower the glycemic index.

“In the US, we are fortunate to have supermarket shelves stocked with a wide variety of products, and this is certainly true with rice.

Nicola McKeown, PhD, associate professor and director of the Friedman School’s Nutritional Epidemiology Program, replies: