Research paper
Jenkins DJA, Wolever TMS, Taylor RH, Barker H, Fielden H, Baldwin JM, Bowling AC, Newman HC, Jenkins AL, Goff DV. Glycemic index of foods: a physiological basis for carbohydrate exchange. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1981 Mar;34(3):362-366. doi:10.1093/ajcn/34.3.362
Why we cite it
The foundational paper that introduced the glycemic index to the scientific literature. Prior to this work, diabetic diets used "carbohydrate exchange" lists based solely on chemical carbohydrate content, ignoring physiological response. By testing 62 foods and demonstrating that equal carbohydrate portions produce vastly different blood glucose responses, this paper launched an entire field of research. All subsequent GI reference tables (Foster-Powell 1995, 2002 [cgl04], Atkinson 2008 [cgi03]) trace directly to this work.