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One of the important factors when trying to loose weight is to choose foods that keep your insulin levels fairly constant. This is especially true in regards to carbohydrates. When we eat foods that contain carbohydrates, the carbohydrates are digested in the stomach and intestines and are absorbed into the bloodstream, generally in the form of glucose. When the carbohydrates we eat cause the blood sugar to quickly rise to high levels,excess insulin can cause to much sugar to be absorbed by the cells.This results in a condition of low blood sugar. The subsequent stress on the body stimulates the adrena glands to secrete hormones into the blood. Metabolism rises, glucose is manufactured from stores in the liver and the entire body may be activated in what is called “fight-or-flight response.” The Glycemic Index (GI) is a classification of ranking of carbohydrates, based on their potential for raising blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates that are broken down slowly and cause only a moderate increase in blood sugar, have a low Glycemic Index. Some carbohydrates fall in between. Specifically, the Glycemic Index measures how much a 50-gram portion of carbohydrates raises your blood sugar levels compared with a control. The control is either white bread or pure glucose. Glucose is absorbed into the bloodstream faster than any other carbohydrate and is thus given the value of 100. Other carbohydrates are given a number relative to glucose. Foods with low GI indices are released into the bloodstream at a slower rate than high GI foods. All carbohydrates cause some temporary rise in your blood glucose level. This is called the glycemic response. A number of factors influence this response: the amount of food eaten, the digestion and absorption rate of food, including the physical structure, ripeness, particle seize, the degree of processing and preparation, the commercial brand, the nature of the starch, acidity and the characteristics of the diabetic patient. These factors naturally effect each food’s glycemic index position or rank. The slower your body processes the food, the slower the insulin is released and the healthier the overall effect is on your body. In addition, differences exist in the glycemic indexes due to the choice of reference food, the timing of blood sampling or the computational method used to calculate the glycemic index. When you desire to lose weight, you choose the foods that raise your blood sugar level slowly. You’ll discover that many of those foods are high in fiber and will keep you feeling fuller for a longer period of time. And if you have been on a diet, you will be thankful for this. The longer you feel satisfied, the less temptation you will have to eat something in between your meals that will spike your blood sugar. As fructose is a slow moving sugar, almost all fruits, except bananas and dried fruits, have a low GI. Also, all vegetables that contain lots of fiber, except carrot and corn. Whole grains, starches and pasta have a higher GI. On top of the list are white bread, refined grains and some potatoes. Following the latest research it appears that women experience cravings about 10 times during the day. The most common times for these cravings to appear are at 10 am and 4 pm. Interesting enough, these cravings correspond almost exactly to your low blood sugar levels as well as your low levels of serotonin. This is a chemical that drives women to start eating. And because the drive is so strong, it’s quite difficult to overcome. Research performed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Clinical Research Center uncovered this truth when it found a relationship between carbohydrates in the brain and weight loss. Dr. J. Wurtman, lead researcher of the study, demonstrated, that eating carbohydrates high on the GI raised the levels of serotonin in the brain. The results also showed that women suffering from premenstrual syndrome eat to many carbohydrates and as a result gain weight. Others overeat when they are depressed, stressed or angry in an effort to balance these serotonin levels. The objectives of diet management in diabetic patients are to reduce hyperglycemia, prevent hyperglycemic episodes, and reduce the risk of complications. For people with diabetes, the GI is a useful tool in planning to achieve and maintain glycemic control. High GI foods are absorbed quickly into the bloodstream, causing an escalation in blood glucose levels and increasing the possibility of hyperglycemia. The body compensates for the rise in blood sugar levels with an accompanying increase in insulin, which within a few hours can cause hypoglycemia. As a result, awareness of the glycemic indices of food assists in preventing large variances in blood glucose levels. A low GI pre-event meal may be beneficial for athletes who respond negatively to carbohydrate-rich foods prior to exercise or who can’t consume carbohydrates during competition. Athletes are advised to consume carbohydrates of moderate to high GI during prolonged exercise to maximize performance, approximately 1 gram per minute of exercise. Following exercise, moderate to high GI foods enhance glycogen storage. The fat content of food is one of the components that affect the GI. Like fiber, fat acts like a brake on the absorption process. Apart from this fact, fat just make food to taste better. Fats also play an important role of signaling your body to stop eating. This is vital to any weight-management program. The fat that you eat causes the body to release a hormone called cholecystokinin. This hormone is stored in the stomach until notified by the presence of fat and is responsible for informing the brain that you’re satisfied. It really is a marvellous thing and it means you don’t have to deprive yourself. Another factor that influence the absorption rate of glucose is the protein content of the food. Protein seems to have the greatest effect when it comes down to satisfying those hunger pangs,especially for a long period of time and makes you feel fuller. Protein also helps you to stay alert. However, we have to be aware of the good and the bad protein. Always make sure you choose the lean protein in either beef, fish, chicken or plant-based protein. Protein itself rates zero on the GI scale, this means you don’t have to be sparingly by adding it to your diet, only watch the calorie content. It slows down the rise in insulin that happens when you eat any form of carbohydrate. This means, if you add some protein to a food that ranks high on the GI scale, you will counteract the spiking effect in insulin rise. Another benefit of protein is, that it keeps you feeling full longer after you eat it.It is therefore a good idea to add some protein to your breakfast. And if you take a snack, make sure it contains some form of protein. If you like fish, you are doing yourself a favor. Fish not only slows down the spiking in your insulin level, it also contains a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Eat fish at least twice a week. The Glycemic Index is an excellent tool. It provide you with a weight-management system that puts you in control of the foods you eat, how much you eat, the way you eat and when you like to eat. When you have a good variety of foods from which to choose, it makes it easier to stay with the system. Try eating according to the Glycemic Index, you will be pleasantly surprised how easy it is to keep your weight under control and you’ll also find that your energy level will rise as a bonus! Adrian Joele became interested in nutrition and weight management while he was an associate with a nutritional supplement company. Since 2008 he wrote several articles about nutrition and weight loss and achieved expert status with Ezine Articles.com. He has been involved in nutrition and weight management for more than 12 years and he likes to share his knowledge. Get his free report on nutrition and weight loss tips for healthy living, by visiting: http://www.nutrobalance2.net
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blood glucose levels, blood sugar, carbohydrates, cravings, Glycemic Index, glycemic response, insulin,
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