Blood Sugar Roller Coaster
Are you a roller coster person? There are lots of different types, you have the carousel, pirate ship or the large screaming demon. Now while these “rides” are fun in real life, they are not the best way for you to be treating your body. The heart and liver, they don’t really want to be on a wild ride.
So let’s take a closer look shall we….
When we eat something we are entering the ride, bucking out seatbelt. The anticipation as the ride begins to move is the flavors we are enjoying. Is it a flavor explosion (that’s typical for processed foods)? If so, get ready cuz you’re in for a wild ride. Or maybe your meal is more tame, balanced?
Then the food goes into our mouth, amylase begin the first breakdown and here’s your first chance for an incline. Then down into the stomach it goes where digestion begins. This is the climb up that first large peak. Are you feeling a rush already? Did you have a donut or a sugary beverage? If so you’ll be racing up the climb. But how high are you going? When will the summit happen? That my friends depending on the glycemic index of the foods you just consumed. Depending on that index is also where you can have a steep drop and get some G-forces or possibly just an easy cruise along, which that is what your body would prefer. Especially if your day is busy and your next meal isn’t for several hours away. The g-force may be fun but then the ride is over as fast as it started leaving the rider, you, bewildered and hungry for more. Whereas the calm rider is blissfully bounding along the ride until sundown.
So. which sounds better to you? Being sustained in enjoyment over a longer period of time or quick burst which leaves you unsatisfied? The glycemic index of the foods you consume play a vital role in constructing this coaster coarse. I’ve become quite an experienced architect and that’s why I’m passionate about sharing this info with you. so……
What is a Glycemic Index?
I think we all know that food = energy right and that energy can be divided into 4 macro nutrients:
Carbohydrates, Protein Fat and Fiber
But there is more to it than just that. Some food can be just one macronutrient. Table sugar for instance is just a carbohydrate. Same with white bread and white rice. But most often it is a combination of two or more. This combination determine effects your bodies ability to digest it. The simper it is, the quicker it can be digested. Adding things like fat and fiber that are harder for your body to breakdown result in a slower release of glucose & nutrients into our body. This “rate of release” is known as a glycemic index.
Glycemic Index is : the rate in which the food you eat affects your blood glucose/sugar level. A higher a food is on the index, the faster and higher the increase in blood sugar levels.
Standard rating is as low, medium or high.
Low: 55 or less
Mid: 56 – 69
High: 70+
Why Care about this? Our bodies like when blood sugar is kept relatively constant or balanced. Too low and you become a groggy and lethargic which then triggers increased hunger. If it goes too high, this signals your pancreas to secrete more insulin. Insulin brings your blood sugar back down, but primarily by converting the excess sugar to stored fat.
*** If you want to maintain a healthy weight and life a thriving lifestyle, choose foods that are low on the glycemic index.
Why care about having a high blood sugar?
What goes up tends to come down, and in the case of blood sugar that means a crash in energy. Like plummeting down that roller coaster hill. Ever eat a meal and feel great for an hour or so then get really sluggish and tired? 3pm slump perhaps? This is your blood sugar levels plummeting.
Our bodies work really hard to keep our blood sugar levels balanced but overtime this system of hormone release (insulin) can get burnt out and less effective. Which has lots and lots of health risk from diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, bone and joint issues and cognitive decline amount many more.
Learn more about high blood sugar levels? And Here and here
What determines the glycemic index number:
The presence of macronutrients within the foods. Mostly the fiber content and to a lesser extent the protein/fat content.
How refined or processed carbohydrate is. The more its refined the more the food has been striped of its original nutrients and fibers. Think white bread or white sugar.
The type of food. Glucose is easy for our body to digest, but fructose is a little trickier, not to mention the added fiber in fruit as well.
The structure of the food. Is the food broken down into smaller parts already? Well that will make it easier for your body to digest and therefore your blood sugar level will go up faster.
What your entire meal is comprised of. Just consuming a carbohydrate is one thing, mixing it with a protein and a fat will slow digestion and gastric emptying which results in a slower blood glucose response.
Want to search foods to see the glycemic index? Click here
Or here is a complete list of foods and where they rank on the index
FYI: there are several foods that have little to no effect on blood glucose levels!
Avocado
Chia Seeds
Leafy Green’s; Kale, Spinach, Lettuce, Swiss Chard, Turnip Greens, Collard Greens, all Microgreens
Garlic
Fish high in Omega 3 Fatty Acids; Salmon, Trout, Mackerel, Tuna, Halibut
Blueberries, Black Berries and Sour Cherries
Nuts
Apple Cider Vinegar
Quinoa & Millet
Coffee
What can you do?
Become aware of the foods you are eating and where they fall on the glycemic index. Choose foods that are whole (not refined or processed) and foods that are lower on the glycemic index.
If you do want to eat a food that is high on that scale, then please please balance your meal with a protein or a fat which it will help your body to control the rate of sugar release. Protein and fat both delay stomach emptying, thereby slowing the rate at which carbohydrate can be digested and absorbed. So a high fat meal will have a lower glycemic effect than a low fat meal even if they both contain the same amount and type of carbohydrate.
Personally speaking, I like to bake and when I do I tend to add Arbonne’s protein powder in as a sugar substitute. Not just because I want to reduce the sugar content of the foods my children and I are consuming but also because it adds protein and fiber to the food product which then makes it more nutrient dense and decreases the glycemic index. Here are some of my favorite recipes to make with the protein powder….more to come!! Especially on this blog platform.
“Be careful what you feed your body and consider what you feed your senses. Both provide you sustenance that makes you who you are.”