The Glycemic Index --
"G.I."
compares the speed
at which
carbohydrate-containing foods and beverages
enter the bloodstream, to raise blood sugars.
The Glycemic Index assigns a number value, typically between 1-100.
This framework allows health
professionals to categorize cuisine as "high-glycemic" or "low-glycemic".
"Glycemic" indicates greater carbohydrate-density and predicts a subsequent
rapid rise of blood sugars after ingestion. Higher numbers [60-100] are
considered glycemic. Foods assigned with lower numbers [0 to mid-'50s]
indicate stabilization of blood sugars over time, like four to five hours
after the meal or snack.
G.I. numbers vary from table to table.
Because the Glycemic Index is based on multiple laboratory tests done on
carbohydrate-containing foods, the important factor to keep in mind is "trends":
higher numbers and
lower numbers. For instance, instant rice will always have
higher numbers [with a glycemic index in the '90's] than apples [with a
glycemic index in
the 30's].
Select low-glycemic
foods as often as possible. Examples include:
apples, pears, peaches, plums, grapefruit, grapes, cherries, barley, authentic
pumpernickel rye bread, wheat berries, thick pasta noodles, organic dairy,
free range poultry, lean red meat, fish, peanuts, most nuts, lentils, butter
beans, kidney beans, lima beans, pinto beans, soy beans, black-eyed peas or
protein-rich foods. [My
book contains a comprehensive glycemic index.]
You can count on the fact that apples will have lower
G.I. numbers.
But, if you drink a few glasses of apple juice, your
glycemic load will rise. In other words, you will have high blood sugar.
This is a dangerous condition and causes you to release too much insulin and
become foggy-brained. High blood sugar are stored as blood fats
(triglycerides), which can clog arteries.
Just
remember, if you eat a tiny taste of a gooey, glycemic dessert, such a super
thin slice will impact blood sugar minimally. If you have a small sliver of
anything, just to taste, the ultimate glycemic load on your blood sugar
will be small. The key is the portion size.
Glycemic Load
...refers
to the portion size
of your carbohydrate-containing meal or snack. Glycemic Load measures
grams of carbohydrates to
saturate your bloodstream after your meal.
Apples may be considered "low-glycemic". 1/2 cup of apple juice will provide a
serving of carbohydrates ...roughly 15 grams. But if you drink three [8oz.]
cups of apple juice, those grams of carbohydrates add up 90, not to mention
whatever else you might be eating along with that juice. The glycemic load on
your bloodstream will be excessive. Your blood sugar will be high, along with
your insulin response.
If, instead,
you ate five apples, the glycemic load would be less; the apple's high water
content plus digestible and non-digestible fibers would soak up part of the
blood sugars. Plus, you excrete everything first thing the next morning!
When you do
eat foods loaded in sugars or starches... like bread and potatoes... if you
only have a small portion, your "glycemic load" or ACTUAL GRAMS OF
CARBOHYDRATES TO ENTER THE BLOODSTREAM, will be minimal. So, really, no foods
are off limits. You can eat small doses of even the most decadent of cuisines
without throwing your blood sugar out of whack.
4 grams of carbohydrates
= one teaspoon of sugar.
Start the habit of calculating
teaspoons of sugar per serving by counting "Total Carbohydrates" per
serving. This information is listed on the Nutrition Facts label.
Divide the total carbohydrates [per serving] by 4 grams of carbohydrate
[per teaspoon], to get teaspoons of sugar per serving. This
formula gives you an idea of the number of teaspoons of sugar contained in the
product (per serving) which will help you figure out the actual glycemic load
on your bloodstream after your meal.
...feeling foggy?
When blood sugars rise, the hormone insulin is
released from the pancreas, triggering a serotonin response in proportion to
the quantity of insulin released.
Insulin and serotonin work hand in hand.
The more insulin released, the more serotonin is released. More
serotonin is not better. Just the right dose produces a good mood, which helps
when you are feeling stressed. If you over-dose on carbohydrates, a tidal wave
of insulin and a subsequent serotonin rush is released, and your brain becomes
super foggy and you feel sleepy.
FYI: If you want to have great sex, cut
back on the carbs to have more energy.
When you eat more than 100
grams of carbohydrate-containing foods or beverages, you will begin to
over-produce serotonin, inducing a drug-like state:
sleepiness, fuzziness and tiredness. I call this "serotonin overload" or
"overdosing on serotonin" -- and I lived in this state for roughly 18 years
due to my anxiety, needing desperately to numb lots of emotional pain I was
feeling. So, if I can learn how to manage my carbohydrate intake, you can too.
To stay mentally focused, energetic, and in a good mood, eat and/or drink less
than 100 grams of carbohydrate at your meal or snack.
Also, including protein with your snack will help to manage blood
sugars over time. Here's an example: a slice of
100% whole grain bread and 1/3 cup of brown rice both contain roughly 15 grams
of carbs.
The Nutrient Density Factor
STRATEGIES
to manage your blood sugars:
Protein:
eat carbohydrate with protein to
manage blood sugar
Protein slows down the rate at which carbohydrate
enters the bloodstream. Include protein at your mid-day meal, when
it is most important to stay mentally alert, manage moods and, to stay
energetic and productive. Examples of protein-rich foods include legumes which
have an inherent combination of protein and carbohydrate (beans, dried
peas, lentils, peanuts), dairy products, poultry and red meat, or select
plant proteins like lentils and other legumes.
Tryptophan-rich foods +
Vitamin B6
When you get enough
serotonin, cravings for carbohydrates vanish!
Eat tryptophan-rich foods rich in B6 (or you can take a supplement called:
5HTP with B6). To raise serotonin, improve your mood, manage your anxiety or
just feel better, snack on: organic peanuts, soy, free-range turkey,
and organic dairy.
Plant
Fibers fill you up
Select
fiber-rich complex carbohydrates to fill your gut, scrub it clean, plus
clear your bloodstream of excess sugars and fats with soluble fibers. Plus,
non-digestible "lignin" plant fibers (also spelled "lignan")
with weak plant hormonal activity help balance your hormones, naturally.
Examples include green vegetables, fresh fruit, legumes and flax seeds.
Vitamins, Minerals, Phyto-nutrients
In addition to being
rich in fibers, fresh produce is loaded in vitamins, minerals and
phytonutrition. This adds up to plenty of anti-oxidant activity, a spectrum of
nutrients to fortify metabolic processes and a proper Ph.
Most folks
become very acidic from all the starch, sugar and amino acids we all overdose
on. Acidic conditions aggravate osteoporosis as well as inflammatory
processes, inducing diseases. Thank goodness for fresh produce with anti
oxidants to neutralize free radicals from consuming healthy tissue. The more
anti-oxidants you consume, the healthier you remain.
