Fats and carbohydrates fuel the body's cells to produce energy. Both saturated and unsaturated fats digest slowly. The danger of consuming too many fats is that when the fats cannot be used directly for energy, the fat is stored. Carbohydrates break down quicker than fats and the rate of digestion is measured in a scale known as the glycemic index.
The Glycemic Index
The glycemic index is a scale that calculates how fast or slow a carbohydrate-based food raise blood sugar levels. Foods with a high number break down in the digestive system quickly and therefore enter the bloodstream rapidly. These high-glycemic foods typically consist of simple sugars. Foods with a low glycemic index rating are complex carbohydrates. They break down slowly and provide the body with a steady stream of energy. Each food is rated upon a 50 gram serving.
Low Glycemic Foods
Low glycemic foods have a rating of 1 to 60. These foods, when eaten in moderation, do not significantly raise blood sugar levels.
• Soy beans
• Barley
• Lima beans
• Bran
• Kidney beans
• Buckwheat
• Whole-grain pasta (the longer you cook pasta, the higher the glycemic index rating)
• Whole-grain and sprouted breads
• Dried dates and figs
• Apples
• Asparagus
• Blackberries
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Celery
• Cucumber
• Grapefruit
• Peppers
• Pears
Misconceptions
The GI reading fixes food servings at 50 grams per serving. Some foods will have a high GI, but the serving size may only be 3 grams. Carrots have a higher GI reading than spaghetti but it would take 18 carrots to have the same impact on blood sugar as one 50-gram serving of spaghetti. The bottom line is that all fruits and vegetables are okay to eat.
Tips and Warnings
The body would wither and die without protein and fat consumption. Many of the proteins and fats we eat are essential, meaning we cannot produce them inside body. We must get these fats and proteins from our diet. Carbohydrates, on the other hand, are non-essential. We can produce them inside the body by breaking down fats and proteins inside the liver. An individual can survive a lifetime without eating carbohydrates, which is one reason why no/low-carbohydrate diets can work.
Talk to a nutritionists about hyperglycemia and diabetes and they will most likely recommend a low-carbohydrate diet, but blood sugar levels can elevate without consuming carbohydrates. Simply eating too many calories in one sitting will increase blood sugar levels.
For all of us, whether we have hypoglycemia/diabetes or not, blood sugar levels fluctuate throughout the day. They will be lowest in the morning and highest after the biggest meal. Keeping them in the normal range is all about moderation.
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