Eating too much or eating the wrong kinds of foods can cause insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a condition in which insulin cannot inform the cells properly about the availability of blood sugar, or glucose, in the bloodstream. Diets that restrict carbohydrates or restrict carbohydrates that quickly turn into glucose can help control insulin resistance.
Insulin Identified
Foods high in carbohydrates, such as candy, chips, bread, pasta, rice, fruit and vegetables, can cause rapid increases in your blood sugar, or glucose, levels. When your glucose levels are high, the pancreas produces insulin. Insulin binds to receptors on the surface of the cells in your body. This causes a glucose transporter in the cells to transport glucose into the cell. The cell converts glucose into energy. Your body can also convert glucose into fat, into some of the protein building blocks and into glycogen, the stored form of glucose.
Insulin Resistance Identified
Overeating or eating too much sugar and food high in carbohydrates that break down quickly can shut down the insulin receptors embedded in your body's cell membranes. When this happens, glucose can enter the cells only at a very slow rate. Since the cells do not get sufficient energy in this circumstance, the pancreas secretes more insulin into the bloodstream. This causes high blood levels of insulin. Because the body's cells are resistant to the insulin produced, blood glucose begins to accumulate in the bloodstream.
Low-Carb Diets
Dietary restriction can control insulin resistance and prevent it from developing into type 2 diabetes. Reducing the amount of food you eat will usually be sufficient to control insulin resistance. Low-carb diets can also be effective in controlling insulin resistance. The body can convert carbohydrates and excess protein into glucose but not fatty acids. So by restricting carbohydrates and eating adequate amounts of protein, you can stabilize your glucose levels and prevent excess insulin in the blood. To minimize the risk of cardiovascular disease, limit your intake of saturated fat and increase the amount of good fats, such as those in salmon, tuna, avocado and nuts.
Low-Glycemic-Index Diets
Low-glycemic-index diets can also help control insulin resistance. The glycemic index of a food containing carbohydrate is higher the faster the carbohydrate turns into glucose. Sugar and white bread are examples of foods with a high glycemic index. By restricting the foods you eat to low-glycemic foods, such as whole-grain bread and pasta, legumes, brown rice and vegetables, you can avoid causing abrupt increases in your blood sugar. When glucose enters the bloodstream at a slower pace, it is easier for the body to keep up with the incoming sugar and transport it into the cells without extreme increases in insulin levels.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Atkins: What is Behind the Claims
- Mayo Clinic: South Beach Diet
- American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Basics
- The Definitive Guide to Insulin, Blood Sugar & Type 2 Diabetes (and you'll understand it), by Mark Sisson
- "Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry, Volume 1"; Albert L. Lehninger, David Lee Nelson, Michael M. Cox; 2005
