Slow carbs are carbohydrates that enter your blood stream slowly and do not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. Different carbohydrates influence blood sugar more slowly or more quickly than others. The speed at which your blood sugar is affected is measured by a glycemic index, which ranks carbohydrates based on the speed at which they raise blood-glucose levels. Foods with a glycemic index lower than 55 are called slow carbs because they are digested slowly and raise blood sugar only slightly.
Fruits
Berries are slow carbohydrate foods that have low glycemic values, so if you want a sweet snack or dessert that won't cause your blood sugar to spike and dip significantly, choose fruits such as strawberries, blackberries or blueberries. Other slow carb fruits include cucumbers, cherries, apples, grapefruit, peaches, pomegranates and mangoes.
Vegetables
Raw vegetables are very low on the glycemic index food list, in part because of their high fiber content. When you cook vegetables, it changes the quality of the food's fiber and causes food particles to become finer. Cooked vegetables are no longer slow carbs, because once the fibers break down, the food's sugars are more rapidly digested, according to Ask Dr. Sears. Many vegetables have a low glycemic index. For example, artichokes, raw broccoli and cauliflower, celery and lettuce have a zero rating on the glycemic index. Other slow carb vegetables include asparagus, fennel, bell peppers, green beans, cabbage, kale, collards, parsley and cilantro. While white potatoes are a high-glycemic, high-carb food, sweet potatoes and yams are slow carbohydrates, because they are fiber-rich and enter the blood stream more slowly.
Grains
One of the most important factors in determining a food's glycemic index and whether it is a slow carbohydrate is the amount of processing that occurs before the food is eaten. Milling and grinding remove fiber and nutrients from grains, according to a Harvard University School of Public Health article on carbohydrates. Avoid refined starch products such as white bread, white pasta and white rice. Choose slow carbohydrates, including whole-grain bread and pasta and brown or wild rice, because they take longer to digest and release sugars into the bloodstream more slowly. Other slow carb grains and grain products include barley, quinoa, buckwheat, high fiber bran breakfast cereals, bulgur and dark pumpernickel bread. Instead of instant oatmeal, eat old-fashioned oatmeal, which slows the digestive process, so the carbohydrates enter the bloodstream at a slower rate.
Legumes
Legumes are protein-rich, slow carbohydrates that contain essential nutrients and fiber. Brown and green lentils, kidney and lima beans, black-eyed peas and chickpeas are all low on the glycemic index. Soybeans and soy products are low-fat, rich sources of complete proteins that provide essential amino acids. Soy products are slow carbs with a low glycemic index rating, which means that eating soy will not result in a rapid rise in blood sugar levels.
References
- Fitness Magazine; The Slow-Carb Diet; Anna Roufos; December 2005
- AskDrSears.com; Family Nutrition: Sugar; Dr. William Sears; 2006
- Harvard University School of Public Health: The Nutrition Source Carbohydrates: Good Carbs Guide the Way
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University; Legumes; Jane Higdon, Ph.D.; December 2005
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