It’s sometimes difficult to understand why seemingly healthy foods -- such as fruit or bran flakes -- can be dangerous to blood sugar levels. Whether you are monitoring blood sugar levels to control diabetes or simply to maintain a steady level of energy, you can enjoy another breakfast-food favorite, the nutrient-packed egg, with no blood sugar-related worries.
Glycemic Index
The glycemic index is a nutritional tool used to rank carbohydrate foods according to their effect on the body’s blood sugar levels. Foods with a low glycemic index only slightly affect blood sugar levels. On the other hand, foods with a high glycemic index significantly raise blood glucose levels. Typically, foods with a high fat and fiber content have a lower glycemic index. The longer a food is cooked or processed, the more likely its glycemic index is to increase. The glycemic index of a food can also change when the food is combined with other foods. For example, high glycemic index foods can be eaten with low glycemic index foods to balance out the meal’s effect on blood sugar levels. Understanding the glycemic index is particularly important for people with sensitivities to blood sugar changes, such as diabetics.
Eggs and Blood Sugar
Since eggs contain no carbohydrates, they do not have a glycemic index and therefore have very little or no effect on blood sugar levels. After consumption, the body takes roughly three to four hours to convert the egg’s protein into glucose and up to eight hours to convert the fat into protein. When compared to carbohydrate’s conversion into glucose -- which takes a measly 30 minutes -- it’s easy to understand why eggs have so little effect on blood glucose levels. The slow conversion of the protein and fat into glucose allows for a very slow release of glucose into the bloodstream.
Egg Nutrition
Eggs are made almost entirely of protein and fat. According to the Egg Nutrition Center, one large egg has roughly 72 calories, 6.3 grams of protein, 4.8 grams of fat, 186 milligrams of cholesterol and 28 milligrams of calcium. Eggs have only trace amounts of carbs -- less than 1/2 gram in a large egg. Eggs are high in folate, selenium and choline, all of which help ensure healthy body functioning. Eggs are among very few other foods that are naturally high in vitamin D, which helps prevent calcium deficiency. They are also quite high in vitamin K and vitamin B-12. In fact, a 2007 CNN article labels eggs as one of the top five foods to include in your diet.
Other Foods
Since an egg is so slowly converted into glucose, it actually helps stabilize blood sugar levels. In fact, eggs can actually help prevent blood sugar spikes when they are eaten with high glycemic index foods. Breakfast foods with a high glycemic index include white bread, dark rye bread, waffles, donuts and very ripe fruits. Breakfast foods with a low glycemic index include whole-grain bread, oatmeal, sponge cake, milk and yogurt, along with a variety of barely ripe fruits.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Glycemic Index and Diabetes
- Healthy Eating Club: Table of Glycaemic Index of Foods
- Reader's Digest: Eggs
- Diabetes and Hormone Center of the Pacific; The "Diabetic" Diet; Kendra Blanchette, R.D., C.D.E.
- CNN; 5 Foods That Should Have a Place in Your Diet; Maureen Callahan; November 2007
- Egg Nutrition Center: Nutrition Information for the Egg
