Warning: The following is a bit technical and long. However, if you read to the end, it might give you a better understanding how the body works (or doesn’t for that matter) after you get up from the table.
People, all carbohydrates are not created (or digested, for that matter) equally. Some carbohydrates digest quickly (high glycemic), flooding the bloodstream with blood sugar (glucose). Others digest slowly and provide a controlled, steady source of energy (low glycemic). Eating a lot of high glycemic foods can be detrimental to your health, especially if you are overweight and sedentary.Having too much glucose, which is the body’s primary source of energy, releases high levels of insulin, causing some real serious problems. Insulin transports a small amount of glucose to the body’s muscle cells for immediate energy while some is brought to the liver and stored as glycogen for a later use. But if too much insulin is released, a greater amount of glucogen is also produced and when their stores are filled to capacity, the remainder gets stored in your fat cells (especially in your belly). If this process is repeated over time, the insulin receptors become desensitized and don’t respond to the glucose (therefore, preventing the body from receiving the necessary sugar for energy, leading to insulin resistance, fatigue, diabetes and, eventually, heart disease.
Commonly eaten high glycemic foods contain white flour and other refined grains and rice and high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup is especially harmful, and you’ll find it in just about every liquid product that is sweetened. By the way, the glycemic impact of a meal can influence how your body digests, absorbs and processes the next meal. A breakfast consisting of low glycemic foods will keep your blood sugar low and your energy high until your next scheduled meal (which, as you know, should be no later than four hours away from the last). Continue this pattern through out the day and you’ll never want to fall asleep at your desk around 2:30 PM!
However, if you want desperately to avoid that mid afternoon meeting, go to John O’Groats and have a couple of pancakes with syrup for lunch, go back to your office and close the door. You’ll miss the meeting for sure; but don’t worry, you should wake up just in time to leave for the day!
If you’re looking to lose weight, I would choose foods that are about 60 on the chart or lower. At all costs, stay away from any above 70.
Common Low Glycemic Complex Carbs Common High Glycemic Foods
beans most breads
sweet potato mashed potato
brown / white rice (unrefined, non-instant) rice (refined, instant)
oatmeal (slow cooked) most breakfast cereals
By the way, I already know that most pasta is low on the chart. But we, (or I should say you) as Americans don’t realize that pasta was intended to be a side dish (small portions!), not an entree. So if you can eat a cup at a sitting, have at it, but if you grew up in a house like mine, on Sunday’s, the protein was the side dish and there were no veggies!
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