Simple Secrets to Better Health - Chapter Nine

The Glycemic Index to Release Fat

The glycemic index helps us determine how quickly carbohydrates are absorbed. The faster they are absorbed, the more they will spike blood sugar, which in turn spikes the insulin response. Combine the glycemic index with the amount of that particular food and you will get the glycemic load. In short, a small amount of a high glycemic food does not raise blood sugar as much as a large amount of a moderately glycemic food. As a guide, the more refined a food is, the faster the absorption and higher the glycemic index. Eat less of these foods to moderate your blood sugar and control your weight.

A 'physiological based measure' is one that is done by comparing results on live people!! Until some researchers working mostly through the University of Sydney in Australia developed the Glycemic Index, it was assumed that longer chain carbohydrates (polysaccharides) like starches would take longer to break down. They would then absorb more slowly into the blood stream and NOT spike the blood sugar up, requiring a huge insulin injection to compensate. 'Live people' research has shown us how wrong we were! It turns out that we were approximately correct as long as the carbohydrate was not refined. BUT, as soon as it is refined into smaller particles, the body absorbs it much more quickly, sometimes even faster than straight glucose!! The Glycemic Index is the result of their 'live person' research. It is a physiologically-based measure of carbohydrate quality - a comparison of carbohydrates (gram for gram) based on their immediate effect on blood-glucose levels.

Here is what the researchers write-" Today's Western diet is the product of industrialization based on many inventions-pasteurization, sterilization, refrigeration, freezing, roller drying, and spray drying, to name just a few. In the cereal-foods world, there's high-speed roller milling, high-temperature and high-pressure extrusion, puffing guns, short-time fermentation- - you name it, they've invented it. The benefits are many. We have a plentiful, relatively cheap, palatable (some would say too palatable), and reasonably safe food supply. - Many of the new foods are still based on our staple cereals- wheat, corn, oats - but the original grain has been ground down to produce fine flours with small particle size that produces fine-quality breads, cakes, cookies, crackers, pastries, breakfast cereals, and snack foods. Cereal chemists and bakers know that the finest-particle-size flour produces the most palatable and shelf-stable end product." We are finally realizing that these fine particles are absorbed into the blood stream more quickly, some even faster than straight glucose. It's spiking our blood sugars up. Our pancreas is responding with more insulin until it is exhausted and we end up with diabetes. Along the way, it is increasing oxidative stress and inflammatory diseases throughout our bodies. No wonder diabetics age 30% faster than normal.

Being dissatisfied with one's weight is undoubtedly the main motivator of a diet change. Remember that central obesity is one of the main indicators of diabetes. We used to think that if you use more calories than you consume, you would lose weight. Now that we know the significance of the Glycemic Index, this rule no longer applies if the body is forced into excessive insulin requirements by a refined carbohydrate diet. The rule still applies for unrefined carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Here are the three words that anyone trying to lose weight must come to grips with - minimize refined carbohydrates. This brings us to the term "Glycemic Load", which essentially means that if you eat a little bit of high glycemic food or a lot of moderately glycemic food, the glycemic load or insulin requirement on your system is the same. Also consider the signifigance of glycmeic load when each member of the family gets an equal amount of dessert. The same piece of pie for 50 pound Mary is a bigger load than for 200 pound dad because dad has more muscle to burn the carbohydrates.

Written by the original researchers themselves, this book will show you how to benefit from modern research.

So let's follow a low glycemic meal through the system to see what it does and where it differs from a high glycemic, refined carbohydrate meal. Although the Glycemic Index refers only to carbohydrates, a well balanced meal would include proteins like meat, eggs and vegetable sources like peanut butter. Low glycemic or less refined carbohydrates fruits and vegetables can be eaten in abundance. Fats should be mostly unsaturated fats (usually those liquid at room temperature like oils rather than solid like margarine). Avoid the nasty trans fats like french fries as much as possible. Good fats, like butter on toast, would retard digestion in the stomach and the carbohydrates would be absorbed more slowly in the intestine. This would provide a more constant source of glucose to the body, rather than a rush of it all at once. Insulin can react slowly and not over-shoot the mark, driving us into a low blood sugar phase known as hypoglycemia. Eating when hungry rather than out of habit controls the quantity. Reducing portion sizes of high glycemic foods and increasing or maintaining portion sizes of low to medium glycemic foods is important. Simple, "yes". Easy, "no"! What you are looking for is a long-term healthy lifestyle that will help you establish a stable blood sugar level, achieve optimum weight and minimize the risk of degenerative disease.

Reduce the glycemic load of your meals by combining portions of lower glycemic carbohydrates (fruits and vegetables) with the higher ones (refined) to average out the effect on your blood sugar. Rule of thumb-the more refined the carbohydrate, the higher the glycemic index and the more inflammation the excessive insulin will cause. Fats and fiber also reduce the Glycemic Index because they slow down the rate of absorption. Bottom line, eat to control your blood sugar levels and everything else will fall into place.

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