Carbohydrates with a High Glycemic Index Cause Spikes in Blood Sugar Levels
There is can be no doubt that white refined table sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and highly processed foods are very bad for you. They cause blood sugar (glucose) to spike.
The resulting yo-yo sugar highs and sugar lows are directly linked to insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance is directly linked to obesity. Obesity is directly linked to cancer, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and a list of additional diseases that are found in highly industrialized countries.
Poor carbohydrates – they never get a break – one minute they are good for you, the next they are bad. What are you to believe? Carbohydrates, commonly referred to as “carbs” have become both a blessing and a curse as the process of modern food production has changed.
Carbs aren’t all good or all bad. Some kinds promote health while others, when eaten often and in large quantities, actually increase the risk of disease. How can we tell which are healthy for us?
The medical community has developed a way that makes it easier to tell the difference: the glycemic index (GI). It is a tool that ranks carbohydrates, on a scale from 0 to 100, according to their effect on your blood sugar levels.
Foods with a high glycemic index (G.I.) are those which are rapidly digested and absorbed. They result in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels.
Foods with a low glycemic index (G.I.), by value of their slow digestion and absorption, produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels. They have proven health benefits. Low G.I. diet’s have been shown to reduce insulin levels, insulin resistance, and leptin resistance. Low G.I. diets also have benefits for weight control because they help control appetite and delay hunger.
Medical science highly recommends slow carbs
Medical science highly recommends slow carbs (which many people confuse with the term low carbs, represented by the popular diets of the past). The wild popularity of the Atkins, South Beach, and other low-carbohydrate diets led many Americans to believe that carbohydrates are “bad,” the source of unflattering flab, and the cause of the obesity epidemic.
Low carbs refers to eating as few carbohydrates as possible. Slow carbs, however, refers to carbohydrates that are digested slowly and their glucose enters the bloodstream in a slow and steady manner.
Bread Made from Highly Processed Grains has a High GI – Bad
Bread Made from Whole Grains has a low GI – Good
Easily digested carbohydrates from white bread, white rice, pastries, sugared sodas, and other highly processed foods contribute to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Whole-grains, beans, fruits, vegetables and other sources of intact carbohydrates do just the opposite – they promote good health.
The glycemic index classifies carbohydrates based on how quickly and how high they boost blood sugar compared to pure glucose. Foods with a high glycemic index, like white bread, cause rapid spikes in blood sugar. Foods with a low glycemic index, like whole oats, are digested more slowly, causing a slower and gentler change in blood sugar levels.
Current medical science validates the fact that eating whole foods that have a low glycemic index (GI) is undisputedly good for many aspects of your health and the health of your immune system.
Resource::
- Authority for Glycemic Index information click here
- To find the Glycemic Index of a food click here
- 24,000 recipes for healthy, slower-carb eating click here
- Do Not Try to Drink from a Fire Hose click here
