7/8/2017 0 Comments Benefits Low Added Sugar DietWhat raises blood sugar? The simple answer is carbohydrates. So why not just yank them out of your diet like weeds in your garden? Why not quash blood sugar by.Low Glycemic Foods Diet: Researched Tips and Truth. Eating low glycemic foods can have many health advantages, particularly if you are diabetic, suffer from pcos or would like to lose a significant amount of weight. The low glycemic diet, also referred to as the glycemic index diet or the GI diet, has become very popular in recent years. Although it has been around for two decades as a means of controlling blood sugar in diabetics, it really began receiving a lot of attention from the general public when its principles were incorporated into well- known weight loss programs such as The South Beach Diet, the Zone Diet, and Nutrisystem. Very shortly put, low glycemic diets are based on the glycemic index (GI) which is designed to help people make food choices that will avoid insulin spikes and maintain a fairly constant blood glucose (sugar) level. To make navigating this page easier for you, I have made some quick links below, so that you can jump directly to your specific topic of interest. However, I do recommend reading the whole article for a proper, in- depth understanding of everything related to . David Jenkins, a professor in the Department of Nutritional Science at the University of Toronto, Canada. It was originally designed as a way of helping diabetics manage their blood sugar levels, but in recent years it has also been used by those wishing to lose weight or simply adopt a more healthy lifestyle. Basically, the GI is a measurement of the effect certain carbohydrate- containing foods have on your blood sugar. So, to understand the glycemic index, and any diet that uses its principles, you must first understand the relationship between the food you eat and blood glucose levels. Glucose, or Basically Sugar, Is Your Body’s Energy Source Everything you eat is broken down and converted into glucose which is used to help all your organs and biological systems function properly. Ideally, your body would like to maintain a fairly constant blood glucose level for optimal performance, and it uses a chemical called insulin to try to achieve this balance. Insulin Tries to Keep Your Blood Sugar at a Balanced Level. If your blood sugar rises too high, your pancreas will secrete more insulin to bring it back down to a normal level. This is done by converting the extra glucose to fat and storing it in the body – not what you want to happen if you are trying to lose weight! Too Much Sugar, Means too Much Insulin, Which in the End Pushes Your Blood Sugar too Far Down. What you eat can also affect how fast your blood sugar level rises. If it increases very quickly, your pancreas will receive a message that there is way too much glucose in the body and will often overcompensate by making excess insulin, which may push your sugar down to a level that is too low. When this happens, you may feel tired, sluggish, or hungry. The Quick Sugar Fix Is Your Body Trying to Tell You That It Needs Energy. When you eat a chocolate bar or drink a sugar laden coffee, you will initially feel more energetic because your blood sugar is rising. However, in an attempt to regulate the sudden influx of glucose, your body will secrete extra insulin which stores the excess sugar as fat. This will cause a drop in your mood and make you feel tired or hungry again. Of course, you aren’t really hungry, but your body thinks you are because your glucose levels have now dropped quickly, so it is sending you a signal that it needs more energy. Unfortunately, when these sudden fluctuations happen, you are probably more likely to grab another quick energy snack, which will start the process all over again. The Goal of the Glycemic Index– Low Glycemic Foods Are Ideal for Keeping the Blood Sugar Level Balanced. So, the goal of the glycemic index is to help you identify low glycemic foods that will allow you to regulate your own blood sugar while avoiding all the extreme or sudden fluctuations. It was created by measuring the changes in blood sugar that occurred after eating carbohydrate- containing foods and then ranking them based on these effects. Explaining the Logic of the Glycemic Index– Pure Glucose Equals 1. Since pure glucose raises blood sugar more quickly than anything else, it was given the number of 1. This is an arbitrary number and was simply used as a reference with which to compare other foods. The GI value was then determined by looking at how fast – or slow – the body would break down certain foods and convert them into glucose. High GI Foods are Over 7. Low GI Foods are Lower than 5. Foods that are digested quickly and cause a rapid rise in blood sugar are called high glycemic foods and are given a high number on the GI scale (usually over 7. Foods that take longer to digest will also cause blood sugar to rise at a much slower rate and help maintain a steady glucose level, so they are referred to as low glycemic foods and given a lower number (usually below 5. Any food receiving a ranking between 5. So, the quicker the glycemic response, the higher the number that particular food receives. As a quick example, high glycemic foods would include such things as refined sugars, fruit juices, potatoes, refined grains, and baked goods. Whole grains, beans or legumes, dairy products, and vegetables are all examples of low glycemic foods. The Glycemic Index Chart. To date, the number of foods that have been tested to determine their GI is limited, and the glycemic load (GL) – see further down this page, for an explanation of the glycemic load vs. You can usually figure out the GL on your own (once, again, explanation can be seen further down) but you will need to know the GI, the total carbohydrates present in the food, as well as the fiber content. When referring to Glycemic Index and/or Glycemic Load charts, keep in mind that numbers can vary depending on the source, so it may take you a little bit of time to learn how each food reacts in your own body. The Healthy Low Glycemic Foods Diet: How to Eat According to the Glycemic Index. The chart below, though not comprehensive, will give you an idea of the GI and GL for many common foods. The Advantages of a Glycemic Index Diet. Weight Loss: As mentioned, many popular diets incorporate the principles of the GI diet. Therefore, they stay in your stomach longer, so you feel full and will be less likely to snack or binge eat. Remember, eating high- GI foods causes a spike in insulin which then causes the extra sugar to be stored as fat (not good for weigh loss), and results in a sudden drop in insulin, making you feel energy deprived and craving a quick energy (but calorie packed) snack. Prevent and Manage Type 2 Diabetes: Type 2 diabetes is a condition that results from lack of insulin. If you have type 2 diabetes, your pancreas either does not make enough insulin or your body does not respond properly to the insulin that is being made. So, instead of being used to fuel your cells and organs, the glucose will build up in your bloodstream causing high sugar levels. Many doctors believe that a high glycemic diet may increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes because you are putting a heavy demand on your pancreas by asking it to constantly work to bring down excessive glucose levels in your body. This extra workload may result in the pancreas eventually “tiring out” or malfunctioning, leading to diseases such as diabetes. If you already have diabetes, there is a lot of evidence that following a low glycemic diet may help you manage, or even improve, your condition. Since low glycemic foods are digested more slowly, they will not cause your blood sugar to spike so your pancreas can easily keep up with the amount of insulin needed. Choosing low glycemic foods also helps to keep blood sugar at a more constant level, which is vital for those suffering with diabetes. Many doctors believe that a low- GI diet can also make your body more insulin- sensitive which could reverse – or at least improve – your condition. Reduce Risk of Heart Disease: Research has shown that there may be some connection between raised insulin levels and heart disease. Findings suggest that a high- GI diet causes spikes in both glucose and insulin, which may increase LDL cholesterol levels in the body. Switching to a Low Glycemic Diet– The Simple Principles: Whole and Unrefined Foods Plus a Relative Even Balance Between Carbohydrates, Healthy Fats and Protein Some people find that switching to a low glycemic diet can be a little complicated since there are so many foods that have not been tested. Also, there are a number of factors that can affect the GI level such as cooking and preparation, fruit ripeness, and certain combinations of foods. In fact, this has been one of the criticisms facing the diet over the years. However, like any other diet (vegetarian, vegan, Paleo), once you have switched your kitchen over to your new way of eating, things will become much easier. The fundamental principle of the low glycemic diet is to eat everything as whole and unrefined as possible. Plus most proponents follow a ratio of 4. Although it doesn’t apply for all foods, the general rule is that foods high in fiber, healthy fat, and protein are likely to be low on the glycemic index; whereas foods that lack these essentials will be ranked higher on the scale. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, so it will take some time to figure everything out, but here is a guide and some simple suggestions that will get you started: Simple SHOPPING Tips to Ease the Transition to Low Glycemic Foods 1) Begin with Replacing Your Staples. Since a large portion of your diet consists of grain products, this is a good place to begin. Switch your instant oatmeal for steel- cut oats or oat bran, buy whole grain breads and flours, trade your white pasta for whole grain varieties, and try adding something new, such as quinoa or barley to soups and stews. Find low glycemic recipes and shop for those ingredients. This is a great way to learn which products are considered to have a low- GI and will also take the stress off you when you are first making the change to a new diet. Why Low- Carb Diets May Be Ideal for Most People. By Dr. Mercola. Jeff Volek, Ph. D., and registered dietitian and professor in the Human Science Department at Ohio State University, has done enormous work in the field of high- fat, low- carbohydrate diets, investigating how it affects human health and athletic performance. Stephen Phinney, a physician and true pioneer in this field, who has studied low- carb diets even longer than Volek. Starting out as a dietician, Volek was taught that low- fat diets were healthy and that saturated fats and cholesterol should be avoided. But in working with diabetics, he kept feeling that something was . I was at the time into very low- fat diets, thinking that was how I would optimize my own health. But I decided to experiment with a very low- carb diet. This fueled his passion for understanding how humans respond to diets that are very low in carbohydrates, and led him to continue his education. We're still sorting out a lot of the details, but clearly we need to change the way we feed Americans and the way we think about nutrition in order to reverse .. The Westernized diet constantly biases you toward using more nonfiber carbs for fuel. Healthy fat, meanwhile, is a far preferable sort of fuel, as it burns far more efficiently than carbs. As noted by Volek, humans evolved to primarily burn fat as fuel — not carbs — and yet that's not how we're feeding our bodies. Without generating ATP you cannot survive at all. The question is how to do that efficiently, without generating harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can destroy your mitochondria and contribute to disease? Regardless of the fuel your body burns, you're going to generate carbon dioxide and water. But when you burn fat, you generate 3. That contributes to the metabolic problems we're seeing in this country. For 20 days we’ll avoid all food containing added sugar. To read my 20 Days No-Sugar story check here. 2 Simple Rules. No added refined sugars (white sugar, corn. Keto Clarity: Your Definitive Guide to the Benefits of a Low-Carb, High-Fat Diet . High-protein, low-carbohydrate diets, like The Atkins Diet, have been widely promoted as effective weight loss plans. These programs generally recommend that dieters. Chronic: Fatigue-Help.com Home : Hypoglycemia – the truth about diet and low blood sugar Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is a major cause of chronic fatigue and some. If your goal is to keep cholesterol levels down or lose weight, "fat-free" isn't a magic bullet. There are "fat-free," "low-fat," "light," and "reduced-fat" products. Benefits of Chromium – additional benefits. Aside from chromium’s role in GTF and its part in blood sugar regulation, there are other possible benefits of chromium. Jeff Volek, Ph.D., and registered dietitian and professor in the Human Science Department at Ohio State University, has done enormous work in the. According to Volek, that's true for everyone, whether you're an elite athlete or a sedentary diabetic. In essence, the reason why low- carb diets work so well is because it helps you escape this non- fiber, carb- based metabolism that depends on insulin levels to drive blood sugar into cells and use carbs for fuel. Volek also introduces another term: . As noted by Volek: . So when we're talking about dietary fats, we're referring to natural, unprocessed fat, found in real foods such as seeds, nuts, butter, olives, avocado, or coconut oil. Fats are critical for a number of health reasons. They contribute to the formation of cellular membranes, for example, and it's really difficult to have good biological function with impaired cell membranes. So, dietary fat serves two purposes: it serves as fuel; but it's also a foundational structural component of your biology. So if you're overweight, you want to teach your body to burn excess fat, and then, once you've reached your maintenance weight, the majority of fat your body will be burning is that from dietary sources. But how do you make this conversion — to allow your body to become adapted to burn fat as your primary fuel — starting with any excess body fat you already have? How to Make the Conversion from Burning Sugar to Burning Fat. In short, the key is to restrict non- fiber carbohydrates. It's important to make the distinction about which carbs we're talking about here, as vegetables are . As long as you're eating carbs, your body will try to burn those first. They're like the bully cutting in line. You may just think of them as kind of a throw- away nutrient too, because your body cannot store high levels of carb. You have to try to oxidize them and burn them first. But if you're carb intolerant, which is highly prevalent in this country, you can't burn carbs, by definition, very well. Your body then only has one alternative, and that's to convert the carbs you eat into fat. That happens to a greater extent to folks who are insulin resistant or carb intolerant. That really sets the stage for a lot of metabolic problems. Again coming back to how do you train the body to burn more fat; it all starts with removing the availability of carbohydrate because, as long as it's there, it's going to take precedence, and will simultaneously inhibit burning of fat. These are very sensitive and exquisite mechanisms in place for this to work. You eat just a single meal of carbs and your fat- burning shuts down right away. This is why a low- nonfiber carb diet works so well to shift fuel use over to fat. You restrict the amount of glucose and starches that you're consuming, and your body naturally shifts over to preferring fat for fuel. It does take some time to adapt to that. Your cells have to shift over their machinery to handle the increased levels of fat and lipid- based fuels. It takes a matter of weeks to get that adaptation. But once it's there, they're fairly robust adaptations that don't just go away. This is why there is an adaptation period to a low- carb diet. It can be disrupted though if you reintroduce carbs. But a lot of the adaptations do remain. However, we all vary how we respond to the same food, so this is not an exact recommendation. Some people can be in a full fat- burning state with full ketosis at a level of non- fiber carbs that's higher than 5. Others, especially if you're insulin resistant or have type 2 diabetes, may require less than 4. If you look at the nutrition facts on a processed food package, it will list total carbs, and that's not what we're talking about. Don't get confused about this or you'll get really nervous. You do need carbs, but you need most all of them from vegetables. You could have an 8. This will give you an objective measure of whether or not you're truly in ketosis, rather than just counting the grams of carbohydrates you consume. The appropriate level of carb for an individual is bit of a moving target, but it is a very important element to personalizing a diet, which I think is fundamental to this idea of personalized nutrition. It's finding the appropriate level of carb for you at any given point in your lifespan that allows you to maintain health. But there are people who are naturally very insulin sensitive and carb tolerant that don't need to be in ketosis to thrive. So there's certainly room for flexibility, depending on your individual situation. Ketogenic Diet Can Benefit Many Chronic Health Problems. Beyond insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, there are a number of applications for a well- formulated ketogenic diet, including epileptic seizures, especially in kids who are unresponsive to drugs, and neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Cancer is another area where ketogenic diets show great promise. There are multiple potential mechanisms by which a ketogenic diet would benefit, including epigenetic effects. We now know that the principal ketone body, beta hydroxybutyrate, is more than a metabolite. It's more than just an alternative fuel for the brain. It acts like a hormone or a potent signaling molecule that affects gene expression, including upregulating genes that are protective against oxidative stress and enhance the antioxidant status. Our knowledge and perspective on ketosis is expanding almost daily. It's all pointing toward positive health effects, which is quite interesting considering that for the last three or four decades, we've been demonizing ketones because we only associate it with ketoacidosis. Mental clarity is another great boon. According to Volek, the U. S. Being an efficient fat burner may also predispose you to a longer life. Ron Rosedale told me many years ago that the single most important variable for controlling the aging process is the ratio of fat versus carbohydrate you burn. The more fat you burn, the slower you're going to age in general. More recent research supports this notion. How Ketogenic Diet May Promote Longevity and Increased Muscle Mass. Recent research has found about a dozen genes associated with longevity. The primary function of one of these genes is to cripple the degradation of branched- chain amino acids, such as leucine, which can be useful for building muscle mass. Interestingly, in one of his books, Volek mentions that ketones share a close structural similarity to these branched- chain amino acids, and seem to be preferentially metabolized. In other words, ketones spare those branched- chain amino acids, leaving higher levels of them around, which promotes longevity and increased muscle mass. One of the reasons why we can survive so long without food is we enter into ketosis, and ketosis spares protein breakdown. One of a more consistent effect we see in people on a ketogenic diet is that leucine levels go up in the blood, because they're not being oxidized to the same level. Ketones are sparing oxidation and breakdown of important structural proteins, and therefore their levels or concentrations in the blood increase and allow them to do other important signaling- type functions. I do see a very positive interaction here with nutritional ketosis and protein metabolism in general in sparing of the branched- chain amino acids in particular, which are unique in that they are a preferential fuel, unlike other amino acids, which don't really serve as a fuel substrate. You don't want more protein than your body actually needs. As noted by Volek, this is an important point because there's a common misconception that low non- fiber carb diets are high- protein diets. In reality, a ketogenic diet must actually be moderate in protein because excessive protein is anti- ketogenic. On the other hand, you don't want to consume too little protein, as this may push you into a negative nitrogen balance. As a general rule, I recommend eating one- half gram of protein per pound of lean body mass per day, which for most sedentary folks is 4. The best approach is to measure ketosis to know you are not over- consuming protein. Most animal sources of protein maintain these essential amino acids .
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