The G.I. / Glycemic Index...how Carbs Effect Your Blood Sugar!

Its time to talk about GI guys....as in Glycemic Index not GI Joes. We have talked about different types of carbs, different proteins and fats.

NOW we talk about what carbs do in your body. The GI is the measurement of how carbs effect blood sugar levels. Carbs break down quickly in your body (in fact the immediately start in your mouth) and when they break down the ones that break down the quickest.....it releases glucose in the body rapidly.....which also triggers a insulin spike. Lower GI foods do this more slowly.

That is why if you eat something super sugary you get that spike in energy. It feels good immediately and gives you energy. People in endurance racing, etc that need a spike in energy will eat candy to get that spike. Its good to pop you right out of that slump....however the problem is.....you might spike quickly up in energy....but you have a sharp decline quickly....as in a crash.

When "pickin' carbs" its best to pick things with a lower GI...so you have a longer stream of sustained energy.

Here is a nifty chart I found:

GI values can be interpreted intuitively as percentages on an absolute scale and are commonly interpreted as follows:



Here is a great reference site to see what foods GI's are: http://www.glycemicindex.com/

That is why using honey and agave are better than just sugars. Not only do they provide vitamins and minerals...they are LOWER on the GI index.....so they don't spike your blood sugars as fast.

An apple has a GI index of 40 vs a banana has over 50 depending on the size. Using agave as a sweetener is an under 20 GI! That is why its great to use things like that as sweeteners instead of real sugars. Try baking with it!

Here is a site that gives a list of lower GI foods......so you can incorporate them in your diet: http://www.glycemicguru.com/glycemic-index-list.html

I hate to post this site from the South Beach Diet.....but its a great chart of Low GI, Medium GI, and High GI......

http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/lowglycemicfoodlist.htm

I hope that helps. Incorporate foods with a lower GI....so you stay fuller for longer.....and you have a constant flow of energy rather than the crashes up and down.

If you avoid the crashes, then you avoid binges....then it doesn't become a diet anymore!

xoxo, C