Carbs: Smart Eaters Keep it Complex

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Carbs: Smart Eaters Keep it Complex JoAnn Guest

Aug 29, 2002 09:37 PDT

Tips on Balancing

Blood Sugar

 

In the October issue of Health & Healing, I told you about the diet

I

recommend for people with diabetes to help keep blood sugar levels

balanced and prevent diabetic complications. This diet is low in fat

(especially saturated and trans fats), moderate in protein (derived

primarily from fish, lean poultry, and soy), and relatively high in

carbohydrates — but not just any carbohydrates. After all, while

spinach, strawberries, beans, and other plant foods are made up

primarily of carbohydrates, so are sodas, candy, sugar, potato

chips,

and most snack foods. To help maintain optimum blood sugar levels,

it's

important to understand the differences between these various

carbohydrate foods and how your body uses them.

 

Smart Eaters Keep It Complex

You're probably familiar with the terms simple and complex

carbohydrates. They refer, respectively, to one-or-two-chain

carbohydrates, which include most sugars, and longer-chain

carbohydrates, like the starch and fiber of most vegetables and

grains.

As a rule, simple carbohydrates are quickly converted to glucose,

causing a rapid elevation in blood sugar, followed by a sharp

decline.

Conversely, complex carbohydrates are more slowly broken down and

result

in a gradual, more sustained release of glucose. We want blood sugar

to

remain consistent — not too high and not too low — so we will have a

constant source of energy. Therefore, complex carbohydrates,

generally

speaking, are preferable.

 

Although this simple-complex model has some value, nutritional

research

has moved beyond it. Researchers have found that some carbohydrates

defy

the simple-complex categorization. Some foods that we think of as

complex — potatoes or bagels, for example — actually break down and

elevate blood sugar quite rapidly. And some " simple " carbohydrates,

such

as fruits, which consist mainly of a simple, one-molecule sugar

called

fructose, do not raise blood sugar as might be expected.

 

What's Behind the Glycemic Index

What has come out of this research is the glycemic index, a list of

values assigned to foods that describes the rate at which blood

sugar

rises two or three hours after they are eaten in comparison to a

reference food, either glucose or white bread. (The more recent

indexes

use white bread, as it is a common item in the average American

diet.)

The higher the glycemic index value of a given food, the faster and

higher the blood sugar response.

 

Long-term overconsumption of high-glycemic carbohydrates wreaks

havoc on

your body's ability to properly regulate blood sugar, so you should

strive to build your meals around low-glycemic carbohydrates. As you

might expect, most vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains have

a

low glycemic index and are excellent choices for diabetics. As you

would

also likely predict, processed foods made with sugar and white flour

are

high glycemic and should be avoided. (Such empty-calorie foods,

which

have been stripped of fiber and valuable nutrients, have no place in

your diet, regardless of glycemic rating.)

 

However, there are some surprises: Most cold cereals, even fiber-

rich

varieties, are high on the glycemic index, as are most tropical

fruits.

Pasta, on the other hand, is relatively low on the glycemic index.

While

you needn't become obsessive about precise glycemic values of

individual

foods, you should become familiar with the relative values of

various

food types, and center your diet around foods with a low to moderate

glycemic index.

 

Here is a brief listing of foods with a low, moderate, or high

glycemic

index value. For a complete list of foods with their glycemic index

value, go to: http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm.

 

The Glycemic Index of Common Foods

 

Low (Recommended in abundance)

Green vegetables

Tomatoes

Beans and peas

Apples

Berries

Citrus fruit

Oatmeal

100% bran cereal

Sprouted grain bread

 

Moderate (Recommended in moderation)

Stone-ground whole wheat bread

Rye crackers

Brown rice

Sweet potatoes

Grapes

New potatoes

Whole wheat tortillas

Kiwi

 

High (Not recommended for diabetics)

Sugar

Bagels

White bread

Rice cakes

Pretzels

Most cold cereals

White rice

White potatoes

Pineapple

Dates

Ripe bananas

 

http://www.drwhitaker.com/nc/news_sugar10_01.asp

 

 

 

JoAnn Guest

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