Insulin resistance occurs in a good number of persons with diabetes mellitus. It is a complication brought about by poorly controlled blood sugar levels. When the body is subjected to persistently elevated blood sugar levels, the effect of insulin on these levels is markedly reduced worsening the disease. Low glycemic snacks are recommended for individuals at a high risk of developing insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance is associated with a number of problems. A major one is the lack of energy in these patients. In normal individuals, insulin facilitates entry of glucose into tissues and subsequent breakdown to release energy. This does not happen or happens very minimally in patients that have developed insulin resistance. Other problems include hypertension and obesity both of which worsen the condition.
The glycemic index, GI, is a measure of the amount of carbohydrate content in food and their ability to increase blood sugar levels. The index is scored out of 100 with the highest level being equivalent to pure glucose. Foods that are metabolized rapidly to release glucose are score above 70 while those that are broken down slowly are scored at 55 and below.
Highly processed foods or those prepared from fine flours have a high GI. Those that have undergone less processing such as whole grains have a lower GI. These are foods that have a mild to moderate effect on the levels of blood sugar. These foods have high fiber, fat and protein. One should ensure that the fats are unsaturated. The important thing to remember about the GI is that the greatest determinant of the index is the amount of carbohydrates in the diet rather than the total amount of food consumed.
Most soups are regarded as having acceptable GI scores. 250 ml of minestrone, tomato or lentil soup have GI scores of below 50. A number of baked foods also score below 55. They include 80 g of banana bread, plain sponge cake (63g), 25g of oatmeal cookies and whole grain pumpernickel. Among dairy products, moderate intakes of custard, vanilla ice cream and yoghurt are recommended.
Since they are digested slowly, fruits are recommended by many nutritionists. They lead to gradual increases in blood sugar level and are generally considered to have low GI scores. Insulin levels after intake also rise slowly reducing the chances of progression to insulin resistance. 120g of banana, apple, raw cherries, grapes, grapefruit or oranges have very good scores. Consumers should talk to their nutritionists for more advice on the exact quantities and scores of food types. Nutritionists have charts that contain scores of the common food types.
Other than the diet, some minerals also have an effect on blood sugar levels. One of such minerals is sodium. A high level of sodium in the body causes water retention and leads to obesity. Restricting daily sodium intake to less than 1500 mg controls this excessive weight within a few weeks.
Some experts feel that the concept of glycemic index is very complex and confusing. They say that it is very difficult for people to change their long term eating habits based on the GI of various foods. They propose for the option of advising consumers to eat low glycemic snacks comprised predominantly of fruits, vegetables and other foods that have high fiber.
Insulin resistance is associated with a number of problems. A major one is the lack of energy in these patients. In normal individuals, insulin facilitates entry of glucose into tissues and subsequent breakdown to release energy. This does not happen or happens very minimally in patients that have developed insulin resistance. Other problems include hypertension and obesity both of which worsen the condition.
The glycemic index, GI, is a measure of the amount of carbohydrate content in food and their ability to increase blood sugar levels. The index is scored out of 100 with the highest level being equivalent to pure glucose. Foods that are metabolized rapidly to release glucose are score above 70 while those that are broken down slowly are scored at 55 and below.
Highly processed foods or those prepared from fine flours have a high GI. Those that have undergone less processing such as whole grains have a lower GI. These are foods that have a mild to moderate effect on the levels of blood sugar. These foods have high fiber, fat and protein. One should ensure that the fats are unsaturated. The important thing to remember about the GI is that the greatest determinant of the index is the amount of carbohydrates in the diet rather than the total amount of food consumed.
Most soups are regarded as having acceptable GI scores. 250 ml of minestrone, tomato or lentil soup have GI scores of below 50. A number of baked foods also score below 55. They include 80 g of banana bread, plain sponge cake (63g), 25g of oatmeal cookies and whole grain pumpernickel. Among dairy products, moderate intakes of custard, vanilla ice cream and yoghurt are recommended.
Since they are digested slowly, fruits are recommended by many nutritionists. They lead to gradual increases in blood sugar level and are generally considered to have low GI scores. Insulin levels after intake also rise slowly reducing the chances of progression to insulin resistance. 120g of banana, apple, raw cherries, grapes, grapefruit or oranges have very good scores. Consumers should talk to their nutritionists for more advice on the exact quantities and scores of food types. Nutritionists have charts that contain scores of the common food types.
Other than the diet, some minerals also have an effect on blood sugar levels. One of such minerals is sodium. A high level of sodium in the body causes water retention and leads to obesity. Restricting daily sodium intake to less than 1500 mg controls this excessive weight within a few weeks.
Some experts feel that the concept of glycemic index is very complex and confusing. They say that it is very difficult for people to change their long term eating habits based on the GI of various foods. They propose for the option of advising consumers to eat low glycemic snacks comprised predominantly of fruits, vegetables and other foods that have high fiber.
About the Author:
Read more about The Role Of Low Glycemic Snacks In The Control Of Insulin Resistance visiting our website.
No comments:
Post a Comment