My last blog was all about the importance of keeping sugar levels stable throughout the day.
Towards the end of the blog I mentioned the glycemic index (GI) which is a scale used to indicate how fast a particular food can raise your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels.
GI is a ranking (from 1 to 100) which measures the effect of a food on your blood-glucose level over the two hours after the food is eaten.
Low GI
Eating low-GI foods means you will avoid the spikes and dramatic falls in blood glucose and will release a slow stream of energy throughout the day. This is very important because the body can function effectively.
Research has shown that lower GI diets have also been associated with improved levels of ‘good’ cholesterol and a lower incidence of heart disease.
Moderate GI
Moderate GI foods should be consumed after a workout. When you have finished exercising your blood sugar levels have dipped and need balancing so I would advise you have carbohydrates that are absorbed quickly such as a banana, potatoes, rice etc.
Some moderate GI foods are essential for the daily diet because they contain good fats and nutrients that are essential for the body to function correctly.
High GI
If you are consuming high GI Foods from morning through till night you will cause an insulin spike and promote FAT storage and health problems. Some of the side effects include tiredness, feeling lethargic and finding it difficult to concentrate.
Processed foods come under the bracket high GI and should be avoided at all costs. They are high in sugar and will spike insulin levels. The following picture shows examples of processed foods that need to be ditched.
The table below shows a few foods from the GI table:
My advice to you all would be to google the Glycemic table and start to look at the foods you are currently eating and see what category they fall into.
Dom's Tip
A handful of nuts with fruit will reduce the insulin spike.
If you have any questions please fire them over to dom@all-staracademy.co.uk
Thanks
Coach
Dom