Carbohydrates of Quality- Research Paper

                                               CARBOHYDRATES OF QUALITY

     Diagnosed with hypertension, doing his best to cut on calories and exercise regularly, this pre-diabetic man was tired of trying. What was the key to a healthier lifestyle? Lowering his intake of carbohydrates? Consuming less calories? Cutting on fats? Maybe, but sometimes the key is not to just focus on quantity, the solution is look at the quality of calories, fats, or carbohydrates. The glycemic index is the measure of how fast a carbohydrate is absorbed into the bloodstream. The table of glycemic index (GI) ranges from 1 to 100. A high glycemic index would be one above 70; low glycemic index is below 55. To give some additional perspective, sugar has a GI of 70 and glucose has a GI of 100. One should eat carbohydrates that have a low-glycemic index because they do not spike sugar in the bloodstream, help in controlling hunger, and prevent a number of diseases.

      Consider two meals: pasta with mashed potatoes as side dish and broccoli with brown rice. Carbohydrates with a high GI, the mashed potatoes and pasta in this case, are digested and absorbed into our bloodstream at a fast pace. This spikes blood sugar. Maya Adam, MD, lecturer at Stanford University, explained that “Now, if on the other hand, you were to choose the broccoli and brown rice as your snack, your body would have to work harder to break down the carbs in that food.” Glucose would be released slowly and steadily into the bloodstream producing no spike. In addition, constantly spiking blood sugar can accelerate aging.

      Secondly, low GI Carbohydrates help in controlling hunger. When a high-GI carbohydrate is absorbed into the bloodstream it creates a sugar spike, as stated before.  The pancreas quickly reacts and secrets the hormone insulin, which converts glucose into fats. A moment after sugar spikes, insulin spikes. The insulin brings down blood sugar below its normal range. That is when hunger starts. On the contrary, carbs with a low GI are not so. Because these carbohydrates are broken down slowly, insulin is secreted in proportion to the slow release of glucose into the bloodstream. The amount of blood sugar does decrease, but not so much as to go below the normal range. In addition, the body triggers “natural appetite suppressors” (gisymbol.com/healthy-weight). Thus, low-GI carbohydrates conquer hunger.

              

                      Finally, Low GI Carbohydrates help in preventing various diseases. For example, the Glycemic Index Foundation reported that “Epidemiologic studies and clinical trials have shown that low-GI diets protect against type 2 diabetes” (Newsletter, September 2012).  In people with diabetes, a low-GI diet has shown improved insulin sensitivity and improved glycemic control.

        Moreover, when the body receives high-GI carbs, it releases stress hormones. So, a low-GI diet aids in reducing stress.  The following studies also showed that low-GI carbohydrates can also help prevent cardiovascular diseases, retinal disease, acne, and colorectal cancer:

·         Glycemic load, glycemic index, and risk of cardiovascular diseases: meta-analyses of prospective studies. *

·         Low-Glycemic foods can decrease systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the short term. **

·         Dietary hyperglycemia, glycemic index, and metabolic retinal diseases. ***

·         Diet and Acne: A review of the Evidence. ^

·         Dietary Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load and risk of colorectal cancer: results from the EPIC-Italy study. ^^

               In terms of quality, Low-GI carbohydrates win, for they do not drastically raise blood  sugar, suppress hunger, and prevent a number of diseases. They do not spike sugar and do not accelerate aging. They do not just suppress hunger; they give steady energy for longer periods of time. They prevent diseases, and help control them. Why not start consuming carbohydrates of better quality?

                                                  

                                                           WORKS CITED

“What are the benefits of a low GI Diet?”         

http://www.gisymbol.com/about/frequently-asked-questions/  (accessed May 12, 2016).

 Adam, Maya. “Hunger and the ‘Glycemic Index.” http://www.coursera.org/learn/childnutrition/lecutre/BWD3/ (accessed May 11, 2016)

*MaXY, et. al. Atherosclerosis: 2012 Aug; 223(2): 491-6

**Hosseininasab et. al. Int J. Hypertens. E pub 2015 Oct. 5

*** Chiu et al., 2011, Prog Retn Eye Res, 2011 Jan; 30(1):18-5

^ Spenceret al. Internatiuonal Journal of Dermatology 2009; 48: 339-347

^^Sieri et al. Int J Cancer. 2015 Jan IS; 136 (12): 2923-31