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| The complete definition of glycaemic index (GI)? |
Complete definition of glycaemic index (GI)? The GI is really a measure of how our body digest absorbed and used different carbohydrate foods to produce energy in the body. Carbohydrate foods or carbs as they may be referred to today, are sugars and starches. These should be the main source of energy for our bodies. Our bodies also derive energy from fat but there is a link between obtaining too much energy from fat (especially is saturated fat) and coronary heart disease can be high in Calories too and thus contributes to obesity. Protein food supply energy to the body as alcohol which may account for the fact that a number of overweight men take a large amount of alcohol.
Types of carbohydrates
During the process of digestion, carbohydrates are broke all the components simple sugar or monosaccharide as they are called. The principal one is glucose. This is the timing molecule that passes through the walls of the intestines and into the bloodstream where is circulated to all the body cells which remove the glucose from the blood to provide the energy.
Glucose is the main source of energy for all body cells.
Sugar’s other than glucose are called disaccharides and consist of glucose linked with another type of monosaccharide Sugar sucrose, maltose, and lactose are made up of half glucose and half another type of monosaccharide. Starches are made up of long chains of glucose molecules. Foods that contain a high proportion of glucose such as sweets release the glucose rapidly into the bloodstream, while this food that contains disaccharides and starches takes longer as the glucose molecules first to be released from the food being digested.
Carbohydrate foods include
Sugar of all types such as:
Sucrose or table sugar, whether white or brown, is found in a number of foods and drinks examples of items that contain a large amount of sugar are Jam, cakes, sweets, chocolates, ice creams, soft drinks, coffees, and cereals. Glucose is found in soft drinks and used in syrup and food manufacture.
Fructose, which is found in fresh fruit and juice made from them as well as fruits such as tinned and dried fruits and foods that contain them such as fruit puddings.
- Lactose, which is the sugar found in milk and milk products such as yogurts.
- Maltose, which is found in malt used for flavoring and cereals.
Starches of all types including those found in food such as :
Potatoes, Rice, pasta, couscous, noodles, breakfast cereal, crackers grains of all types such as oats and barley. Pulse, which including lentils, dried beans, and peas, contains a substantial amount of starchy carbohydrates along and proteins. Various terms are used for starch carbohydrates for example, ‘unrefined carbohydrates’ which refer to those with more fiber such as whole made bread, Brown pasta, brown rice, and wholegrain breakfast cereals. Refined carbohydrates are those have been more highly processed and have had some fiber removed; example include white bread white pasta and white rice. Starchy carbohydrates are considered to be the body’s preferred source of energy it is estimated that they should supply about 45 to 50% of our energy.
Carbohydrate provides 3.75 calories per gram, protein supplies 4 calories per gram, and fat 9 calories per gram. Alcohol if we take it, provides 7 calories per gram. It is therefore clear that a diet high in starchy carbohydrates can be low in calories. Add to this carbohydrate with a low GI and you have a really satisfying way of eating.
How food is used in the body
The food we eat provides us with energy for all our activities such as movement as well as to lose body functions that we are not aware of such as maintaining body temperature, providing the energy for body cells, and keeping the lungs and hearts and circulation functioning. Food also providers our substances such as protein which are needed for the repair and growth of the body tissues, food additionally contains minerals calcium required for the maintenance of bones, and vitamins necessary to regulate a vast array of processes that occur in the body.
- The process of breaking down the food we eat into tiny molecules that our body can absorb is called digestion.
Absorption is the process nearby the tiny Molecules of nutrients across the wall of the digestive tract and into the bloodstream. These nutrients are then carried around the bloodstream and then taken up by those parts of the body that require them. Digestion cause in the digestive tract, or gut as it is sometimes called. A special substance called digestive eczema a secreted by various parts of the digestive tracts and breakdown Into their component parts.
Digestion and absorption occur mainly in the small intestine but certain simple substances such as glucose and alcohol are absorbed in the stomach. As a result, glucose enters the bloodstream rapidly as does alcohol, which is why we start to feel the effects quickly after drinking it.
When the body has to digest carbohydrate foods that have a tougher coat, such as seeds for example, or take longer to break down because of their structure then the nutrients take longer to enter the bloodstream. If food is filled smashed or process before consumption it is easier for the digestion eczema to attack it and break it down to glucose.
How food affects blood sugar level
During digestion sugar and starch are broken down into their component parts of glucose. When glucose is eating on it enters the bloodstream rapidly so that the blood glucose level zones up quickly the level also Falls quickly indeed it is made deep down very rapidly and to a very low level.
That is why we often feel hungry again eating the food that causes a rapid rise in blood glucose level because when we have that equally rapid for our body tells us to eat to boost the blood glucose level up again. The what glucose can be measured and this measurement is the basics of the GI. The level to which the blood glucose Rises when the set amount of glucose is taking is given a value of 100 other food thus have a different GI. don’t worry about these numbers, yeah the GI index is simplified into low medium, and high GI foods.
Foods with a lower GI tend to make us feel satisfied for longer and thus less inclined to snack. They are broken down slowly in the digestive tract, producing a low, steady rise and also Fall of the blood glucose level meaning we have a more even release of energy from the food I will feel less hungry.
Keeping the GI low
If you had a low GI food to a meal they mixed with foods with a high GI how to slow down the digestion and absorption as glucose. So this is a way of eating where you are encouraged to eat more of certain foods. Many foods manufacturers are at present working on studies to find out the different GI levels of the foods they make, but it is fairly straightforward to reduce the GI of meals by mixing a low GI food with a higher one.
Food examples of these are;
- Serving baked beans with a jacket potato
- Eating peanut butter on a slice of white toast or wholemeal toast-it is the peanut butter that reduces the GI
- Using grain and seed bread rather than white or brown bread hard coating of seed and bring slow down the digestive process and lower the GI
- Adding skimmed milk to breakfast cereals- here it is the skimmed milk that lowers the GI
- Adding extra dry fruit to cake or loaf mixes
- Oven cooked biscuits with cheese rather than crackers as the old is kids having lower GI. Crackers
- Serving beans or peas with which have a low GI rather than or as well as carrots with a traditional roast
- Pasta dishes due to the new GI of pasta.
- Adding lentils barley, butter, beans, or split peas to your soup to reduce the GI
- Making risotto with basmati rice rather than the traditional rice as it has a lower GI
- How many snacks of dry apricots as well as some sweets.
- Foods with a high GI are those with GI above 70 while those with a medium GI are in the range of 56- 69 and those with a low GI are 55 or below.
All over the world research projects have been carried out on the measure of the GI different foods. However, various factors affect the studies. As the rest of the diet and indeed the previous diet and health status of the participants can affect the GI. And some of the values vary, especially between different brands. Some recessed suggest using the “Glycaemic load” Of Foods rather than the GI. this is the GI multiplied by the number of carbohydrates in the food. Others have used a GI which is a relationship between the GI and the energy density of a food. To achieve weight loss a calorie reduction is needed and some people