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Insulin And The Glycemic IndexMore recently, critics of the higher-carbohydrate/low-fat diets have begun to invoke a new demon: Insulin. A hormone released by the pancreas in response to a rise in blood sugar, insulin promotes the storage of fat. According to some of these critics, higher-protein diets promote weight loss by reducing insulin levels, in the process, retarding fat storage. What the high-protein/high-fat advocates fail to mention is that protein intake is also a stimulator of insulin release. Furthermore, not all carbohydrates have the same effect on insulin release. Carbohydrates such as mashed potatoes cause an almost immediate release in blood glucose and insulin because they are quickly absorbed in the digestive process (leading to these foods being labeled “high-glycemic index” foods.) Lentils, beans and long-grain rice, on the other hand, are carbohydrates which are absorbed much more slowly by the body, and their effect on blood sugar and insulin is not nearly as great. These “low-glycemic index foods” are ideal for dieters because they are low in fat, don’t promote a quick surge in insulin and create a feeling of fullness or satiety without being high in calories. « Back |
