Why Glycemic peaks are bad for us?

What is “Glycemic index”? 

GI (glycemic index) is a value between 0 to 100 that indicates how much an ingredient we eat increases the concentration of sugar in our blood, also called glycemia. To do that, GI measures how fast we can absorb 50g of carbs present in the ingredient we ate, within the next 2hours. 

How do we calculate GI? 

To calculate GI, we need a value of reference: The Glucose (sugar) GI.

Glucose IG = 100. 

So comparing how fast we will metabolise 50g of carbs of an ingredient compared to 50g of Glucose, we can define the ingredient GI.   

What is High Glycemic Index food?

To evaluate if the level of food glycemic index, we need to consider the speed the Glucose in food is released in our blood:

1. If the glucose in food is released fast

The glycemia (concentration of glucose in our blood) increases fast (Glycemic peak). We talk about High Glycemic Index food (GI from 100 to 60)

2. If the glucose in food is released moderately

The glycemia (concentration of glucose in our blood) increases moderately. We talk about  Moderate Glycemic Index food. (GI from 40 to 60)

3. If the glucose in food is released slowly/progressively

The glycemia (concentration of glucose in our blood) increases slowly/progressively. We talk about Low Glycemic Index food. (GI from 0 to 40)

What’s the value of GI?

GI value is between 0 and 100. 

GI = 0 > Low Glycemic Index food: glucose is released progressively when we eat the food.

GI = 100 > High Glycemic index food: glucose is released fast when we eat the food.

What does GI depend on? 

GI depends on multiple factors: 

⏺ The quality of carbs in food: simple (sugar) or complex (amids, fibers)

⏺ The level of refining

⏺ The presence of fiber

⏺ In the food is eaten alone or in association with other food, which contain other macronutrients (fats & proteins) 

High Glycemic Index food

⏺ Contain sugar

⏺ High level of refining

⏺ Low presence of fiber

⏺ Eaten alone

Low Glycemic Index food

⏺ Contain complex carbs

⏺ Low level of refining or none

⏺ High presence of fiber

⏺ Eaten alone

Why are Glycemic peaks bad for us? 

When glycemia (concentration of sugar in our blood) increases our pancreas produces a hormone called Insulin. The higher the glycemia, the higher the level of Insulin. 

Insulin is used to metabolise the glucose (sugar) thanks to receptors we have on our cells. If the quantity of Insulin is higher than the capacity of receptors to enable the entrance of sugar in the cells, then we have sugar in excess. When the Insulin sees that excess, it will give the go to our body to transform the excess of sugar into fat. And this is why we then get fat. 

To sum up

➡️High Glycemic Index food 

➡️Glycemic Peak 

➡️Pancreas produces lots of Insulin 

➡️Insulin and receptors can’t metabolise all the sugar in our blood 

➡️Insulin gives the go to transform the sugar excess into fat 

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