The Glycemic Index

I threw an impromptu poll out on the facebook fan page asking for a nutrition topic I could cover for this month’s newsletter.  I got some great responses ranging from supplementation to how to eat well during the holidays.  Since I recently wrote a four part series on supplementation and eating well during the holidays comes down to moderation and picking and choosing your food battles; I decided to go with the topic about the glycemic index.

I must admit I was a bit surprised that this topic was proposed because it seems like dieting trends come and go like the latest technology trends.  I remember when I first became interested in studying nutrition in the late 90s, the glycemic index was really popular and I searched bookstores and libraries to find out more information and get a copy of the glycemix index (GI) chart that classified and ranked foods according to the effect they had on the body.

Since then there have been numerous book and diets constructed around the GI system, but was this system just a trendy model from the late 90s or does the science still warrant merit from the health and fitness community?  In this article I will break down the GI system to see if indeed it should still be paid attention to in this day and age.

Simply Stated

According to The Gylecemic Index.com:

“The glycemic index or GI describes this difference by ranking carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels. Choosing low GI carbs – the ones that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels – is the secret to long-term health reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes and is the key to sustainable weight loss.”

When Carbohydrates (CHO) are digested and broken down by the body they will be reduced to their lowest structural components one of which is the sugar known as glucose.  In 1980 Dr. David J. Jenkins and colleagues at the University of Toronto conducted research to see how quickly different CHOs were broken down and released into the bloodstream.  Their research was based on the idea that CHOs which were broken down quickly during digestion released glucose into the bloodstream rapidly.  When glucose enters the bloodstream the hormone insulin is released by the body to take up the glucose and shuttle it to the liver and muscles of the body to be stored as glycogen which could be used for energy later on.  Foods that broke down quickly and caused rapid release of glucose into the bloodstream could pose health problems down the road if the practice of eating these types of foods was consistent.

Dr. Jenkins and colleagues conducted blood tests of their subjects to measure how quickly and how much glucose was found in the bloodstream after ingesting a particular CHO source.  They established a rating system and classified CHOs that were quickly broken down and released glucose rapidly as High GI foods and the ones that broke down at a gradual rate as Low GI foods.  Simply stated, high GI foods require high levels of insulin to be released.  If the system that releases insulin is perpetually working at a high rate, over time, the system will not be able to adequately handle the uptake of glucose for glycogen storage; therefore the glucose will remain in the bloodstream at high levels causing the disease known as Diabetes.

Eat This Don’t Eat That?

Before the internet blew up and you can find anything you wanted with a few taps of the keys, I searched several locations for the glycemic index chart.  I had a few family members that had cases of Type II diabetes (adult onset) and if these high glycemic foods were a leading cause of the disease I wanted to know which foods I should be eating and which would cause my blood sugar levels to go sky high.

After getting my eager hands on a chart and studying it for a bit I realized that rather than obsessing on what individual foods rate high on the chart, there is a simple pattern that can be followed.  Generally speaking, food sources such as fibrous fruits and vegetables had a low glycemic index, whole grain carbohydrates had medium GI responses and processed CHOs and simple sugars were high on the GI scale.  Without being overwhelmed with the GI effect we can simply think about which foods are natural, whole foods. Natural, whole foods are generally healthier and therefore they have a lower GI effect and a lower risk for diseases like diabetes and coronary heart disease.  When thinking about the glycemic index, the question becomes, is it as simple as don’t eat the foods that cause a high GI effect?  The answer might not be that simple.

First off, the GI significantly differs depending on a food’s current state and methods used during preparation and cooking.  Foods, like white potatoes, alter their GI number depending on its ripeness, processing, the length of storage, cooking methods.

Another factor to consider is that people are different and foods will have a different glycemic response from one person to another and even on the same person from day to day, depending on blood glucose levels, and insulin resistance.  Other factors like the current blood glucose levels, the amount of the particular food consumed, what a particular food was eaten in conjunction with, and fluid levels in the body can all result in different glycemic responses.

Scientists have taken note on some of the pitfalls of the GI ranking and tried to further expand on the ranking system by factoring in the amount of food eaten and the effects that can have.  The glycemic load (GL) is a ranking system for carbohydrates content in food portions based on their (GI) and the portion size. GL combines both the quality and quantity of a carbohydrate in one value.  This method is deemed superior to predict blood glucose values of different types and amounts of food.

Proponents of the GL state that high GI foods consumed in small quantities would give the same effect as larger quantities of a low GI foods on blood sugar; therefore it’s not only the type of food that you eat, it is the amount of food that you eat at a particular time.

How GI and GL Can Work For You

Now that I have even confused you more or made your brain hurt, let’s boil this down and make life simple. When considering all of these factors it may seem like the GI and GL are too difficult to understand and that there may not be a way to know what the exact effects are on your body.  I feel like understanding the basics can get you on the path towards optimal health.

Let’s first consider the GI.  Foods that produce a high GI effect in our bodies are, generally speaking, foods that are the simplest forms of carbohydrates that we already know to use sparingly in our diets.  White bread, white rice, honey and simple sugar are all considered high GI and they are simple CHOs devoid of fiber and many nutrients; we know that these foods should be only a small portion within our diets if we want to live a healthy life.

It is also simple to understand that the amount of food we eat effects how we feel.  Glycemic Load offers a little more insight, generally stating that high amount of foods consumed in one setting can have a high glycemic effect in our bodies.  Think about last week at the Thanksgiving dinner table; did we need to shovel that last bit of stuffing into our mouth?  Did we have to try every dessert on the table so our great Aunt would not be offended?  If you were like me then you did and you paid for it later with a bloated stomach.  Thank goodness I don’t do that quite often because the pains were a direct reminder that the GL was much larger than my body is used to; I probably raised my insulin levels to very high levels, and possibly added some fat around my belly.

When it comes to health and optimal performance it is good to have an awareness and general understanding of the different theories out there. With a little trial and error sprinkled in with some common sense, we can become in-tune to how our body optimally works and operates in accordance to the foods we eat and how we eat them.

Sources:

• Janine Freeman, RD, CDE. The Glycemic Index debate: Does the type of carbohydrate really matter?
• GI Database
• The Glycemic Index FAQs: What is the difference between glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL)?

Tags: glycemic index, glycemic load

Facts About Soy

This past month I did three consecutive weekends of speaking workshops and I covered a few topics relating to enhancement of athletic performance with the use of strength and conditioning programs, kettlebells and sports nutrition.

During the sports nutrition presentation I covered the basics of optimal eating for not only increasing athletic performance but to also build a healthy body.  I stressed that eating properly for optimal health was the most important aspect to focus on when thinking about nutrition. I kept it simple: veggies, protein, proper fats, the right carbs and water consumption.  I tried to touch upon all of those topics along with examples of high quality sources and the proper amount range they should be taking.  All of the athletes and coaches seemed to come away with a greater understanding of sports nutrition.  I also noticed that a recurrent question would come up in my discussions that I neglected to talk about during my presentation, What about soy?

Good question, I am almost embarrassed that I neglected to cover it during my presentation, however given my allotted time and the supposedly short attention span of high school kids, I had to skip the topic of soy.  Good excuse?  Maybe not, but I tried.  Well worry not because I am going to discuss soy and through my research I will give you the good, the bad and the ugly and then you can make up your mind about whether soy is right for you.

Both times when the “What about soy?” question came up, I answered the same exact way; “What about soy?  How are you using it? As a whole food, as an ingredient in foods, as a cooking oil, as a milk alternative, as a supplement?”  Soy is abundant in our western diet and is found in everything from energy bars to baby formula.  One on the biggest reasons why it is so commonly used in the United States is that we have so much of it; in fact it shares the top spot with corn as our most farmed commodity.

“According to the US EPA; in 2000 approximately 2.8 billion bushels of soybeans were harvested from almost 73 million acres of cropland. The US production of soybeans accounts for over 50% of the world’s soybean production, 56% of the world’s oilseed production and $6.66 billion in soybean and product exports.”  That is a lot of soy.

The Good

I have said it before and I will say it again; Know your source when it comes to nutrition.  There are good forms of soy products primarily coming from the fermented variety including forms such as miso, tempeh, natto, and soy sauce.  Fermenting soy neutralizes the toxins found inside and releases many enzymes and healthy probiotics that aid in digestion and immune system function. Fermented soy has also showed to potentially have some cholesterol lowering effects.

The Bad

With so much soybeans produced in the United States different forms of it are found in many foods that we consume and are also used as alternatives to more traditional foods like meat, dairy and protein sources.

Soy is not a good form of protein but the irony is that it is readily used in many products as the main protein source.  Pick up many health/protein bars and baby formula and you will see that one of the first ingredients is some source of soy.  According to the Weston Price Foundation; “like all legumes, soy beans are deficient in sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine. In addition, modern processing denatures fragile lysine.”  Soy also lacks useable forms of Vitamin B12 and is very deficient in Vitamin D and calcium which are necessary for proper bone health.

All of the soy used in many popular products such as protein bars and baby formula are not of the more healthy fermented variety.  The main problem with unfermented soy is the processing used to make them consumable creates and inferior and potentially unsafe product. Soy contains phytic acid and the common unfermented soy varieties do not get rid of this acid.  Phytic acid had been associated with reduction of the assimilation of important vitamins such as: calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. With poor vitamin assimilation, high phytate diets have also been linked with growth problems in children.

When soy is processed, several toxic compounds are formed.  Toxins such as, lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines, free glutamic acid (MSG), a potent neurotoxin, are added to many soy foods.

According to the Weston Price Foundation; soy contains phytoestrogens and these phytoestrogens in soy [baby] formula have been implicated in the current trend toward increasingly premature sexual development in girls and delayed or retarded sexual development in boys.  Soy phytoestrogens can also disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult women.

Soy phytoestrogens are potent antithyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid cancer.  In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.

The Ugly

If the potential dangers of unfermented soy have not scared you enough, much of the soy used in commercial products are genetically modified organisms called GMOs.  According to the website, Seeds of Deception, “GMOs is the result of a laboratory process of Genetic Modification (GM) by taking genes from one species and inserting them into another in an attempt to obtain a desired trait or characteristic; with genetic engineering, scientists can breach species barriers set up by nature.”  These GMO seeds are spliced and put together with different genes that would never be possible to complete in nature.

GMO seeds are usually produced to express two specific qualities, herbicide tolerance and the ability of the plant to produce its own pesticide.  If these seeds are resistant to potent pesticides, farmers can use them liberally without killing their crop.  According to Seed of Deception, 90% of the soy farmed is of the GMO variety.  When unnaturally trying to enhance or create a property foreign to the seed through genetic modification, several adverse traits are expressed as well.  “GMO plants create toxins, react to weather differently, contain too much or too little nutrients, become diseased or malfunction and die. When foreign genes are inserted, dormant genes may be activated or the functioning of genes altered, creating new or unknown proteins, or increasing or decreasing the output of existing proteins inside the plant.”

The likelihood of consuming GMO food is almost enviable and the potential risk factors are staggering.  Several studies have concluded the following:

GMOs may make you allergic to non-Genetically Modified foods

• GM soy drastically reduces digestive enzymes in mice.¹ If it also impairs your digestion, you may become sensitive and allergic to a variety of foods.

GMOs and liver problems

• GM soy altered mouse liver cells in ways that suggest a toxic insult.² The changes reversed after they switched to non-GM soy³

GMOs, reproductive problems, and infant mortality

• More than half the babies of mother rats fed GM soy died within three weeks⁴
• Male rats⁵ and mice⁶ fed GM soy had changed testicles, including altered young sperm cells in the mice.
• The DNA of mouse embryos functioned differently when their parents ate GM soy⁷
• Babies of female rats fed GM soy were considerably smaller, and more than half died within three weeks (compared to 10% of the non-GM soy controls).⁸

The biggest take home point is that when you are consuming soy, or any food for that matter, find the most natural sources available, make sure they are handled properly through traditional preparation methods, like fermentation, be aware of where your food is coming from and assume that when you go out to eat you are not getting the highest quality foods and if you are to use it at all, use in moderation.

Sources:

www.epa.gov

www.seedsofdeception.com

www.WestonPrice.org

Studies:

[1] M. Malatesta, M. Biggiogera, E. Manuali, M. B. L. Rocchi, B. Baldelli, G. Gazzanelli, “Fine Structural Analyses of Pancreatic Acinar Cell Nuclei from Mice Fed on GM Soybean,” Eur J Histochem 47 (2003): 385–388.

[2] M. Malatesta, C. Caporaloni, S. Gavaudan, M. B. Rocchi, S. Serafini, C. Tiberi, G. Gazzanelli, “Ultrastructural Morphometrical and Immunocytochemical Analyses of Hepatocyte Nuclei from Mice Fed on Genetically Modified Soybean,” Cell Struct Funct. 27 (2002): 173–180.

[3] M. Malatesta, C. Tiberi, B. Baldelli, S. Battistelli, E. Manuali, M. Biggiogera, “Reversibility of Hepatocyte Nuclear Modifications in Mice Fed on Genetically Modified Soybean,” Eur J Histochem, 49 (2005): 237-242.

[4] I.V. Ermakova, “Diet with the Soya Modified by Gene EPSPS CP4 Leads to Anxiety and Aggression in Rats,” 14th European Congress of Psychiatry. Nice, France, March 4-8, 2006; “Genetically modified soy affects posterity: Results of Russian scientists’ studies,” REGNUM, October 12, 2005; http://www.regnum.ru/english/526651.html;  Irina Ermakova, “Genetically modified soy leads to the decrease of weight and high mortality of rat pups of the first generation. Preliminary studies,” Ecosinform 1 (2006): 4–9.

[5] Irina Ermakova, “Experimental Evidence of GMO Hazards,” Presentation at Scientists for a GM Free Europe, EU Parliament, Brussels, June 12, 2007

[6] L. Vecchio et al, “Ultrastructural Analysis of Testes from Mice Fed on Genetically Modified Soybean,” European Journal of Histochemistry 48, no. 4 (Oct–Dec 2004):449–454.

[7] Oliveri et al., “Temporary Depression of Transcription in Mouse Pre-implantion Embryos from Mice Fed on Genetically Modified Soybean,” 48th Symposium of the Society for Histochemistry, Lake Maggiore (Italy), September 7–10, 2006.

[8] I.V. Ermakova, “Diet with the Soya Modified by Gene EPSPS CP4 Leads to Anxiety and Aggression in Rats,” 14th European Congress of Psychiatry. Nice, France, March 4-8, 2006; “Genetically modified soy affects posterity: Results of Russian scientists’ studies,” REGNUM, October 12, 2005; http://www.regnum.ru/english/526651.html;  Irina Ermakova, “Genetically modified soy leads to the decrease of weight and high mortality of rat pups of the first generation. Preliminary studies,” Ecosinform 1 (2006): 4–9.

Tags: protein, soy

Five Fat Sources for Optimal Health

I find it interesting that where healthy diets are concerned there has been a huge push away from trans fats and more of a trend towards natural and organic food.  While this is a step in the right direction, I also find it interesting that there is still a stigma that fat in your diet is bad for you.  In reality, many fats found in food are naturally occurring and even vital for optimal health.  Still people want non-fat milk, Fat Free butter substitutes, and even minimal amounts of body fat percentage on their bodies.

The use of the word fat should not be an umbrella term collecting and labeling all of the various sources as the same.  Like everything in life there is the good, the bad and the ugly.  In this article my goal is to give you simple reasons why you should consume fat in your healthy diet and I will list five fat sources that you should consider adding into your diet for optimal health.

Why are people still avoiding fat?  Fat, also known as lipids, are everywhere in our bodies.  The cells that make up our body are structurally constructed with phospholipid layers for protection.  Our nerves are covered by myelin sheets (made from lipids) for insulation.  Even our brains are made up of about 60% lipids.

If fats make up a good portion of our cell structure then certainly not all fats are bad and we need fats to build these structurally sound cells.  Besides cell building and nerve insulation, fats also attribute to:

• Absorption of fat soluble vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids
• Improved blood cholesterol and blood glucose levels
• Improved brain, heart, liver and lung function
• Reduced inflammation, cancer and heart disease risk
• Production and regulation of hormones in the body

I know what you may be thinking, “Isn’t this the exact opposite of what I have been told?”  The answer really depends on the fat sources you consume.  Go for those unnatural, manufactured fat choices like trans-fats, and hydrogenated oils and you will watch your health slowly deteriorate.

In my attempt to avoid a boring scientifically saturated article on the different types of fats explaining which fats are good and which fats are bad; I want to make this simple for everyone.  Like I mentioned in my first installment of Should you Supplement; Think natural and you can’t go wrong.  Below are five natural fat sources that you can add to your diet that will allow you to receive the many health benefits that the right fats have to offer.  I have purposely left fish oil off the list because I covered its benefits in great detail in my second Should you Supplement article.

Avocados

I am very fortunate to live in California where this super fruit (yes it is technically a fruit) is abundant and extremely tasty.  Avocados are loaded with the healthy oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat, which helps lower LDL cholesterol (bad) and raise HDL cholesterol (good) and reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Like avocados, extra virgin olive oil is mostly composed (70%) of oleic acid so the positive cholesterol benefits and reduced risk of heart disease are still part of the benefits.  Extra virgin olive oil has also shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer.  Like many things in life, you must get good quality olive oil, so yes, buying the “extra virgin” variety is important.  The title simply means that the oil has been minimally processed so many of the healthy vitamins and fatty acids remain intact.

Walnuts

Most nuts in their natural state are full of good fats and provide many health benefits; however, one may stand above all of the others, the walnut.  Walnuts contain the highest amount of Omega 3 fatty acids over all of the other nuts.  I discussed the necessity of having a diet high in omega 3s in my fish oil article and their healthy benefits are numerous. They play a role in lowering triglyceride levels in the blood, maintain high levels of HDL cholesterol, reduce plaque formations and the list goes on and on.  We talked earlier about the brain being composed of 60% fat and walnuts have been shown to help with the brain’s growth, reproduction of cells, and its proper function.  When you get walnuts, make sure you get them in their purest state, raw.  Avoid “roasted, flavored, and glazed” varieties because they have been processed and all of their previous health benefits are null and void.

Coconut oil

Coconut oil had gotten a bad rap over the years which is why it is overlooked as healthy food resource.  The early studies  from the 1980s show the negative effects of coconut oil consumption used a manipulated form of the oil (hydrogenated); we know when things are changed from their natural state they are no longer good.  Organic extra virgin coconut oil has so many health benefits you should go out to the store now to pick some up.  Coconut oil has been shown to reduce inflammation and fight many diseases because of a special fatty acid medium chain triglyceride known as lauric acid.  Lauric acid has antimicrobial, antibacterial and antiviral qualities which prevent and combat a ton of pathogens and diseases.

Butter

Oh no, I said the “B” word.  I cringe when I hear people say things like “I ate the bread with no butter” or “At least I didn’t use butter” or my personal favorite “I used this fat-free butter substitute spread for my potatoes.”  Again, butter is good for you when you get it from the right source, and when you do get the right source it should be used as part of a healthy diet.  Real butter comes from cows that eat their real diet of grass.  This grass feeding gives the nice, rich yellow color that indicates a dense nutrient concentration.  This butter contains omega 3 fatty acids and conjugated linolenic acid (CLA) which are both absent in grain fed cow butter.  CLA has numerous health benefits which include: anti cancer properties and even aids in fat loss, especially around the abdomen.  If these benefits aren’t enough to get everyone to add a little bit of high quality butter into their diets I’m not sure what else will convince you.

Hopefully this eased some of your fears of fats and now you are more knowledgeable when choosing between the right and wrong kinds to consume.  If you consume the right kinds of fat within your healthy diet your health and well-being will shine like never before.

Sources:

• Bowden, Jonny, The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, Fair Winds Publishing, 2007.
• Enig, Mary, Know Your Fats, Bethesda Press, 2000.

Tags: health, Nutrition