When we eat, our body converts digestible carbohydrates into
blood sugar
(glucose), our main source of energy. Our blood sugar level can affect
how hungry and how energetic we feel, both important factors when we are
watching
how we eat and exercise. It also determines whether we burn fat or store it.
Our pancreas creates a hormone called insulin that transports
blood sugar into our body's cells where it is used for energy. When we
eat refined grains that have had most of their fiber stripped away,
sugar, or other carbohydrate-rich foods that are quickly processed into
blood sugar, the pancreas goes into overtime to produce the insulin
necessary for all this blood sugar to be used for energy. This insulin
surge tells our body that plenty of energy is readily available and that
it should stop burning fat and start storing it.
However, the greater concern with the insulin surge is not that
it tells our body to start storing fat. Whatever we eat and don't burn
up eventually gets turned into fat anyway.
The greater concern is that the insulin surge causes too much
blood sugar to be transported out of our blood and this results in our
blood sugar and insulin levels dropping below normal. This leaves us
feeling tired and hungry and wanting to eat more. The unfortunate result
of this scenario is that it makes us want to eat something else with a
high sugar content. When we do, we start the cycle all over again.
What to Watch For
- Simple Carbohydrates: Because of their small molecular size,
simple carbohydrates can be metabolized quickly and are therefore most
likely to cause an insulin surge.
Simple carbohydrates include the various forms of sugar, such as
sucrose (table sugar), fructose (fruit sugar), lactose (dairy sugar),
and glucose (blood sugar). Watch for the "-ose" ending.
- Hidden Sugar in Processed Foods: Watch for "hidden" sugar in
processed foods like bread, ketchup, salad dressing, canned fruit,
applesauce, peanut butter, and soups.
- Sugar in Beverages: Be aware of the amount of sugar in
beverages, especially coffee and soda pop. It can add up quickly, and
most such drinks aren't filling.
- Fat-Free Products: Sugar is often used to replace the flavor
that is lost when the fat is removed. And as if that's not bad enough,
without any fat to slow it down the sugar is absorbed into your blood
faster.
- Cereal Box Claims of Less Sugar: Many newer cereals do contain
less sugar, but the calories, carbohydrates, fat, fiber and other
nutrients are almost identical to the full-sugar cereals. The
manufacturers have simply replaced sugar with other refined, simple
carbohydrates.
- No Sugar Added: It doesn't mean that the product doesn't
naturally contain a lot of sugar. 100% fruit products often contain
concentrated fruit juice, still another form of fructose or sugar.
Table sugar (sucrose) is often said to provide "empty calories"
because it has no nutritional value other than providing fuel for
energy. Honey and other more natural sugars, on the other hand, are often considered to be healthier because
of the trace vitamins and minerals they provide. Still, for weight loss
purposes, all of these sweeteners can simply be treated as sugar.
What You Can Do
It is also important to understand what happens when you skip a
meal or go on a crash diet. When you skip a meal your metabolism slows
to conserve your energy. And when you lose weight too quickly for a few
days, your body thinks it is threatened with starvation and goes into
survival mode. It fights to conserve your fat stores, and any weight
loss comes mostly from water and muscle.
Regulating your blood sugar level is the most effective way to maintain your
fat-burning capacity. Never skip a meal, especially breakfast, and eat
healthy snacks
between meals. Eating frequently prevents hunger pangs and the binges
that follow, provides consistent energy, and may be the single most
effective way to maintain metabolism efficiency.
When you will be away from home or work, plan your snacks and
take them along so that you will be able to eat regularly and won't be
tempted by junk food. This may be good advice for people who stay at
home, too.
But remember that it was probably snacking between meals that
caused you to become overweight in the first place. It will be very
important that any snacks are healthy; that they are pre-portioned so
you won't be tempted to overeat; and that meal sizes are reduced to
compensate for the additional calories the snacks provide.
High fiber snacks and meals also help to regulate your blood
sugar level. The fiber slows down glucose absorption and your rate of
digestion, keeping your blood sugar level more consistent and warding
off feelings of hunger. This makes eating apples and oranges a better
choice than drinking (pulp free) apple and orange juice.
source: http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_sugar.php
