I EAT SUGAR and my brain loves me for it...

T

he Glycaemic Index was always a “HELL YEAH” food moment for me – it has never been a “NO”. (You can read more about "No more yes. It's either hell yeah or no", at Derek Sivers)

In a world where “carbohydrate” is considered a dirty word, there is so much noise, confusion and misinformation about what you “should” be eating. Living the Low GI Slow Sugar Life, presents you with “CAN-DO” eating and yes that means CARBS.

Low GI Living means eating low GI, slow sugar carbohydrates, as part of all meals. Lower GI slow sugar carbohydrates release their sugars into your system slowly, ensuring sustained energy, less snacking and minimising insulin’s “fatifying” effect, which you will find out more about soon.

You WILL eat outstandingly delicious food and feel fuller for longer.

Oven Roasted Honey Chicken Wings

 

Why Low GI and why Slow Sugar?

It makes sense!

I love science and when I examined the extensive and validated research containing proven and quantifiable results over the last 20 years- that was a green light for me.  I also trust my gut instinct – pardon the pun. A lifestyle that includes the Glycaemic Index in it, feels right in my gut, literally and figuratively speaking.

What is the GI (Glycaemic Index)?

It is a measure.  A measure of the rate at which different carbohydrates effect your blood sugar after eating them. Those that raise it the most quickly are ranked as high GI, while those that raise it moderately are medium GI and those that raise it slowly over time, are ranked low GI.

High GI foods - absorbed quickly when you eat them = high blood sugar = larger amounts of Insulin released = crashing blood sugar and getting HUNGRY (or hangry) sooner after a meal.

Low GI/Moderate GI foods – absorbed more slooooowly when you eat them = lower/more even blood sugar = smaller amounts of Insulin released = more stable blood sugar and feeling fuller for longer. The trick is to combine high GI and low GI foods in your life = moderate GI = no denying!

 

What is a Slow Sugar?

Low GI and moderate GI foods are slow sugar foods – those that release their energy slowly into your body. A rule of thumb – the less processed a food, the less dramatic the effect it has on your blood sugar. There are exceptions and that’s where my recipes come in.

For detailed information on the Glycaemic Index and GI foods and SWAPPING you can go to:  http://www.glycemicindex.com/

Asparagus,Tomato and Cheese Tarts

Low GI and your “fat maker” (fatifier) - Insulin

I don’t profess to be a dietician or doctor but I do understand the research surrounding how our bodies react to carbohydrate rich foods. I’m sorry to say – Insulin plays both the good cop AND bad cop role.

Insulin good cop – gets out their keys, opens your muscle cell doors and lets the sugars in. Good time had by all because now you have energy – especially your brain, whose ONLY food source is the sugars from the carbohydrates. (Now you know why you feel fuzzy in the brain when you haven’t eaten any carbohydrates).

Insulin bad cop – when insulin levels are high (when you’ve had a HIGH GI processed feast) this cop acts like a bouncer at a nightclub -  it opens the fat cell doors and lets all the extra sugars in to be converted to and stored as fat AND it won’t let any of the already stored fat out. The fat “nightclub” just fills up and multiplies.

In this case, science shows it’s better to stay on the good side of the law – eat lower GI, keep blood sugars at a constant, sustain energy and beat your “fatifier”.

I want to say something about FAT.

I’m not scared of using fat as low GI lover. Fats are actually part of healthy eating. You will see butter used in recipes and I’ll tell you why. There are some traditional recipes, in their adaptations, that really would not be themselves, if I didn’t use butter. No, it isn’t low fat and no, it is not recommended all the time. I don’t use it all the time, I use it sometimes, in low quantities per serve, for “treat” eats and THAT is very acceptable.

Hollandaise Sauce

 

Absolutely, eating a diet high in fat will contribute to weight gain, if you are having too much consistently. BUT, if it is high GI foods you're eating all the time, that is the thing that will encourage your body to produce and store fat.

Now, you CAN know how to ignore all the noise, confusion and misinformation. Stop “should-ing” on yourself and start “Living the Low GI Slow Sugar Life”, with me

   GIGiGi -   Low GI’ing, no denying…