The FreedomFit program uses the glycemic index as a tool to determine which carbohydrates are better than others.
Not all carbohydrates are created equal. In fact, the effect they have on our bodies can be quite different. The glycemic index ranks carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood sugar levels. When we consume foods with a high glycemic index, for instance foods with high levels of sugar, this causes our blood sugar levels to rise quickly. This then signals our body to release insulin into the blood stream to bring down the high levels of sugar. These foods digest quickly, turn into sugar quickly and make us hungry faster. Many of these foods (processed foods in particular) have a similar effect on our bodies as refined sugar does.
Foods with a low glycemic index cause a slower release of sugars into your bloodstream and only a mild insulin release occurs. Carbohydrates that are not processed are more in their natural state and are digested slower. They have a more complex structure that is difficult to breakdown (like most starches and vegetables). Choosing low GI carbohydrates is now considered to be the secret to long-term health, reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes and is the key to sustainable weight loss.
Carbohydrates are a major source of our body’s energy. There are two forms of carbohydrates; simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are quickly digested and the glucose, or sugar in other words, is absorbed into the body to provide quick energy. Some examples of simple carbohydrates are fruits, fruit juices, honey, molasses, pure maple syrup, and sugar. Many simple carbohydrates would be considered high glycemic. Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest and the glucose is absorbed more slowly into the body to provide energy over a longer period of time. Examples of complex carbohydrates are fresh vegetables, beans, peas, and whole grains such as oats, barley, brown rice, rye, and whole wheat. Complex carbohydrates contain an abundance of fiber, vitamins and minerals that are vital to good health.
A “refined” carbohydrate is a carbohydrate that has been altered by machinery to increase shelf –life and rarely serves any benefit to our bodies. In most circumstances, the refinement process removes almost all of the natural elements such as fiber, healthy oils, vitamins, and minerals. Refined white flour, for instance, not only turns to sugar quickly but the calorie content actually increases about 10% because of everything else that has been taken out. 66% of Vitamin B has been removed, 70% of all the minerals have been removed, 79% of the fiber has been removed and an average of 19% of the protein has been removed. White rice is another food having had vital nutrients stripped from it as well. White rice is simply brown rice that has had the bran covering the rice grains removed. Removing the bran is done so that the rice is fluffier and cooks faster, but in turn digests quicker.
The excessive use of refined carbohydrates such as flour and sugar is the first problem in the American diet. Sugar and flour are used in almost every commercially available food product and are fed to us from the time we are babies. Ice cream, chocolates, pizza, pasta, breads, pastries, sandwiches, crackers, fast foods, and snack foods of all types are so highly refined that the body doesn’t recognize them as food at all.
Several studies show the adverse effect sugar has on our overall health yet it seems some food companies are trying to cash in on the unhealthy rise of sugar consumption in America instead of being part of an effort to control it. In fact, these companies spend billions of dollars each year trying to keep consumers coming back for more. Why you ask? The answer is simple. Sugar is addicting. The more sugar you eat, the more you want. The more sugar people want, the more products containing refined sugars and flours they will consume, making big profits for food companies!
The greater the consumption of foods containing large amounts of added sugars, the more difficult it is to consume enough nutrients without gaining weight. Consumption of added sugars provides calories while providing little, if any, of the essential nutrients.
Don’t be fooled by hidden sugar. It is sometimes there when you least expect it. Look for these different names of sugars in the nutritional information on food labels.
Hidden Sugars on Nutrition Labels
- Invert sugar
- lactose
- maltose
- malt syrup
- molasses
- raw sugar
- sucrose
- sugar
- syrup
There are plenty of delicious substitutions for sugar laced products. Being a FreedomFit members enjoy an array of tasty treats. Check our sample menu section for some ideas.