Eating for steady glucose

Dietitian, Felicity Black, offers guidance on how to get off the glucose rollercoaster by clothing your carbs for steady glucose.

Do you sometimes feel as if you are riding the rollercoaster of blood glucose spikes and crashes and not getting steading glucose readings? Unfortunately, this leaves you moody, exhausted and reaching for that next cup of coffee to get you through the day. Maybe you are struggling with cravings for sweet things or are finding you are constantly hungry. You have been riding the glucose rollercoaster.

How does the food you eat affect the ride?

Some foods lead to a steep ascent; they speed up the release of glucose into your bloodstream. Other foods put on the brakes; slowing down and stabilising the blood glucose levels. 

What goes up, must come down

Foods that cause glucose to climb then cause it to plummet leading to low moods, fatigue and cravings. Refined starches and sugar are the driving force behind these steep spikes. Think of a fluffy piece of white bread, minimal chewing and digestion is required while glucose is rapidly flowing into the bloodstream.

Breads, pasta, crackers, pastries, crisps, pizza bases, rolls, biscuits, rusks and cereals. How to tell if starches are refined? Well if it is made from mostly flour, has gone through many processes, has many ingredients listed, has no naturally occurring fibre or nutrients and won’t be found in nature; then yes it is most likely refined.

Synthetic vitamins and some bran fibre is often added in during manufacturing to make these products look more desirable by health-conscious shoppers.

Sugar speeds things up, especially in a liquid form. Smoothies, fruit juices, fizzy drinks, chocolate milk, flavoured drinking yoghurt, hot chocolate-type drinks can all cause glucose levels to rise quickly.

Which foods slow things down?

Protein, fat and fibre-rich foods all slow down your digestion which slows down the release of glucose into your bloodstream.

Protein-rich foods are mostly from animal sources. Think meat, chicken, fish, seafood and eggs.

Cheese and other dairy products don’t actually have all that much protein and are not a suitable substitute for the above foods. Whole unsweetened dairy has been shown to provide glucose stabilising effects even in small amounts.

Fats are wonderful at keeping glucose steady and help you stay fuller for longer.

Healthy fats to include are avocados, olive oil, olives, nuts and seeds.

Berries, green vegetables (such as broccoli) and legumes (beans and lentils) are great fibre-rich foods to include daily.

If you make sure to include either or all of these foods in your meals then you are sure to avoid post-meal glucose spikes.

Fibre – where should we get it from?

Many people assume high fibre means high starch. Fibre should be mainly be sourced from vegetables, not from breads and cereals. Fruit can also provide fibre but we need to manage how and when we eat it. If fruit was to be your main dietary fibre source then you would end up consuming far too much natural sugar.

As humans we are not made to eat starch without fibre. In nature we would find tubers, roots, nuts, fruits, whole grains – all of which have fibre alongside starch.

This fibre acts to slow down the release of sugars into your bloodstream, giving you a steady supply resulting in stable blood glucose levels.

In our modern world, we have breads, cereals, pastries, crisps, pasta – all without adequate fibre and consumed in large quantities.

There is a common misconception that brown refined starches are far superior than their white counterparts. Believe me, six slices of brown bread a day will not do you any favours. Clients need to be educated on lowering total refined starches regardless of the colour of said starch.

Most low-GI breads, cereals and pasta do not contain enough fibre to slow down the resultant spike. Therefore, reduce your overall carbohydrate and cut back on refined starches, they are not nutritious regardless of the colour.

Breakfast – setting a good foundation

Starting the day off right is very important for steady blood glucose levels. We are most sensitive to high sugar intake in the mornings than any other time of day. Therefore, if your blood glucose is not stabilised early on in the day, then you will struggle to manage it as the day goes on. Think of it as setting a solid foundation for the day.

A breakfast made up of only starch especially simple refined starches, such as bread and cereal, is sure to set you up for a rollercoaster of hunger, fatigue and cravings.

A good concept is the idea of clothing your carbs and this is also mentioned in the book The Glucose Revolution by Jessie Inchauspé. When you eat carbohydrates by themselves (without protein, fat or fibre) then your blood glucose spikes rather high and quite quickly.

Dessert vs sugary snack

If you are going to eat something with sugar, then have it as dessert after your meal and not between meals. Sugar that lands in a full stomach will lead to less severe glucose spikes. Rethink that afternoon coffee and cake. Bring out some fresh fruit to end off your meal.

Clothing for your carbs for steady glucose

Carbohydrate should be combined with either protein or fat or both. That includes fruit, do not eat fruit alone as a snack. The French have it right – cheese with fruit. The fat and protein in cheese (it’s mostly fat) helps reduce the spike from the fruit.

Other combinations are: biltong, nuts, full fat yoghurt, avocado, sugar-free nut butters and seeds. So, do yourself a favour and clothe your carbs.

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