What Are Normal Ranges For Blood Sugar
Except for diabetic patients who don't produce enough insulin to maintain their blood sugar levels, and bodybuilders interested in a rapid insulin spike for anabolic effects, you don't often hear vigorous discussions about the importance of blood sugar levels. However, this is one of the most essential aspects of a healthy, balanced diet to consider.
This is only a short-term effect, but long-term undesirable effects can also occur. For example, the body slowly builds up fat reserves, you can develop diabetes and cardiovascular problems can arise. So there is no doubt that maintaining appropriate blood sugar levels is critical!
Glucose and Insulin
The quantity of glucose (sugar) in the blood is referred to as blood sugar. We obtain glucose by consuming carbs. All carbohydrates are converted into glucose which serves as an important fuel for our body and brain. During the day, glucose levels vary greatly because the value will be much lower before a meal, while the sugar level can rise significantly after eating. The glucose from the meal enters the circulation and is delivered to the cells that require sustenance.
As a natural response to this, the body produces the hormone insulin. This ensures that glucose can be absorbed faster and more efficiently by the cells. Glucose that is not used as fuel is stored in the form of glycogen in muscles and the liver. Once all the glucose has been used or stored, the blood sugar level drops back to its normal level. When fuel is no longer required and glycogen reserves are depleted, the extra glucose in the blood is transformed into body fat.
Because of the meals, the blood sugar level constantly peaks and falls. What we consume, in particular, influences how quickly and how high our blood sugar levels increase. High peaks also cause high insulin production because the higher the glucose level in the blood, the more insulin is needed to transport all the glucose. But precisely because of that high amount of insulin, a dip can occur, so that a feeling of hunger quickly returns. Dosing meals correctly, taking into account what we eat is therefore important.
The Importance of the Glycemic Index
To determine the influence of a particular food product on our blood sugar levels, a glycemic index (GI) was calculated and assigned for each carbohydrate-rich product. The GI is a measure from 1 to 100 to indicate how quickly carbohydrates are digested in the body and then absorbed into the blood as glucose. In order to limit the insulin peaks, it is necessary to consume food with a low GI. In this way, the glucose levels in the blood increase only gradually, and the production of insulin is moderated over a longer period of time.
Food with a value of 0, therefore, has no influence on the blood sugar levels, while food with a value of 100 causes the glucose levels in the blood to rise to the maximum, resulting in enormous insulin production. For products with a high GI, the value is around 70 or higher and a low GI means a value less than 55. Everything in between is mediocre.
Tables with GI values can be found on various websites. So they can differ from each other because scientists do not fully agree on the calculations. However, the differences will not be great. Below are a few examples of foods:
Low GI: legumes, pasta, dairy products, fruits such as apples and oranges, vegetables,…
Moderate GI: couscous, muesli, fruits such as mango, pineapple, and bananas, chips, soft drinks,…
High GI: potatoes, processed grain products, bread and rice (especially white products), sweets,…
Consequences of a disrupted blood sugar level
Normally, glucose and insulin balance each other. The body, therefore, performs best when blood sugar levels are kept relatively constant. If your blood sugar level is too low, you become sleepy and/or more hungry. When it rises quickly in a short time, the pancreas signals to produce maximum insulin, which quickly brings the blood sugar level back down by converting glucose into body fat as quickly as possible.
The worst is when peaks occur too often or if your sugar level is constantly very high due to the continued consumption of high GI carbohydrates.
- Your body then continuously produces insulin to process the amount of glucose. Because of that insulin, the blood sugar level drops too quickly and you get a new feeling of hunger as a direct result.
- It increases the risk of diabetes: your body becomes insulin resistant so that glucose can no longer be processed (sufficiently). Diabetes is currently incurable and requires a major adjustment to live with.
- When the body becomes less sensitive to insulin, the proportion of glucose increases and surpluses are converted into body fat.
- Due to the continuous production of insulin, the hormones cortisol and adrenaline also get out of balance. Both are stress hormones and are known to inhibit fat burning.
blood sugar levels
When is a high GI beneficial?
From what I've said so far, it probably seems like you should only consume low GI foods, but unless you're diabetic, that's not quite right. People who exercise regularly and have a healthy weight can actually benefit from strategically taking high GI carbohydrates.
Strategic is the keyword here because when high GI carbohydrates are consumed in a random way at random times, it will lead to what we already discussed, namely fat gain, insulin resistance, and diabetes.
However, insulin is not the bad guy that only brings negative consequences. A continuously increased production of insulin is of course harmful, but its main function - bringing glucose to the cells - still remains a very important process. In addition, it provides replenishment of glycogen and muscle recovery.
After a workout, an insulin response from a carbohydrate-rich post-workout can be beneficial to replenish all depleted glycogen stores. The higher the insulin response, the faster and more efficiently those supplies are replenished. And as we know, high insulin production results from a diet with a high GI. In addition, insulin is anabolic, which means that it contributes to repairing and building muscle mass.
blood sugar levels
High GI carbohydrates can therefore be healthy if you use them correctly. Supplements such as Dextrose, Maltodextrin, and Waxy Maize Starch are examples of a GI value of more than 100. They are designed to be eaten/drank after training with proteins and/or amino acids to raise blood sugar levels and thus increase insulin production. quickly replenish glycogen stores and repair muscles.
Tips for stable blood sugar levels
The most important thing for managing your blood sugar is the balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats at every meal. Proteins and fats have very little effect on insulin and when they are digested with carbohydrates, the insulin response is significantly lowered because the digestion of the carbohydrates is slower. In fact, we should either consume as many low-GI foods as possible or consume approximately the same amount of protein and carbohydrates with every meal or snack.
In addition, there are a number of essential rules to take into account:
- Eat a meal within an hour of getting up. In this way, our metabolism is immediately started and it is ready for daily activities.
- Instead of three huge servings a day, eat smaller amounts five times a day. You keep the three main meals, but eat a snack in between. Try to distribute the amount of food evenly throughout the day.
- Don't go more than 5 hours without food (except at night). Otherwise, the body enters a catabolic state.
- Aim for 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day (one serving equals the size of an apple). Vegetables remain the most important, no more than 2-3 servings of fruit.
- Limit the intake of whole grains to 2 servings per day (1 serving = 2 thin slices of bread, 50gr rice, pasta, oats). All grains should ideally remain unprocessed such as brown rice or quinoa. PLEASE NOTE: the more you move, the more or the larger the portions may be.
- Aim for 1-2 liters of water per day, depending on needs.
Conclusion
Insulin has two sides, a good and a bad one. If you constantly consume large amounts of carbohydrates with a high GI, this will undoubtedly have negative consequences for your body. Diabetes and excess body fat are just a few examples. But the glycemic index doesn't simply indicate that low GI foods are "good" and high GI foods are "bad." It only indicates to what extent carbohydrates raise the blood sugar level. When used around workouts, high GI carbohydrates are often even more beneficial. However, if you have a sedentary life without exercise, you better stay away from this group. Choose healthy, whole-grain products instead of white or processed products as much as possible to reduce insulin resistance.
Hopefully, this article has made you a little wiser and you now understand the importance of a stable blood sugar level. The potential physical and psychological consequences are not to be underestimated so try to take the above tips into account. After all, you have your body in your own hands, so take care of it!
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