“But I don't eat sugar! Why am I not losing weight?????”
The answer is simple, besides the glycaemic index (which I wrote about in the previous post), it is important to also consider the insulin index (II) – this is the ability of a product to raise blood insulin levels.
Periodic spikes in blood insulin are not harmful by themselves, but it is problematic when insulin is constantly elevated or constantly fluctuating (this leads to insulin resistance) or when it is elevated in the second half of the day (hence the weight gain).
Despite both indices (II and GI) being related, the fundamental difference is that the increase in blood insulin levels can be triggered not only by carbohydrates but also by some protein products.
The diet based on the glycaemic index aims to almost completely exclude foods with a high GI and moderately consume foods with a medium GI.
The theory of the insulin index introduces some adjustments. Firstly, it considers the impact on blood insulin levels of protein products – primarily meat and dairy products. Secondly, it refines data on various sweets and carbohydrate-rich foods – despite having a moderate GI, their consumption leads to a significant insulin release into the blood.
For example, milk has a low GI, meaning it does not raise blood sugar, BUT it significantly raises insulin, bypassing the sugar increase, and its II is high. Or sugar substitutes, which do not carry a carbohydrate load but do raise insulin.
Conclusion: it is better to consider how food affects both sugar and insulin when selecting products, maintaining a 'golden mean'.
Related Articles
- Diet for insulin resistance: key nutritional principles
- What to Eat with Insulin Resistance: Examples of a Balanced Diet
- Glycaemic Index