Carbs and Blood Glucose Levels
Insulin Regulates Blood Glucose - Glucagon - Pancreas - Glucose Energy Metabolism - Glucose Monitors
How Blood Glucose Works
In simple terms, for the sake of our health, blood-glucose levels need to remain within certain levels. The body regulates these blood sugar levels using two mechanisms: hunger and insulin.
- When blood-glucose levels fall, the
brain causes us to feel hungry. Result? We eat food that is converted
into glucose and our blood sugar levels rise. If we don't eat and blood-glucose
levels fall too low, we trigger the condition known as hypoglycemia.
- When our blood-glucose levels rise, the brain tells our pancreas to release insulin. Result? The insulin helps to disperse the glucose and our blood sugar levels fall. Without insulin to regulate a rise in blood-glucose, the amount of sugar in our bloodstream can become toxic, triggering the condition known as hyperglycemia.
Effect of Carbohydrate Foods on Blood Glucose Levels
When carbs are eaten and digested, they are converted to glucose and enter the bloodstream where they raise blood-glucose levels. How fast these carbs raise blood-sugar levels depends on their glycemic index value.
- Individual carb-containing foods or
(more commonly) carb-containing meals with a high glycemic index value
cause a "spike" in blood-glucose levels. Meaning, our blood-sugar
rises very fast, triggering an equally rapid response from the
pancreatic gland which pumps out enough insulin to deal with the excess
blood sugar. Result? Within an hour or so, the large secretion of insulin
has dispersed all the excess blood glucose and then some. So we feel
hungry again!!
- Individual carb-containing foods or carb-containing meals with a low glycemic index value raise blood-glucose levels in a slower more sustained manner. So the pancreas responds by releasing a more moderate amount of insulin. Result? Hunger is kept at bay and we feel satisfied for longer.
Carbs and Blood Glucose Levels - Bottom Line
Not all carbohydrates cause a "spike" or rapid rise in blood sugar. Only carbs with a high glycemic value do this. Some diet "experts" imply that all carbs are bad for our blood-sugar levels. This is not true. Indeed, even the effect of higher glycemic index carbs can be mitigated by combining them with lower glycemic value foods.
