When eating, should you save the best bite for last? If you are like me, the answer is yes! But, are we doing what is best for our body?
Eating foods in a certain order can drastically reduce your insulin response. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas, which regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. The amount of insulin released is determined by the foods we eat.
Not all foods are created equal. Some foods will have a low insulin response, whereas others will spike your insulin levels. Foods that cause an insulin spike are, well, most of the foods we enjoy. Examples include: sugary drinks, juices, sports drinks, processed foods, baked goods, white rice, bread, pasta, and french fries.
Insulin is important in helping glucose get into the cells. Unfortunately, having high levels of glucose in the blood all the time is not good. This causes your body to make more insulin, which tells your cells to save the extra glucose as fat. As a result, your body will develop insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance occurs when cells in your body don’t respond well to insulin and can’t use glucose from your blood for energy. Above all, it could lead to Diabetes. Luckily there are things we can do to hep prevent this from happening.
How to Decrease Insulin Resistance at Last
Eat vegetables and protein before eating carbohydrates during meals. This gives you a 30-40% reduction of released insulin.
Wait, cool, then reheat. As carbohydrates cool down, their insulin response lowers. The insulin response can lower by as much as 50%, if you then reheat them.
Use frozen bread to make toast. If you are going to eat toast, might as well cut your insulin response in the process.
Last but not least, avoid foods with high glycemic indexes. However, if your meal includes carbs, make sure to eat them last.
Good Luck!
Dr Spencer Charlet
Mooresville Chiropractor
704-663-7625