Helping the Body Cope with Dietary Indulgences

by Nieske Zabriskie, ND

Around the holidays, we tend to indulge in foods high in sugar and refined carbohydrates. These dietary indiscretions can significantly impact our blood sugar levels, which in turn affect our overall health and how we feel. Thus, taking steps to enhance optimal blood sugar balance is particularly important this time of year.

Carbohydrates are molecules consisting of varying numbers of sugars such as glucose and fructose. Simple or refined carbohydrates are quickly broken down into sugar molecules. Complex carbohydrates (starches) consist of long complex chains of sugars and require more time to be broken down into sugars. Once the carbohydrates are broken down by enzymes in the mouth and small intestines, the sugars are absorbed through the intestines and into the blood. When blood sugar levels increase, they trigger release of insulin from the beta cells in the pancreas. Insulin is a hormone that promotes storage of energy. Two-thirds of the cells in the body require the presence of insulin to allow glucose to enter the cell and be used for energy production or stored for later use. Insulin also promotes the uptake of fats and amino acids by cells. When a large amount of sugar or carbohydrate is ingested, there is a sudden surge in blood sugar levels. This causes a large amount of insulin to be released at once. If the amount of insulin is in excess of what is needed, blood sugar levels can become too low.

Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load

The glycemic index (GI) is a measurement of the effect of the carbohydrates in foods on blood sugar levels. A carbohydrate that is broken down quickly into sugars causes a rapid imbalance in blood sugar metabolism and is given a high GI number. Carbohydrates that are broken down more slowly cause a more gradual increase in blood sugar levels and are given a low GI number.

The GI for a food is calculated based on the blood sugar increase over 2 hours after eating a fixed portion of the food, usually 50 grams. This is then compared to the standard, which is either pure glucose or white bread (GI of 100). This number is multiplied by 100 and averaged from multiple human subjects to result in the GI. A GI of 55 or lower is considered low and a GI of 70 or greater is high.

However, many foods do not contain 50 grams of carbohydrate in a typical serving. Thus, another measurement may be more helpful in determining the impact of a food on blood sugar levels. The glycemic load is a food ranking system for the carbohydrate content in food based on the glycemic index and portion size. This measurement addresses both the quality and quantity of the carbohydrate. The glycemic load of a food is calculated by multiplying the glycemic index by the amount of carbohydrate in the food and dividing the total by 100.¹ A low glycemic load is 10 or less, medium is 11-19, and 20 or greater is considered high. For example, watermelon has a GI of 72 (high) but has a glycemic load of 4 (low).²

The Price We Pay for Overindulging

Research has shown that eating a diet with a high GI increases the likelihood of developing suboptimal blood sugar metabolism. In one study, 91,249 young women completed a food-frequency questionnaire and were followed for 8 years to assess their blood sugar metabolism. The study showed that the women who ingested the highest GI diet had a 59 percent increase in the likelihood of developing suboptimal blood sugar metabolism.³ A similar study with middle aged men showed that the subjects with suboptimal beta-cell function and high GI diets had the greatest likelihood of developing imbalanced blood sugar metabolism.⁴ In another study, healthy overweight women were fed either a high-GI or low-GI diet for 10 weeks. After 10 weeks the women were assessed after a specific GI-test meal. The women fed the low-GI meal showed more balanced plasma glucose, serum insulin, and plasma glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1, which decreases insulin secretion. Compared to the women who ingested a high-GI meal, the women on the low-GI diet also demonstrated higher plasma glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide concentrations, which stimulate insulin secretion. The low-GI diet group also reported increased fullness and decreased desire to eat something fatty after the test meal.⁵

Research also indicates that GI and glycemic load play a role in body weight. In one study, overweight subjects ingested either a low or high-glycemic-load diet. The subjects were assessed for dietary intake, weight, waist circumference, body fat and serum lipids. The results showed that the subjects on the low-glycemic-load diet achieved a weight reduction of 4.5 percent, 5 percent reduction in waist circumference, 10 percent reduction in body fat percentage, 13 percent reduction of body fat, more balanced serum lipids and enhanced insulin sensitivity.⁶ Studies have also shown that eating six to eight servings of low-GI foods daily supports a healthy weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and long-term blood sugar balance.⁷ Furthermore, several studies have demonstrated that diets with a high-GI or glycemic load results in imbalanced triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and inflammation-modulating mediators such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha.^8-9

Offsetting the Effects of High-Carb Meals

Fiber intake is an important consideration while indulging in high carbohydrate and sugary foods around the holidays. Fiber intake can slow the absorption of sugars, allowing for gradual blood sugar and insulin changes, as well as modulate weight and lipids. In an analysis of 14 studies, researchers evaluated the impact of adding fiber to meals and blood sugar metabolism. The researchers concluded that the addition of fiber to meals enhances blood sugar metabolism and supports insulin sensitivity in both individuals with and without imbalanced blood sugar metabolism.¹⁰

Another study examined the impact of increased dietary fiber and dietary sugar reduction in a group of overweight adolescents. The subjects who increased dietary fiber showed beneficial changes in body mass index (BMI) and visceral (abdominal) fat.¹¹ In another clinical trial, researchers supplemented overweight subjects with fiber or a placebo for 12 weeks. The study showed that fiber supplementation produced beneficial changes in weight, BMI and percent body fat. In addition, fiber supplementation led to healthy levels of total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.¹² A similar study showed that compared to placebo, psyllium fiber supplementation optimized fasting blood sugar metabolism, long term blood sugar balance, and HDL cholesterol in subjects with suboptimal blood sugar metabolism.¹³ Research also shows that increasing dietary fiber intake modulates C-reactive protein (CRP), indicating a balancing effect on inflammatory processes.¹⁴

Balancing Blood Sugar Metabolism

Fiber supplements such as psyllium (Plantago ovate), guar gum, apple pectin, rice bran, citrus pectin, prune fiber (Prunus domestica), beet fiber (Beta vulgaris), and larch arabinogalactan (as found in Fiber Complex Capsules and Fiber Complex™) can support healthy blood sugar metabolism. Further blood sugar support can occur with the addition of botanicals and nutrients including bitter melon (Momordica charantia), goats rue (Galega officinalis), cinnamon bark extracts (Cinnamomum cassia), vanadium (from vanadyl sulfate), vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B6, quercetin, and N-acetyl cysteine, (as found in GluControl™). Chromium picolinate also supports healthy blood sugar metabolism and is referred to as “will power in a bottle.”

Goats rue contains the bioactive constituent galegine, a guanidine derivative. Goat’s rue has been shown to support balanced blood sugar and insulin, and animal models show that it modulates body weight.^15-16 Vanadium is a trace element that supports balanced blood sugar metabolism and long term blood sugar balance.¹⁷ Bitter melon also supports balanced fasting and post-prandial (after-eating) blood glucose metabolism in subjects with suboptimal blood sugar metabolism.¹⁸ Cinnamon enhances insulin efficiency and balanced fasting glucose in subjects with suboptimal blood sugar metabolism, and supports more balanced lipid levels.^19-21 Additionally, nutrients such as vitamins C, E, B6 and N-acetyl cysteine act as free-radical scavengers and modulate oxidative stress, supporting healthy blood sugar metabolism.^22-24

Chromium is an essential trace mineral that plays a role in glucose metabolism. Studies indicate that chromium picolinate enhances insulin efficiency and supports healthy blood glucose and long-term blood sugar balance.^25-26 Additionally, chromium picolinate attenuates body weight gain and visceral fat accumulation in subjects with suboptimal blood sugar metabolism.²⁷ Furthermore, chromium picolinate supports balanced cholesterol and triglyceride levels in subjects with suboptimal blood sugar control.²⁸

Conclusion

Around the holidays, many of us indulge in foods loaded with sugar and refined carbohydrates. This can lead to dramatic shifts in our blood sugar and insulin. Supporting our body’s ability to deal with these dietary indiscretions by supplementing with fiber, botanicals and nutrients can enhance healthy blood sugar metabolism and overall health during this busy time of year. In Dr. Chris Meletis’ experience, blood sugar control is often impacted after the fall and winter dietary indulgences associated with the holidays. This leads to adverse changes in blood sugar levels over the course of this period of time; therefore, taking a proactive approach to minimize these imbalances is a wise health investment. As Dr. Meletis states: “when indulging a sweet tooth, fiber is one’s friend.”

References

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21. Khan A, Safdar M, Ali Khan MM, et al. Cinnamon improves glucose and lipids of people with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2003 Dec;26(12):3215-8.

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28. Geohas J, Daly A, Juturu V, et al. Chromium picolinate and biotin combination reduces atherogenic index of plasma in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a placebo-controlled, double-blinded, randomized clinical trial. Am J Med Sci. 2007 Mar;333(3):145-53.