You know that drowsy feeling you get when you eat a meal heavy on the carbs? When you "carb-load", you create a sugar spike in your blood glucose levels. When you're starving, your blood glucose levels have hit a trough.
Generally speaking, we want to keep blood glucose levels stable throughout the day.
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So what are ways you can maintain optimal blood sugar levels?
We can eat foods with a lower Glycemic Index to accomplish that. When digested, foods with a lower GI do not cause a significant change in blood sugar levels. Instead, they help you maintain optimum blood sugar levels. Whether or not you suffer from diabetes, maintaining blood sugar levels and eating foods with a lower GI is a great health habit to maintain!
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Complex carbohydrates are foods with a lower GI that can help you avoid swings in blood sugar levels. They take longer for your body to digest than simple carbs, so they release sugar into the bloodstream at slower rates. They also help you feel full longer, which means you'll be less tempted to reach for a simple carb that spikes your blood sugar levels. Processed and refined carbs have a higher GI, so they will not help you maintain the levels you desire.
Eating small meals will help you maintain sugar levels. Larger meals will generally cause larger spikes in sugar levels. By spacing out your sugar intake throughout the day into smaller and more frequent bursts, you can maintain energy and stabilize your blood sugar.
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Whether or not you want to make any changes, it helps to start becoming aware of what kinds of carbs you’re eating and how frequently you’re eating them.
