Posted by IsoM on June 10, 2002, at 13:49:21
In reply to Re: Protein in morning, carbs before bed » IsoM, posted by Seamus2 on June 10, 2002, at 2:14:14
Seamus, I'll try to give as much info as needed (that I know about).
Complex carbohydrates are simply starches in one form or another - a big lump of cooked cornstarch is just as much a 'complex carbohydrate' as whole grain breads. To slow the absorption of sugars from digested starches, include fibre. So yes, your friend's oatmeal gave a more sustained blood sugar level than rice. Mind you, if you ate a mix of fibrous veggies & some meat or tofu with it, it would be better than oatmeal.
I've read that what most people feel as a dip in their blood sugar levels, isn't. It's the natural switch as the body turns to stored reserves after the recently eaten food's supply runs out. Some people are more sensitve to this switch-over & can 'feel' it. Eating a *small* amount of food will correct it again.
My ex- was diabetic & had a bl. sugar monitor. One time I tested my blood sugar through the day. Hadn't eaten any breakfast & when I tested about noon, my blood sugar reading was at 5.4 (good reading). Then I ate a large amount of something very sweet, retested after half-hour & it now was at 5.5. All readings later stayed in that same range. It seemed no matter what I ate or didn't eat, my blood sugar readings stayed even. So perhaps, I'm one who is more sensitive too. The sleepy feeling that you & I get may have more to do with other natural chemicals & neurotransmitters released than blood sugar levels.
My favourite grazing foods are nuts, a nice combo of carbs & proteins - a little goes a long way AND I'm getting EFAs too. I like a small amount of my bread too. I make it with lots of protein - equal, I've read, to the protein content of meat. Protein with carbohydrates also keep blood sugar levels even.
poster:IsoM
thread:109271
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020609/msgs/109389.html