Why should you control blood sugar spikes?
Controlling blood sugar spikes is important for everyone, not just those with diabetes. When we eat high-sugar or refined carbohydrate foods, our blood glucose levels soar, leading to the release of insulin. Insulin’s job is to transport glucose from the bloodstream into our cells for energy. However, excessive insulin secretion can negatively impact weight management, making it a crucial element to consider in your weight loss journey.
Okay, but how does this relate to weight loss?
Rising insulin levels have three major effects that can contribute to weight gain:
1) Your body prioritizes fat storage: When insulin levels rise, it signals to the body that there is an abundance of energy available from the recently consumed carbohydrates. As a result, the body shifts its focus to storing fat rather than burning it. This makes it difficult to tap into stored fat reserves and can impede weight loss progress.
2) Insulin blocks enzymes that break down fat: Elevated insulin levels can interfere with the enzymes that are responsible for breaking down stored fat. Insulin inhibits the activity of hormone-sensitive lipase, an enzyme that helps release fatty acids from fat cells to be used as energy, making it harder to access and burn stored fat.
3) Rapid drops in blood sugar: Sharp increases in insulin secretion produce a rapid rise and subsequent fall in blood sugar which can leave you feeling hungry, fatigued, and craving more food, often leading to overeating or making unhealthy food choices.
How much improvement does a low GI diet actually make on weight loss?
In a groundbreaking study by Velasquez-Mieyer et al. (2003), researchers explored the link between suppressing insulin secretion and weight loss in a subset of obese people. The study subjects followed a low-calorie diet, and their insulin secretion was suppressed using a medication called octreotide. The results showed that those whose insulin secretion was suppressed experienced more significant weight loss and a greater drop in body fat percentage compared to those who did not receive the medication.
Another notable study performed by Zafar et al. investigated the impact of low-glycemic-index (GI) foods on weight loss. The study featured 200 participants, who were divided into two groups. One group followed a low-GI diet, which consisted of foods that have a minimal effect on blood sugar levels, while the other group followed a high-GI diet, consisting of foods that cause rapid spikes in blood sugar.
Over a six month period, the participants followed their respective diets while their weight and body composition were regularly evaluated. The effects were striking: the low-GI group not only experienced greater weight loss compared to the high-GI group but also showed improved weight maintenance over time. On average, participants in the low-GI group lost 15 pounds, while those in the high-GI group dropped only 8 pounds.
The study also studied other health parameters, such as insulin sensitivity and cholesterol levels. Participants in the low-GI group showed improvements in insulin sensitivity, showing better blood sugar control, while the high-GI group showed no significant changes. Additionally, the low-GI group had decreased levels of LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) and raised levels of HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol) compared to the high-GI group.
These results provide significant evidence for the effectiveness of avoiding blood sugar spikes through a low-GI diet in promoting weight loss and improving overall health.
Conclusion:
Controlling blood sugar spikes and avoiding high-sugar foods can help to power up your weight loss. High insulin spikes delay weight loss by promoting fat storage and inhibiting fat burning. By contrast, research studies repeatedly show that individuals who avoid blood sugar spikes through a low-sugar diet or by consuming low-GI foods are more likely to achieve successful weight loss and maintain their weight in the long run.
Remember to consult with a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian for personalized help and guidance on your weight loss journey.
Now that you have a better understanding of the impact of lower insulin spikes and avoiding high-sugar foods on weight loss, it’s time to take action. Start by making small changes to your diet, incorporating more low-sugar and low-GI foods, and enjoying your favorite treats in moderation. With this information and a balanced approach, you can achieve your weight-loss goals while still savoring the foods you love.
Bonus: How corporate influence led researchers to overlook the harm of sugar
Let’s get an important disclaimer out of the way – clearly, highly processed foods filled with low-quality saturated fats can harm your overall health as well as your weight loss journey. But when controlling for calorie intake, saturated fats are not the primary barrier to your weight loss – although the sugar industry has paid to make you believe otherwise.
Following President Eisenhower’s heart attack in 1955, there was growing concern about the rising rates of heart disease and obesity in the United States. Researchers were investigating the potential causes of these health issues, settling on the idea that a high-fat diet was linked to heart disease, leading to a push for low-fat diets. However, as the consumption of low-fat foods increased, so did the incidence of obesity and related health problems. In the 1970s, some researchers began to investigate the role of sugar in obesity and related health problems.
Nutritionist John Yudkinn published a book in 1972 called “Pure, White, and Deadly,” arguing that sugar, not fat, was the primary cause of obesity and related health problems. Yudkin’s research received significant pushback from the food industry, particularly sugar industry lobbyists, who sought to discredit his work and shift the blame for obesity and related health problems onto fat instead of sugar.
The pressure was building on the sugar industry. In an effort to protect their interests, these industry groups reportedly influenced public opinion and research through various means, including financial support to scientists, lobbying efforts, and the promotion of favorable research. Additionally, various reports and investigations have shed light on the close ties between sugar industry representatives, lobbyists, and government agencies responsible for dietary guidelines and public health recommendations. These relationships have been criticized for potentially influencing policy decisions and scientific discourse around the role of sugar in health.
A key part of their campaign was the creation of the Sugar Research Foundation, now known as the International Sugar Research Foundation (ISRF), a trade association representing the sugar industry. The ISRF funded research that downplayed the link between sugar and health problems, including obesity, and instead emphasized the role of fat.
One of their most successful efforts involved a secret payment of about $60,000 in today’s dollars to two prominent Harvard nutritionists and professors at the Harvard School of Public Health, Mark Hegsted and Frederick Stare, to discredit studies linking sugar to heart disease and stating that the only modifiable risk factors were fat and cholesterol intake.
Frederick Stare, a former adviser to the U.S. government and ardent defender of the American diet, is credited as one of America’s most influential teachers of nutrition despite dubious claims including describing Coca-Cola as a “healthy between-meals snack”. While no official relationship with Coca-Cola has been cited, it’s worth noting that Coca-Cola only ended their paid sponsorship to a group of dietitians for positive coverage in 2015.
References
- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2548255
- Kolb, H., Kempf, K., Röhling, M., & Martin, S. (2020). Insulin: Too much of a good thing is bad. BMC Medicine, 18(1), 224 [https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-020-01688-6.]
- Velasquez-Mieyer, P. A., Cowan, P. A., Arheart, K. L., Buffington, C. K., Spencer, K. A., Connelly, B. E.,… & Lustig, R. H. (2003). Suppression of insulin secretion is linked with weight loss and altered macronutrient intake and preference in a subset of obese adults. International Journal of Obesity, 27(2), 219–226, [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12587002/]
- Zafar MI, Mills KE, Zheng J, Peng MM, Ye X, Chen LL. Low glycaemic index diets as an intervention for obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obes Rev. 2019 Feb;20(2):290-315. doi: 10.1111/obr.12791. Epub 2018 Nov 20. PMID: 30460737. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30460737/]