Tag: benefits

What is the Glycemic Index?

Hi, today I’m going to talk about the ‘Glycemic Index’ and food.

Every food we eat affects our body differently, and not just in terms of health. The way it is processed by the body affects our energy and blood sugar levels.

Scott is studying Nutrition this semester and has been learning all about the ‘Glycemic Index’. He shared some facts that I found very interesting and I decided to share them with you.

First of all, what is the ‘Glycemic Index’?

Wikipedia states –‘The glycemic index (GI) is a number associated with the carbohydrates in a particular type of food that indicates the effect of these carbohydrates on a person’s blood glucose (also called blood sugar) level.’….’ The GI represents the rise in a person’s blood sugar level two hours after consumption of the food.’

In basic terms – foods that are difficult for the body to digest are considered Lower GI foods usually with a value (55 or less). These foods cause a lower and slower rise in blood glucose and, therefore, insulin levels.

What about ‘Glycemic Load’?

Another method of measuring the effect of food on the body’s glucose is considering its ‘Glycemic Load’ (GL).

GI does not consider the portion of food, but glycemic load (GL) does.

Basically, if a food is ranked high on the glycemic index it has readily available carbohydrate for quick absorption. However, the same food can have a low glycemic load because there may not actually be much total carbohydrate in a given serving of that food. A low GL is the better indicator that a food won’t have much impact on blood glucose levels.

The difference

Here are two examples: Watermelon has a high GI of 72, yet a low GL of 7.21. The high GI is based on 5 cups of watermelon, not an actual serving size of 1 cup. The low GL means one serving of watermelon doesn’t contain much carbohydrate, because it is actually mostly water. The low GL indicates that a serving of watermelon won’t have much impact on your blood sugar.

Carrots are another example of a low GL food that many people think will raise their blood sugar a lot — but it’s not true. That’s because carrots have a high GI of 71. However, what most people don’t know is that the GL for carrots is only 6. 

Therefore, unless you’re going to eat half a kg of carrots in one sitting, an average serving of carrots will have very little impact on blood glucose levels. That said, juicing carrots — which means consuming more carrots at once — will have a greater impact on blood glucose.

With this in mind, here is an interesting fact that Scott has shared in regards to potatoes.

Potatoes are generally regarded as having a high GI rating, because they are a simple starch food, which is quickly converted into sugar. However it is possible to alter this.

By cooking potatoes, then cooling and again reheating them, the starches become ‘resistant’. This means that they now resist digestion and so in this way are considered a low GI food.

 

I hope this information has helped you to have a better understanding of these terms that are so often used to describe the food we eat.

Until the next post,

Live Clean n Prosper

A Great Coconut Curry recipe

Today I thought I would share a great curry recipe.

Since my last post, Scott and I have been eating primarily a plant-based diet.

This is intended to help our bodies eliminate any toxins and improve our digestive system. I am also hoping to shed a couple of ‘cruise kilos’. So far I am on track. We are both feeling better and interestingly our sleep has improved.

Recipes for Inspiration

There are many great recipes that I regularly use for meal inspiration and this is 1 of our favourites.

The original recipe is in a small booklet that I got from The Source Bulk Foods last year. I have made a couple of small additions.

This quick, easy and delicious meal has many health benefits.

  • Garlic contains antioxidants that protect against cell damage and ageing.
  • Onions have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
  • Broccoli is high in many vitamins and minerals.
  • Cauliflower provides a significant amount of antioxidants
  • Capsicum is very high in vitamin C
  • Studies show that tomatoes and tomato products may reduce the risk of heart disease and several cancers.
  • Turmeric contains curcumin, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

You can add or change out the vegetables to suit your tastes, or what you have in the fridge. Though it is a vegetarian curry, it can easily be changed to a meat curry by simply adding your choice of diced meat.

Coconut Curry

serves 4

Ingredients

½ onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

½ broccoli cut into small flowerets

½ cauliflower cur into small flowerets

4 small potatoes diced

½ capsicum roughly chopped

2 tbsp tamari sauce

2 heaped tbsp. curry powder

2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tin diced tomatoes

400ml coconut cream

bunch of fresh coriander roughly chopped

* Cooked rice, noodles or quinoa to serve

Method
  • In a large saucepan, cook the onion and garlic till the onion is translucent
  • add the spices and stir for a minute
  • add all the rest of the ingredients (except coriander and rice/noodles)
  • bring to the boil, then reduce and simmer until the vegetables are cooked
  • add ½ the coriander and stir through
  • serve on rice or noodles
  • sprinkle rest of coriander on top

When I first made this, I thought that the sauce would split. This is not the case.

It becomes a really creamy sauce.

 

Till the next post,

 

Live clean n prosper

Ginger for health

Todays post is about Ginger.

During the past month Scott has started growing ginger in our vegetable garden. So far it seems to be growing well. I’m looking forward to seeing what the flowers are like.

When we were holidaying in Fiji, the Ginger Lilly was a popular cultivated plant with beautiful, fragrant flowers. Hopefully the edible species has similar flowers.

It also has so many health benefits and can be used in many different ways.

So what Is Ginger?

It is also known as Zingiber officinale, is inaccurately referred to as “ginger root”, although the edible section sold in the markets and used in dishes is actually the stem or the rhizome. Ginger can be used fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice, and is sometimes added to processed foods and cosmetics.

It is loaded with nutrients and bioactive compounds that have powerful benefits for the body and brain.

Not only is ginger known as an essence and a spice, it is known to be one of the oldest remedies in herbal and aromatic traditional treatments, especially in China, India, and the Middle East. In China, it has been used for over 2,000 years for curing inflammation and diarrhea.

Gingerol is the main bioactive compound in ginger, responsible for much of its medicinal properties. It has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Today, ginger is on the FDA’s list of generally safe foods and is often used to mask the taste of bitter medicines such as cough syrups.

Here are 6 health benefits of ginger that are supported by scientific research.
1. Improve Brain Function and Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease

Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation can accelerate the aging process.

They are among the key drivers of Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive decline. Some studies suggest that the antioxidants and bioactive compounds in ginger can inhibit inflammatory responses that occur in the brain.

There is also some evidence that ginger can directly enhance brain function

2. Highly effective against nausea.

Studies have concluded that 1 -1.5 grams of ginger can help prevent various types of nausea. This applies to relieving nausea and vomiting after surgery, motion and morning sickness.

Its quick absorption and rapid regulation of body functions cure nausea without the side effects of modern medications.

3. Help Fight Infections

Gingerol can help lower the risk of infections as it inhibits the growth of many different types of bacteria. Fresh ginger may also be effective against the RSV virus, a common cause of respiratory infections.

4. Treats Diarrhea

Ginger has been used since ancient times to cure diarrhea. This was recently proven by researchers that found it prevents stomach spasms and gases that contribute to and stimulate diarrhea.

5. May Reduce Muscle and joint pain.

Gingerol, is a powerful anti-inflammatory compound, which has been directly associated with improvements in knee inflammation and associated pain. Ginger does not have an immediate impact, but may be effective at reducing the day-to-day progression of muscle pain as both a preventative measure and a treatment.

6. Aids in Digestion

Ginger has been discovered to be a facilitator of the digestive process. It helps in regulating high sugar levels that may disrupt digestion and soothe the stomach. Along with that, it has a number of compounds that improve the absorption of nutrients and minerals from the food we eat. It is popular in Asian countries as an appetiser or raw menu item for precisely this reason.

There are so many more health benefits associated with Ginger. It is also quite versatile and easy to include it in our daily diet, whether it’s fresh, pickled, dried or ground.

With all of this in mind, I will definitely be trying to consume it every day.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper.