Diet plays an important role in managing the insulin level in blood. ABI ANANANDAKUMAR suggests three recipes that help you achieve just that:
FOOD high in sugar and starch is the leading cause for obesity. The way to manage one’s weight is to eat protein-rich food combined with complex carbohydrates and to avoid high-sugar and refined-flour food.
Our diet plays an important role in managing the insulin level in blood. The primary role of insulin is to control blood sugar level by transporting sugar from the blood stream to muscles, liver and fat cells.
When we eat high-sugar food, the blood sugar level rises, resulting in high insulin level. The role of insulin is to drive sugar into a cell to be either used or stored as fat. In fat cells, insulin enhances the conversion of glucose into fat, resulting in weight gain.
A higher insulin level converts sugar into fat and also holds on to stored fat, like a sponge holds on to water.
The opposing hormone to insulin is glucagon — a fat-releasing hormone stimulated by the intake of protein. It is suppressed by the intake of carbohydrates.
When we eat a lot of high-glycaemic-carbohydrate-rich food such as cakes, doughnuts, croissants, white bread, polished rice and potatoes, the insulin level rises and glucagon level drops.
On the other hand, when we eat a balanced meal of protein, good fat and low glycaemic carbohydrates, the insulin and glucagon levels remain in a healthy balance.
These are nuggets lifted from Ray D. Strand’s book, Healthy For Life.
Examples of low glycaemic food are fruit, vegetables, beans, legumes, unpolished brown and red rice, parboiled long grain rice, nuts, rolled oats, low-fat yoghurt and skim milk.
Broccoli is one of the most nutritious vegetables. It is rich in vitamin C, which aids iron absorption in our body, and potassium, which helps fight high blood pressure.
The folic acid in broccoli helps to sustain normal tissue growth and prevents hair loss. The vegetable is also fibre-rich.
Indole-3-carbinol, a component found in broccoli, promotes “good” hormones while working against destructive ones, hence prevents hormone-related cancers.
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