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The myths of nutrition…they just don’t seem to want to disappear. We’ve all heard them—saturated fat is bad, no carbs at night, go gluten-free or meal timing. They are all completely false and are the reason that this industry suffers from the spread of misinformation. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times that I have heard someone or had to myself, explain the fact that these are not true. The funny thing is, of the short list above; I left out the most controversial myth in the world of nutrition.
The glycemic index, for those of you who are unaware, is a system that was made primarily for diabetics. The lower “quality” (or faster digesting) carb source contains a less favorable glycemic load causing blood sugar to spike. This is something that diabetics have to watch out for because a diabetic’s insulin response is very inefficient. If blood sugar is released too fast, serious complications can occur.
Knowing that insulin is the hormone responsible for moderating blood sugar and driving glucose into the cells for future use, professional (not-natural) bodybuilders began to inject it. People began to think that this was because having insulin present will “drive glucose into the muscle” and speed up recovery/muscle gains.
Secondly, and in my opinion, more controversially, people believed that the spiking of blood sugar “opened up fat stores” and lead directly to the storage of body fat. This is where the push of high fiber, whole grain and minimally processed sources of carbohydrates came from. People began to neglect fruits and other nutritious, high GI foods because of an untrue myth.
Today, I want to teach you why you should not believe in the glycemic index in terms of speedy recovery or fat loss/storage. It’s a myth, just like the others, and should be treated as such. We are going to start by looking at what the glycemic index actually is. Then, we’ll discover why it makes sense so that we can expose the counter-argument, and we’ll finish by learning why it means absolutely nothing when it comes to reaching your goals.
What is the glycemic index?
Okay, so I will keep this description short and sweet. As I said above, the glycemic index was created primarily for diabetics so that a number value could be given to foods based off of their effect on blood sugar and insulin. This allowed for diabetics to get a better understanding of how a food will affect their blood sugar prior to consuming it, and thus, avoiding severe side effects.
Foods’ glycemic loads are determined by their rate of digestion. Something like pure dextrose, the fastest digesting form of sugar, is a 100 on the glycemic index. To give you something to compare that to…a sweet potato is a 10. This means that pure sugar will digest up to 10 times faster than a sweet potato, causing blood sugar levels to spike and releasing more insulin in a shorter period of time.
Why does it make sense?
There are multiple reasons that the glycemic index makes sense and is actually somewhat relevant. First, I want to discuss its effects on appetite and in turn, fat gain/loss.
People that are on diets (calorie deficits) are in need of high volume, lower calorie and micronutrient dense foods. Why? If someone is to have their daily carbohydrate macro set at 250g and he or she drinks (4) 32 oz. sports drinks…see where I am going? Clearly, when on a lower calorie diet, the sources of those calories must have higher volumes to keep the dieter full. Plus, micronutrient sufficiency must be met, and therefore wholesome, nutritious foods should be number one.
The glycemic index comes into play here because nearly all sources of carbohydrate in their minimally processed, wholesome form are low on the glycemic index. A piece of whole wheat bread that has the max amount of fiber and therefore, volume, can contain the same amount of carbohydrate as a white slice…with more overall weight and bulk. That means that the whole-wheat slice is more dense and filling, but will take the same amount of space in one’s macros.
Branching off of that is the fact that a spike in blood sugar, which causes the release of insulin, will make for a faster storage of glucose into cells. This means that when those blood sugar levels begin to fall, it is very likely that one may feel sluggish and experience what is called a “crash”. On top of that, the fast storage of energy results in the earlier return of hunger. Consuming high GI foods can make it more difficult to fight off hunger, making it difficult to stay within caloric range.
Next, I would like to discuss why spiking insulin might make sense post-workout. This began when professional bodybuilders began to use insulin injections to speed the digestion and storage of all energy. It helped keep levels of satiety low making the consumption of 800-1000 carbs more feasible. Remember, now, I am talking about unnatural athletes.
The average, everyday fitness enthusiast takes this fact and thinks, “Hey, if I get my insulin to spike and therefore, store the energy I take in quicker when protein synthesis is elevated, I’ll gain more muscle.” The only way that this can be justified is because of what I said above about the ability of low-glycemic foods to assist in appetite enhancement. If people were looking to increase caloric intake, it would be beneficial to consume a low GI food post-workout because it would help them have increased hunger for their next meal. A calorie surplus is the only thing that will result in an increase in muscle mass. Aside from making that an easier process, there is no real benefit to spiking insulin…and here is where I will explain why.
Why does it not matter?
“Fact of the matter is that the amount of glycogen used throughout a normal weight-training workout is NOT so vast that more must be put back as soon as possible”
How often do I use the statement, “overall macronutrient consumption will have a direct effect on body composition”? It’s for good reason, but today I have great explanations as to why it is the truth.
Beginning with the need for insulin spiking post-workout—we should all know that protein synthesis is elevated for up to 36 hours post-workout. That right there disproves the need for hitting the “anabolic window.” Now, using high GI foods to amplify appetite? Sure, that may make sense…but guess what? If you can find someone that enjoys low GI, high fiber foods post-workout and doesn’t need an elevation in appetite later on in the day to hit their macros, then that person will not be negatively affected by not spiking insulin. Calories are king.
Another idea, aside from hitting the anabolic window in terms of increasing gains, is that spiking insulin post-workout will make for a shorter recovery period and a more energized feeling after training. Again, this comes from the idea of putting back lost glycogen as fast as possible. Fact of the matter is that the amount of glycogen used throughout a normal weight-training workout is NOT so vast that more must be put back as soon as possible. There should still be plenty of glycogen left to complete some the day’s tasks. The saying, “Go until there is nothing left in the tank” is more of a mental/psychological motto…it shouldn’t be taken so literal.
Now I would like to discuss why the glycemic index is even MORE pointless in terms of fat storage/loss. Sure, the fact that an increase/earlier return of hunger will make it difficult to remain within caloric range is true, but it is all about self-control. If someone does not enjoy the taste of, let’s say, brown rice…why consume it—because it will “keep him or her…fuller”? Consuming the same amount of carbohydrate from white rice verses brown rice will make no difference in terms of body composition. The only difference will be the level of satiety felt.
What does this mean? It’s quite simple, and I’m so glad that I get the opportunity to break it down. This person that consumes white rice instead of brown is getting less fiber and overall volume for the same amount of calories. Because of this, he or she is more likely to feel hungry later on. BUT, if self-control is not an issue and macros are accurately tracked and precisely hit by the end of the day, there will be NO change in body composition. Like I said before, the only effect the glycemic index has on a day-to-day dieter is on satiety. Lower GI foods will leave someone fuller, but higher GI foods, when consumed within caloric range, will not do any harm whatsoever.
The Verdict
All right, so we now know what the glycemic index is, why people thought that it really mattered (and how it actually can) and finally, why, in the grand scheme of things, it means absolutely nothing. If person A can keep themselves within caloric range by eating high GI carbs at certain times without starving to death, then person A has great self control and, well, can do that. Person B may have to utilize high fiber foods and consume them more often to remain satiated…and that is fine too. At the end of the day, overall macronutrient consumption is the only thing that matters, regardless as to where the food source is found on the glycemic index.
The glycemic index, for those of you who are unaware, is a system that was made primarily for diabetics. The lower “quality” (or faster digesting) carb source contains a less favorable glycemic load causing blood sugar to spike. This is something that diabetics have to watch out for because a diabetic’s insulin response is very inefficient. If blood sugar is released too fast, serious complications can occur.
Knowing that insulin is the hormone responsible for moderating blood sugar and driving glucose into the cells for future use, professional (not-natural) bodybuilders began to inject it. People began to think that this was because having insulin present will “drive glucose into the muscle” and speed up recovery/muscle gains.
Secondly, and in my opinion, more controversially, people believed that the spiking of blood sugar “opened up fat stores” and lead directly to the storage of body fat. This is where the push of high fiber, whole grain and minimally processed sources of carbohydrates came from. People began to neglect fruits and other nutritious, high GI foods because of an untrue myth.
Today, I want to teach you why you should not believe in the glycemic index in terms of speedy recovery or fat loss/storage. It’s a myth, just like the others, and should be treated as such. We are going to start by looking at what the glycemic index actually is. Then, we’ll discover why it makes sense so that we can expose the counter-argument, and we’ll finish by learning why it means absolutely nothing when it comes to reaching your goals.
What is the glycemic index?
Okay, so I will keep this description short and sweet. As I said above, the glycemic index was created primarily for diabetics so that a number value could be given to foods based off of their effect on blood sugar and insulin. This allowed for diabetics to get a better understanding of how a food will affect their blood sugar prior to consuming it, and thus, avoiding severe side effects.
Foods’ glycemic loads are determined by their rate of digestion. Something like pure dextrose, the fastest digesting form of sugar, is a 100 on the glycemic index. To give you something to compare that to…a sweet potato is a 10. This means that pure sugar will digest up to 10 times faster than a sweet potato, causing blood sugar levels to spike and releasing more insulin in a shorter period of time.
Why does it make sense?
There are multiple reasons that the glycemic index makes sense and is actually somewhat relevant. First, I want to discuss its effects on appetite and in turn, fat gain/loss.
People that are on diets (calorie deficits) are in need of high volume, lower calorie and micronutrient dense foods. Why? If someone is to have their daily carbohydrate macro set at 250g and he or she drinks (4) 32 oz. sports drinks…see where I am going? Clearly, when on a lower calorie diet, the sources of those calories must have higher volumes to keep the dieter full. Plus, micronutrient sufficiency must be met, and therefore wholesome, nutritious foods should be number one.
The glycemic index comes into play here because nearly all sources of carbohydrate in their minimally processed, wholesome form are low on the glycemic index. A piece of whole wheat bread that has the max amount of fiber and therefore, volume, can contain the same amount of carbohydrate as a white slice…with more overall weight and bulk. That means that the whole-wheat slice is more dense and filling, but will take the same amount of space in one’s macros.
Branching off of that is the fact that a spike in blood sugar, which causes the release of insulin, will make for a faster storage of glucose into cells. This means that when those blood sugar levels begin to fall, it is very likely that one may feel sluggish and experience what is called a “crash”. On top of that, the fast storage of energy results in the earlier return of hunger. Consuming high GI foods can make it more difficult to fight off hunger, making it difficult to stay within caloric range.
Next, I would like to discuss why spiking insulin might make sense post-workout. This began when professional bodybuilders began to use insulin injections to speed the digestion and storage of all energy. It helped keep levels of satiety low making the consumption of 800-1000 carbs more feasible. Remember, now, I am talking about unnatural athletes.
The average, everyday fitness enthusiast takes this fact and thinks, “Hey, if I get my insulin to spike and therefore, store the energy I take in quicker when protein synthesis is elevated, I’ll gain more muscle.” The only way that this can be justified is because of what I said above about the ability of low-glycemic foods to assist in appetite enhancement. If people were looking to increase caloric intake, it would be beneficial to consume a low GI food post-workout because it would help them have increased hunger for their next meal. A calorie surplus is the only thing that will result in an increase in muscle mass. Aside from making that an easier process, there is no real benefit to spiking insulin…and here is where I will explain why.
Why does it not matter?
“Fact of the matter is that the amount of glycogen used throughout a normal weight-training workout is NOT so vast that more must be put back as soon as possible”How often do I use the statement, “overall macronutrient consumption will have a direct effect on body composition”? It’s for good reason, but today I have great explanations as to why it is the truth.
Beginning with the need for insulin spiking post-workout—we should all know that protein synthesis is elevated for up to 36 hours post-workout. That right there disproves the need for hitting the “anabolic window.” Now, using high GI foods to amplify appetite? Sure, that may make sense…but guess what? If you can find someone that enjoys low GI, high fiber foods post-workout and doesn’t need an elevation in appetite later on in the day to hit their macros, then that person will not be negatively affected by not spiking insulin. Calories are king.
Another idea, aside from hitting the anabolic window in terms of increasing gains, is that spiking insulin post-workout will make for a shorter recovery period and a more energized feeling after training. Again, this comes from the idea of putting back lost glycogen as fast as possible. Fact of the matter is that the amount of glycogen used throughout a normal weight-training workout is NOT so vast that more must be put back as soon as possible. There should still be plenty of glycogen left to complete some the day’s tasks. The saying, “Go until there is nothing left in the tank” is more of a mental/psychological motto…it shouldn’t be taken so literal.
Now I would like to discuss why the glycemic index is even MORE pointless in terms of fat storage/loss. Sure, the fact that an increase/earlier return of hunger will make it difficult to remain within caloric range is true, but it is all about self-control. If someone does not enjoy the taste of, let’s say, brown rice…why consume it—because it will “keep him or her…fuller”? Consuming the same amount of carbohydrate from white rice verses brown rice will make no difference in terms of body composition. The only difference will be the level of satiety felt.
What does this mean? It’s quite simple, and I’m so glad that I get the opportunity to break it down. This person that consumes white rice instead of brown is getting less fiber and overall volume for the same amount of calories. Because of this, he or she is more likely to feel hungry later on. BUT, if self-control is not an issue and macros are accurately tracked and precisely hit by the end of the day, there will be NO change in body composition. Like I said before, the only effect the glycemic index has on a day-to-day dieter is on satiety. Lower GI foods will leave someone fuller, but higher GI foods, when consumed within caloric range, will not do any harm whatsoever.
The Verdict
All right, so we now know what the glycemic index is, why people thought that it really mattered (and how it actually can) and finally, why, in the grand scheme of things, it means absolutely nothing. If person A can keep themselves within caloric range by eating high GI carbs at certain times without starving to death, then person A has great self control and, well, can do that. Person B may have to utilize high fiber foods and consume them more often to remain satiated…and that is fine too. At the end of the day, overall macronutrient consumption is the only thing that matters, regardless as to where the food source is found on the glycemic index.
