The glycemic index of a food is a measure of the speed at which glucose is released into the bloodstream after it’s digested. A whole grain, like brown rice or quinoa will result in a slower release of glucose and a more muted insulin response. On the other hand, a food that’s high in refined carbohydrates, like white bread or soda, will lead to a more rapid release of glucose into the blood and this is likely to cause a reactive spike in insulin.

Because spikes of glucose and insulin lead to less stable blood sugar levels, eating foods that are refined - especially highly processed carbohydrates - can result in an earlier return of hunger – and a tendency to overeat.

The glycemic index of a food is lowered when the food contains fiber or when the food is consumed in combination with protein-rich foods or other foods containing dietary fat. For people who are struggling to manage excess weight or elevated blood sugar levels associated with diabetes, eating foods that have a low glycemic index is especially important, but even healthy individuals will benefit from choosing low glycemic foods. So, when we speak about dietary carbohydrates, we’re actually speaking about a very broad family of foods - some that can be harmful to our long-term health and some that can support it.

Teaching ourselves how to choose the right foods within each nutrient category is one of the keys to success. Course by Maya Adam, MD Directed by William Bottini Editing by William Bottini & Tamsin Orion Special thanks to Michael Pollan, Tracy Rydel, and David Eisenberghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgWY-gjEYW0