Glucose Control

Glucose is what our body turns any carbohydrate-rich food into; very rapidly for simple sugars, and slower with fiber-rich plant foods. Avoiding refined or simple sugars is important for health. We intrinsically know this in our bodies and data shows us, in no uncertain terms, that high blood sugars and rapid changes in glucose cause a cascade of negative consequences that begin immediately on ingestion. When our blood glucose spikes or when there is too much glucose in relation to insulin (another issue if too high), the proteins in our blood vessels and organs cross-link and fuse with any extra glucose molecules. We are essentially searing our vessels with glucose instead of heat. The Maillard reaction is the name this carries - whether talking about a perfectly cooked steak or you. The result is the same, a crust forms leaving a place for more and more scar tissue to build up or atherosclerose which leads directly to cardiovascular disease and diabetes as well as microvascular damage such as in the kidneys, eyes, or brain. At the same time the irritation caused by the localized cooking creates reactive oxygenated species (ROS) which travel through the bloodstream and increase inflammation on a global level. These ROS are particularly impactful on the beta cells of the pancreas, thus furthering the possibility of severe insulin resistance or diabetes (1). Additionally, high blood glucose, both transiently and chronically, has been shown to reduce bone remodeling in pre and post-menopausal women, and this loss is not attenuated by exercise (2). The erroneous belief that we can exercise our way out of a diet filled with sugars stems from data provided by the Coke corporation and has been repeatedly debunked; what you eat is as, if not more, important than a daily movement practice. 

Humans did not evolve eating refined grains or large amounts of sweets. As hunter-gatherers, we ate an estimated 100-125 grams of fiber per day along with game, compared to the estimated 15-20 grams of fiber most folks eat today. The sweet foods we had were entirely limited to what occurs in nature as fruit, honey, and some herbs, and all of these only available seasonally. We are biologically driven to seek out sweet foods because they are magnificent fuel for our glucose-hungry brains, give us quick energy, and soothe us via our dopamine and serotonin pathways. That chocolate or croissant craving you have? It’s your body telling you to get a boost of happy hormones and most of us tie these drives to food. The first taste we develop as newborns is for sweets and one of the greatest painkillers for an infant is glucose syrup. We are likely programmed this way because most sweet foods are safe to eat and because breast milk (all milk) has lactose, its own sugar. This says nothing of our learned behaviors around sweets and refined flour baked goods from our family of origin and the culture at large. 

We can vary the intensity of glucose in our bodies by pairing carbohydrates with fats and proteins. Yet in our modern culture of refined and processed foods, we more often than not lose out on fibers, antioxidants, healthy fats, and amino acids, and instead, our bodies have become glucose-seeking machines. Our body’s only goal is to keep us alive. It is very, very good at this, but it is ill-prepared for the reality of today’s food system. 

There is evidence to support the use of vinegar prior to a meal and that this blunts the glucose response by around twenty percent (3). This reaction is believed to be due to delayed gastric emptying and a triggering of satiety so we take in less glucose overall. Acetic acid seems to increase insulin sensitivity, increase skeletal muscle blood flow, and decreases serum triglycerides when used regularly (4). Acetic acid prior to a meal can be helpful when beginning to limit glucose-rich foods in the diet but it is not a replacement for choosing foods that are rich in fiber and phytonutrients.

Eating sweets and refined carbohydrates throws us into a vicious cycle of cravings, feeling hangry, irritability, and fear of missing a meal or snack; all while also increasing disease risk.

Here are my own action steps to start moving away from reliance on glucose and towards balanced blood sugars

References:

1. Dimova R, Chakarova N, Grozeva G, Kirilov G, Tankova T. The relationship between glucose variability and insulin sensitivity and oxidative stress in subjects with prediabetes. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2019;158:107911. doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2019.107911

2. Levinger I, Seeman E, Jerums G, et al. Glucose-loading reduces bone remodeling in women and osteoblast function in vitro. Physiol Rep. 2016;4(3):e12700. doi:10.14814/phy2.12700

3. Johnston CS, Steplewska I, Long CA, Harris LN, Ryals RH. Examination of the antiglycemic properties of vinegar in healthy adults. Ann Nutr Metab. 2010;56(1):74-79. doi:10.1159/000272133

4. Mitrou P, Petsiou E, Papakonstantinou E, et al. The role of acetic acid on glucose uptake and blood flow rates in the skeletal muscle in humans with impaired glucose tolerance. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2015;69(6):734-739. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2014.289