VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health . . . for Good

by Mark Bittman

The glycemic index is a valuable way to demonstrate the difference between the effects of whole grains and refined (or “white”) grains on your body’s chemistry—to help differentiate “bad” carbs from “good.” Foods with a high GI (over 70), like instant oatmeal and white rice, can dramatically increase blood sugar and insulin levels after meals, especially when eaten frequently. Frequency is key: Foods with a high GI will always raise glucose and insulin levels, but if you eat them only once in a while, your body should be able to cope with these spikes. If, on the other hand, you eat them all the time, insulin will eventually struggle with the onslaught of glucose and become less capable of regulating it; this will in turn disrupt the way your cells, muscles, and organs absorb and use energy. The result can be insulin resistance, weight gain, and even diabetes. Foods with a low GI (less than 55; between 55 and 70 is “moderate”), like legumes and most vegetables and fruits, don’t spike blood sugar levels as quickly, and provide that desirable slow and consistent energy source without sudden sugar crashes. The index demonstrates that labeling carbs either “simple” or “complex” is not a valid distinction. (The whole thing would be much easier to understand if it were!) But since only one point separates “low” from “medium” and “medium” from “high,” the categories are imprecise at best, so it’s better to list them by their numeric values.