Have you ever eaten a meal and felt ravenous after only an hour?
A fast metabolism is one thing, but there’s got to be another reason why you’re famished in the time it takes to do the dishes. What we eat does determine how quickly we feel hungry again and how long it takes before we’re ready to indulge again. Eat only carbs and they digest quickly (1-4 hours, at most) and you’ll be hungry very soon after. Skip fiber or protein, which both take longer to digest and you’ll also be hungry quickly.
Another factor that may play a role in how soon you are hungry is the glycemic index. You may have heard about it because it certainly is getting a lot of buzz! The Glycemic Index (GI) was developed to help diabetic patients keep their blood sugar levels under control. High GI foods break down quickly and spike blood sugar levels. These foods are high in what are known as “simple sugars” and the theory is that you feel hungry soon after eating these foods. And supposedly, sticking to foods that have a lower GI will keep us feeling full longer. The good news is that despite what you have heard, paying attention to glycemic index isn’t practical since combining high glycemic foods with other foods will automatically slow digestion and prevent the spiking and crashing of your energy.
But if you’re still concerned that you may be eating high glycemic index foods without combining them with other foods to change the glycemic “load,” here’s a list of a few high and low glycemic foods.
Low GI foods include (keep in mind that these are foods we should eat more of anyway!):
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Avocados
- Cucumbers
- Eggplants
- Celery
- Oatmeal
High GI foods include (We should be eating less of these foods anyway!):
- Bagels
- French Bread
- Cheerios
- Mashed Potatoes
- Doughnuts
- French fries
- Processed foods also tend to have higher GI than natural or whole foods.
Bottom line– Eat more vegetables and unprocessed foods and less fried & processed foods. Any way you slice it, a healthy diet is the way to go!