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Health Journal Glucose

The document discusses research showing that avoiding glucose can increase lifespan in worms by up to 20%, equivalent to 15 years in humans. While glucose provides energy, too much can lead to health issues like diabetes. The document recommends avoiding high-glucose foods like candy, pasta and juice that cause blood sugar spikes, and instead eating low-glucose foods like beans, nuts, vegetables and foods with fiber or healthy fats to maintain steady energy levels.

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anne009
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29 views

Health Journal Glucose

The document discusses research showing that avoiding glucose can increase lifespan in worms by up to 20%, equivalent to 15 years in humans. While glucose provides energy, too much can lead to health issues like diabetes. The document recommends avoiding high-glucose foods like candy, pasta and juice that cause blood sugar spikes, and instead eating low-glucose foods like beans, nuts, vegetables and foods with fiber or healthy fats to maintain steady energy levels.

Uploaded by

anne009
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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If You Avoid Eating Glucose You May Actually Live

Longer
by www.SixWise.com

Glucose, a type of sugar that your body uses for energy, may be the key to
living a long life -- if you avoid it, that is.

Researchers from the University of Jena in Germany discovered some very


interesting findings about this simple sugar by observing the lifespan of worms.

First they blocked the worms' ability to process glucose, which put them into a
metabolic state similar to one you would have if you avoided glucose in your
diet.

Without glucose, something fascinating happened: the worms increased their


lifespan by up to 20 percent, which is the equivalent of 15 years of human life.

In the United States, however, the average person eats a hefty amount of
sugar, which when broken down generates glucose. In fact, sugar makes up
anywhere from 15 percent to 20 percent of most people's daily diets!

It's already well-known that too much glucose in your body is a bad thing.

Under normal circumstances, every time you eat your blood glucose levels will
rise slightly. This signals your pancreas to release insulin, which makes sure
your blood sugar levels do not get too high.

However, if your blood glucose levels remain elevated for too long, it can lead
to diabetes and damage to your kidneys, eyes, nerves and blood vessels.

Is Glucose Good for Anything?

Yes, glucose is what provides your body with energy that literally feeds your
muscles and cells. It's also used by your brain and is beneficial for learning and
memory.

In fact, one study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found
that learning tasks depletes your brain of its glucose reserves. The harder the
task, the more glucose your brain requires.

Interestingly, the researchers found that elderly people who drank a sweetened
lemonade drink prior to taking tests of short-term memory, attention and motor
function recalled twice as much of a narrative prose passage than those who
drank lemonade without glucose.

However, there is a catch.

While a little bit of glucose seems to enhance your cognitive functions, too much
of it actually impairs it.

High-Glucose Foods to Avoid, and Lower Glucose Foods to Enjoy

To avoid all glucose would be a tall task, since all foods that contain
carbohydrates break down into glucose. Those that break down the quickest,
however, are the ones that will produce a sharp rise in your blood glucose
levels, followed by a sharp fall that will make you feel sluggish.

You may then reach for another high-glucose food to keep your energy up, only
to find that you have another, corresponding crash.

Meanwhile, the more "fast-acting" carbohydrates that you eat, the worse it is
for your body.

"We are not adapted to handle fast-acting carbohydrates," said associate


professor of pediatrics at Harvard David Ludwig. "Glucose is the gold standard
of energy metabolism. The brain is exquisitely dependent on having a
continuous supply of glucose: too low a glucose level poses an immediate
threat to survival. [But] too high a level causes damage to tissues, as with
diabetes."

Ideally, you should strive to keep your blood sugar levels at a consistent level
throughout the day, as this will leave you with a steady stream of energy,
rather than peaks and low points.

Which foods are high-glucose foods (also called high-glycemic index foods) that
will break down quickly in your body?

 Soft drinks
 Candy
 Pasta
 Potatoes
 Pastries
 Sweetened fruit juice

In short, high-glucose foods to avoid include those made with refined white
flour or white sugar and not a whole lot else (although even potatoes fall into
this category).
Meanwhile, the following foods are low-glucose (or low-glycemic index) foods
that will give you a steady source of energy for the day:

 Beans
 Nuts and seeds
 Celery root
 Rutabagas
 Leafy green vegetables
 Artichokes
 Asparagus
 Pumpkin
 Cucumber
 Broccoli
 Cabbage
 Leeks
 Scallions

You can also indulge in foods high in protein and fiber, and those that contain
healthy fats, as these foods will not cause your blood glucose to rise
excessively.

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