Nutrition Tip of the Week no. 1

From now on, I will be posting one of these tips each week, courtesy of Dr John Berardi, the brains (and brawn) behind Precision Nutrition. Enjoy, and click on the link below for more info on PN.

Tip #1
Eat Pasta… Carefully
by Dr. John Berardi

As a God-fearing Italian, I have to admit that I love pasta. But, as a gut-fearing weight lifter and athlete, I definitely have to choose the lower GI, nutrient dense whole-wheat variety. During training phases that require or allow for higher carbohydrate intake (higher volume training) I’ll eat one whole-wheat pasta meal per day. During other phases (like where I’m trying to lose fat), the pasta stays on the shelf in favor of a higher lean protein, good fat, and fruit and veggie intake.

SEE ALSO:
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Definition:
GI stands for Glycemic Index, and is a measure of how quickly a food releases glucose into your bloodstream.

High GI foods are easily digested and release their sugars into your blood very quickly, causing your body to quickly release lots of insulin to deal with them. The body tends to overcompensate though, so all the glucose gets mopped up quickly and then some, meaning a drop in your blood sugar making you tired, cranky, and ready to scarf the nearest chocolate bar that comes your way.

Low GI foods release their sugars slowly, so the body’s response is more controlled. You have more energy for longer, feel full longer, and don’t crave more food again an hour later.

Whole grains, such as whole wheat pasta, brown rice, wholemeal bread, quinoa, etc. have lower GIs than refined products such as regular pasta, white rice, and white bread.

Look out for another nutrition tip next week.