Will fruit make me fat?

[Wheeze]

Emmilou, its all to do with Glycemic Index. A simple sugar like..errr....sugar is absorbed super fast from the gut so it causes a spike in blood sugar. This is all detemined by nutritionists working away busily in their labs.
Anyway, this spike in blood sugar is a bit like an alarm bell and it shakes the pancreas awake and makes it produce insulin. The idea of the diet is smooth out the spikes by using foods that only release their sugar slowly. These are called Low Glycemic foods. There is a scale where sugar is 100 and everything is related to that. Mashed potatoes would register 85. Asparagus would register 15. Generally foods with a GI of less than 50 release their sugar slowly so you don't get blood sugar spikes.
The problem with continually squeezing the pancreas to make insulin is that it makes the fat cells store fat. Eventually the fat cells get fed up responding to the insulin and become resistant. So the sugar stays washing around in your blood i.e. you become diabetic.

An athlete needs to balance eating against task.
This is ripped from the BUPA website:
Many experts recommend a low glycaemic index meal one to two hours before an exercise session.5 It is thought that the slower, more consistent, release of energy will improve performance by delaying fatigue. It has also been found that low GI meals produce higher blood sugar and fatty acid levels during the latter stages of exercise.6,7 For endurance sports, this is very advantageous.
During exercise, when blood sugar levels need to be maintained, one way to achieve this is to drink an isotonic sports drink. This will provide glucose, which is quickly absorbed, fluid and also sodium.
After exercise, however, when muscles' stores of sugar (glycogen) need to be quickly restored, a high GI food is a good choice. This is because the simple sugars contained in a high GI food are rapidly absorbed into the blood stream. In turn, this rapid absorption stimulates insulin release and that results in increased uptake by the muscle cells of glucose and their manufacture of glycogen.

At the moment, I am trying to lose a stone in weight so I am avoiding all high GI foods, even after exercise.

[emmilou]

wheeze

thanks for that indepth answer - but where is the best place to look for low/hi GI foods? How did you find out about the potato/asparagus ratios and it's it really difficult to adopt this change? Did you eat healthily previously?
I do eat relatively well although I admit to the odd splurge of something I shouldn't have but figured potatoes to be healthly so does this mean if I want a low GI diet i shouldn't have them - what do you have as an alternative

thanks
emmi

[Wheeze]

Finding an alternative to all the fillers we stuff down is actually quite hard. If you google Glycemic Index you will find loads of websites that give lists of foods and their GI values. In essence, potatoes, rice, bread and pasta are all pretty high. I have found avoiding these the hardest of all, Pearl Barley and Quinoa are OK and I have been using these. I make a mean barley risotto now!
In truth, the meals are filling, especially eggs and green veg so I am getting by. I can eat a juicy steak with green veg only and that is fine.
I used to pig out on cakes, biccies and sugary snacks. I love fruit cake. I ADORE a big baked potatoe running with butter. All that has gone. I have lost the urge to snack because I have got off the high/low blood sugar roller coaster that causes the hunger pangs in the first place. I now see a snicker bar in the same category as a cigarette.

[Leeds Rhino]

I should eat more fruit really. I did make a blueberry pie the other day and then spoilt things by pouring loads of extra thick double cream over it

[Mud]

Essentially a high protein, high fat diet. the key is to keep the blood sugar low.

So hang on, corned beef is a better fitness fuel than pasta?

[Wheeze]

Rhino, if you ate just the berries and the cream and left the crust out you would be fine! Blueberries are excellent low GI food (unless you loaded them with sugar!)

[OneHillWonder]

And they are much more fun

I am shocked XRunner

[emmilou]

Finding an alternative to all the fillers we stuff down is actually quite hard. If you google Glycemic Index you will find loads of websites that give lists of foods and their GI values. In essence, potatoes, rice, bread and pasta are all pretty high. I have found avoiding these the hardest of all, Pearl Barley and Quinoa are OK and I have been using these. I make a mean barley risotto now!
In truth, the meals are filling, especially eggs and green veg so I am getting by. I can eat a juicy steak with green veg only and that is fine.
I used to pig out on cakes, biccies and sugary snacks. I love fruit cake. I ADORE a big baked potatoe running with butter. All that has gone. I have lost the urge to snack because I have got off the high/low blood sugar roller coaster that causes the hunger pangs in the first place. I now see a snicker bar in the same category as a cigarette.

Thanks.

So oats for brekkie are good as they are low GI but the raisins on top are bad oh no - I guess the carob coated ones are even worse!
Oh well - back to making all those home made soups and will have to take the homemade chocolate chip and banana cake I baked yesterday round to the neighbours
Not sure about the barley risotto Wheeze? To be honest I can live without pasta and potatoes it's rice that's my weakness especially risotto.

[OneHillWonder]

and will have to take the homemade chocolate chip and banana cake I baked yesterday round to the neighbours

Me! I want it !

[emmilou]

Me! I want it !

It's actually pretty good - I had a slice when it was all warm and yummy straight out of the oven

was going to bake a carrot one for the weekend but I'm guessing that's not a good thing!