The Christmas period is the sweetest time of the year ever and we need to take shelter how to keep your glycemic index under control during the holidays. A rapid increase in blood sugar, i.e. blood sugar levels, as highlighted by several Education pushes an organ of our organism called pancreas to produce more insulin, a hormone which, in addition to influencing the sense of satiety, immediately makes you feel tired and sleepy and in the long run increases the risk of gaining weight, suffering from various types of diseases, including metabolic ones, but also of aging earlier and even have a greater risk of early mortality. We talked about it with the nutritionist Giulia Vincenzo.

What happens to the body with a blood sugar spike

When blood sugar spikes become frequent in the body they increase oxidative stressthe glycation and theinflammation, three conditions that increase the likelihood of suffering from various pathologies such as chronic ones, for example type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. And between greeting toasts, lunches and dinners based on rich and elaborate dishes and dishes, the risk of having glycemic peaks is truly high. «A multi-course menu such as that of holidays provides many simple sugars present in desserts, drinks, juices and refined carbohydrates, which are rich in breadsticks, bread, baked goods which can trigger a rapid increase in insulin, the hormone that has the purpose of lowering blood sugar by passing sugar into the tissues and organs, then giving the signal to “put it aside”” says the nutritionist Giulia Vincenzo. «Keeping the glycemic index under control allows you to first of all enjoy satiety for longer, therefore eating less and reducing the urge to gain fat, therefore gaining weight explains the expert.

How to keep your glycemic index under control during the holidays

Start lunches and dinners with a salad

The first course of an abundant and rich lunch or dinner like those of festive days in which foods and dishes dominated at the table high glycemic index such as bread, risotto, potatoes, refined pasta, baked goods, sweets it should be vegetable based. «The fibers in which the latter are rich represent a sort of buffer against the assimilation of sugars says nutritionist Giulia Vincenzo. «In addition to curbing the appetite at the beginning of the meal, they slow down the assimilation of carbohydrates and sugars present in the other courses. So yes to vegetables not only as a side dish, but also as an appetizer.”

The sweets? Better to eat them as a last course

Sweets, panettone, nougats, white fruit are among the delicious foods that are difficult to give up on holidays, but their consumption should always be moderate. The ideal is to indulge in them at the end of the meal rather than after hours. «Consuming them at the end of lunches and dinners in which there are also foods that provide fiber such as vegetables and greens, proteins in particular meat, fish, eggs and fats, such as dried nuts allows you to avoid that the simple sugars they are rich in raise blood sugar levels too much.

Avoid drinks and beverages rich in sugar

During lunch and dinner better andavoid consuming drinks rich in sugar, including carbonated ones but also fruit juices often present in aperitifs. Then avoid sugaring your coffee: sucrose, the classic sugar, has a very high glycemic index. «The risk is of contributing to changes in blood sugar. The sugars they are rich in are quickly transformed into glucose and absorbed very quickly.”