Reactive Hypoglycemia
Do you also feel hungry right after eating? Complaints such as the constant need to eat sweets, difficulty concentrating when hungry, irritability, abnormal hunger 3-4 hours after eating and cravings for sweets may indicate that you are under the threat of 'Reactive hypoglycemia'. In fact, most of the time, the reason for your excess weight is that you constantly snack. For this, you need some detailed information about insulin and blood sugar balance.
What is Insulin?
Insulin is produced in the beta cells of the pancreas. It is a hormone produced that helps lower blood sugar. The carbohydrates we take with food are broken down into their smallest pieces, glucose (sugar), by the digestive system. Glucose is the most important energy source of cells. Stimulated by the glucose that is digested and mixed into the blood, the pancreas begins to produce the hormone called insulin, which allows glucose to enter the cells (muscle, liver, fat tissue).
After digestion, insulin and glucose begin to circulate in the veins. Insulin, located in the cell wall, allows glucose to enter the cell. In this way, glucose becomes available as an energy source. If it cannot enter the cell, its increase in the blood is called increased blood sugar (hyperglycemia). A decrease in blood sugar is the exact opposite.
Hypoglycemia, that is, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), manifests itself with a decrease in blood sugar 2-5 hours after eating. Between two meals, blood sugar remains constant at 60-110 mg/dl. A blood sugar level falling below 40 mg/dl is a warning for hypoglycemia. When blood sugar drops below normal levels, there is not immediately enough glucose available for energy-producing cells. This leads to various conditions such as sweating, rapid heartbeat, sweating and hunger.
Rarely, reactive hypoglycemia occurs in some people. After consuming a very dense meal, our body secretes too much insulin in response to this situation. As a result, blood sugar drops below normal. According to some authorities, this is an early sign of diabetes. The aim should be to keep our blood sugar balanced, for whatever reason. This situation must be examined by an endocrinologist. This requires consulting a physician. Things to consider in terms of nutrition can be summarized as follows
Regular Consumption of Snacks:
Reduce food consumption in main meals and divide them into 3 main meals. 3 snacks should be included. Thus, blood sugar can be balanced by eating small and frequent meals. There should be a maximum of 3 hours between main and snack meals. Otherwise, blood sugar drops in long-term fasting situations.
From Simple Carbohydrate to Complex:
Simple carbohydrates cause blood sugar to rise more quickly. , will also cause it to fall very suddenly. Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, pass into the blood more slowly, raise blood sugar more slowly and keep it at the same level for a long time. Good choice for these reasons; are complex carbohydrates. The best examples of complex carbohydrates are bulgur, whole wheat bread and dried legumes.
Pulp:
Pulp or many dietary fibers. It is known to be beneficial. It is also very useful in cases of reactive hypoglycemia. Fiber delays gastric emptying, allows us to stay full for longer and allows sugar to pass into the blood in a longer time, prevents sudden attacks of blood sugar and keeps it at the same level for a long time.
Glycemic Index- Glycemic Load:
Glycemic index (GI) shows the ability of foods to raise blood sugar. Consuming foods with a low glycemic index should become a lifestyle. Thus, blood sugar regulation can be maintained. Below are the glycemic index values of some foods. While trying to have a balanced and regular diet for your health, it would be a good idea to choose foods with low and medium glycemic index.
GI Values of Some Foods
White Bread 100 Bulgur 65
Spaghetti 66 Rice 83
Corn 87 Dairy Products 46-52
Legumes 20-60 Orange 59
Skim milk 46 Whole Milk 43
Yogurt 52 Apple 53
Ice Cream 52 Honey 126
Banana 84 Orange Juice 64
Frucose 30 Glucose 13
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