Refined Carbohydrates, Insulin Resistance and Weight Gain.
When you eat highly refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, pasta, sugary drinks, cakes, biscuits and pastries, here's what happens inside your body:
The Quick Spike
These foods break down very quickly into sugar (glucose) and are released into your bloodstream.
Your blood sugar rises rapidly.
Your pancreas responds by releasing insulin.
The Insulin Effect
Insulin is like a key that unlocks your cells to let sugar in. Insulin:
Moves glucose from your blood into your cells where it can be used for energy.
Signals your body to store excess energy in your fat cells.
Prevents your body from burning stored fat while it is elevated.
The Problem Cycle
When you regularly consume (or overconsume) highly refined carbohydrates:
Insulin Overproduction: Your body needs to release more and more insulin to handle the frequent sugar spikes.
Cellular Resistance: Over time, your cells become less responsive to insulin's signals (like ignoring a person who keeps shouting the same thing over and over again).
Fat Storage Mode: Higher insulin levels keep your body in fat "storage mode" rather than fat "burning mode".
Hunger Returns Quickly: Refined carbohydrates don't keep you satisfied for long, leading to more frequent hunger.
Energy Crashes: After the spike comes a crash, often leading to cravings for more carbohydrates.
Weight Management Impact
This cycle can make weight management more difficult because:
Your body stays in fat-storage mode when insulin is high.
You feel hungrier more often.
Your metabolism becomes less efficient at using stored fat for energy.
You experience energy crashes that may trigger cravings.
This is why diets higher in protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates (like vegetables, beans, and whole grains) tend to be more effective for weight management - they cause smaller, slower rises in blood sugar and insulin.
You don’t need to completely remove refined carbohydrates - just be mindful of your intake, and include them as a part of a healthy and varied wholefood diet.
If you need support with managing insulin resistance and blood sugar control, consider consulting with a Clinical Nutritionist who can help assess your dietary patterns, lifestyle factors, and any underlying health concerns that may be contributors.
If you have questions or would like personalised support, feel free to reach out for a 1:1 Clinical Nutrition consultation. Katie will conduct a comprehensive dietary and lifestyle analysis, and as a qualified Certified Practicing Nutritionist, she can also interpret your blood test results and prescribe a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) through Vively when appropriate. A CGM provides detailed insights into how your individual food choices and lifestyle habits are affecting your blood glucose control, enabling Katie to develop a personalised treatment plan designed specifically for you.
Katie practices at: Uprise Health, 136 Lennox Street, Richmond, 312, Victoria.
Face-to-face and Telehealth appointments available (Australia wide).
Email: admin@katiehopcraft.com.au
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