Insulin is defined as a hormone produced in the pancreas by the islets of Langerhans that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. The lack of insulin causes a form of diabetes. It has a good side, but a bad side to it as well. Knowing how to use insulin to gain muscle mass, while avoiding its fattening effects at the same time, becomes absolutely crucial.
Follow these five rules and you should have no problems in achieving the same result.
Rule nº 1 – Know the glycemic index (GI)
The several different types of carbohydrates you consume may help or hinder your capability to control insulin. Carbohydrates can be classified in two basic categories: 1) having a high glycemic index, and 2) having a low GI. The glycemic index refers to the rate by which carbohydrates turn into glucose in the bloodstream. Below you will find the chart that identifies the same.
FOOD Glycemic index (glucose = 100) Serving size (grams) Glycemic load per serving
BAKERY PRODUCTS AND BREADS
Banana cake, made with sugar 47 60 14
Banana cake, made without sugar 55 60 12
Sponge cake, plain 46 63 17
Vanilla cake made from packet mix with vanilla frosting (Betty Crocker) 42 111 24
Apple, made with sugar 44 60 13
Apple, made without sugar 48 60 9
Waffles, Aunt Jemima (Quaker Oats) 76 35 10
Bagel, white, frozen 72 70 25
Baguette, white, plain 95 30 15
Coarse barley bread, 75-80% kernels, average 34 30 7
Hamburger bun 61 30 9
Kaiser roll 73 30 12
Pumpernickel bread 56 30 7
50% cracked wheat kernel bread 58 30 12
White wheat flour bread 71 30 10
Wonder⢠bread, average 73 30 10
Whole wheat bread, average 71 30 9
100% Whole Grain⢠bread (Natural Ovens) 51 30 7
Pita bread, white 68 30 10
Corn tortilla 52 50 12
Wheat tortilla 30 50 8
BEVERAGES
Coca Cola®, average 63 250 mL 16
Fanta®, orange soft drink 68 250 mL 23
Lucozade®, original (sparkling glucose drink) 95±10 250 mL 40
Apple juice, unsweetened, average 44 250 mL 30
Cranberry juice cocktail (Ocean Spray®) 68 250 mL 24
Gatorade 78 250 mL 12
Orange juice, unsweetened 50 250 mL 12
Tomato juice, canned 38 250 mL 4
BREAKFAST CEREALS AND RELATED PRODUCTS
All-Branâ¢, average 55 30 12
Coco Popsâ¢, average 77 30 20
Cornflakesâ¢, average 93 30 23
Cream of Wheat⢠(Nabisco) 66 250 17
Cream of Wheatâ¢, Instant (Nabisco) 74 250 22
Grapenutsâ¢, average 75 30 16
Muesli, average 66 30 16
Oatmeal, average 55 250 13
Instant oatmeal, average 83 250 30
Puffed wheat, average 80 30 17
Raisin Bran⢠(Kellogg’s) 61 30 12
Special K⢠(Kellogg’s) 69 30 14
GRAINS
Pearled barley, average 28 150 12
Sweet corn on the cob, average 60 150 20
Couscous, average 65 150 9
Quinoa 53 150 13
White rice, average 89 150 43
Quick cooking white basmati 67 150 28
Brown rice, average 50 150 16
Converted, white rice (Uncle Ben’s®) 38 150 14
Whole wheat kernels, average 30 50 11
Bulgur, average 48 150 12
COOKIES AND CRACKERS
Graham crackers 74 25 14
Vanilla wafers 77 25 14
Shortbread 64 25 10
Rice cakes, average 82 25 17
Rye crisps, average 64 25 11
Soda crackers 74 25 12
DAIRY PRODUCTS AND ALTERNATIVES
Ice cream, regular 57 50 6
Ice cream, premium 38 50 3
Milk, full fat 41 250mL 5
Milk, skim 32 250 mL 4
Reduced-fat yogurt with fruit, average 33 200 11
FRUITS
Apple, average 39 120 6
Banana, ripe 62 120 16
Dates, dried 42 60 18
Grapefruit 25 120 3
Grapes, average 59 120 11
Orange, average 40 120 4
Peach, average 42 120 5
Peach, canned in light syrup 40 120 5
Pear, average 38 120 4
Pear, canned in pear juice 43 120 5
Prunes, pitted 29 60 10
Raisins 64 60 28
Watermelon 72 120 4
BEANS AND NUTS
Baked beans, average 40 150 6
Blackeye peas, average 33 150 10
Black beans 30 150 7
Chickpeas, average 10 150 3
Chickpeas, canned in brine 38 150 9
Navy beans, average 31 150 9
Kidney beans, average 29 150 7
Lentils, average 29 150 5
Soy beans, average 15 150 1
Cashews, salted 27 50 3
Peanuts, average 7 50 0
PASTA and NOODLES
Fettucini, average 32 180 15
Macaroni, average 47 180 23
Macaroni and Cheese (Kraft) 64 180 32
Spaghetti, white, boiled, average 46 180 22
Spaghetti, white, boiled 20 min, average 58 180 26
Spaghetti, wholemeal, boiled, average 42 180 17
SNACK FOODS
Corn chips, plain, salted, average 42 50 11
Fruit Roll-Ups® 99 30 24
M & M’s®, peanut 33 30 6
Microwave popcorn, plain, average 55 20 6
Potato chips, average 51 50 12
Pretzels, oven-baked 83 30 16
Snickers Bar® 51 60 18
VEGETABLES
Green peas, average 51 80 4
Carrots, average 35 80 2
Parsnips 52 80 4
Baked russet potato, average 111 150 33
Boiled white potato, average 82 150 21
Instant mashed potato, average 87 150 17
Sweet potato, average 70 150 22
Yam, average 54 150 20
MISCELLANEOUS
Hummus (chickpea salad dip) 6 30 0
Chicken nuggets, frozen, reheated in microwave oven 5 min 46 100 7
Pizza, plain baked dough, served with parmesan cheese and tomato sauce 80 100 22
Pizza, Super Supreme (Pizza Hut) 36 100 9
Foods with high GI are those that quickly get to the digestive system (meaning, they are quickly digested) and to the blood flow. Since those carbohydrates quickly reach the blood stream, they end up by increasing the blood glucose levels. This, in turn, causes an increase in our insulin levels, something that takes place so that our body can use the glucose. Low GI foods are those that go through the digestive system slower (slow absorption), gradually entering the bloodstream, and leading to more consistent insulin levels.
Generally, simple sugars, like table sugar (sucrose) have a high GI, whereas most complex carbohydrates, like sweet potato, have a low GI. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. For example, fruits are naturally rich in fructose, a simple carbohydrate, although most fruit have a low GI.
There are two reasons that explain this. On the one hand, most fruits are rich in fibres, which delay the digestive process. Moreover, fructose cannot be used as fuel by the muscles in its original form. First, it must be converted into glucose by the liver. This is a long and slow process, which keeps most fruits in the low GI category, with only a few exceptions, like melon, banana and watermelon, some of the few fruits that tend to have a slightly higher GI than the others.
On the other hand, although white potatoes contain complex carbohydrates, they are quickly digested, which makes them high GI complex carbohydrates. The same goes for white bread and most white rice varieties.
Rule nº 2 – Choose foods low GI foods
The carbohydrates in most meals should preferably be low GI carbs. This will keep your insulin levels low, which helps to keep the energy levels stable throughout the day, which also helps to burn fat. Several clinical researches have already shown this fact.
One of the worst times to consume high glycemic carbohydrates is right before training. For years, bodybuilders would take high GI carbohydrates, thinking a quick boost of energy was what they needed. The problem was that is was precisely what they were getting – a quick boost of energy – which would wear off just as quickly, hurting their intensity while training, due to the sudden energy crash.
Not only that, they were also hurting their fat burning activity while they trained. If you wish to consume carbohydrates before training, we recommend that you consume 20 to 40 grams of low GI carbs in a period of roughly 30 minutes before the activity, along with about 20 grams of protein powder.
Keeping the insulin levels low may also help to preserve our longevity outside of the gym. In tests performed with animals, scientific research shows that, when insulin levels are kept low, longevity can increase up to 50%. Although weren’t yet able to determine how this can affect ageing, it is believed the cells’ insulin signal may damage cells throughout time. By keeping the insulin levels low, the communication between insulin and cells is also reduced, resulting in healthier and longer lasting cells.
Rule nº 3 – Know when to resort to high GI foods
Generally, use the second rule as a guide. However, there are two moments of the day when high GI foods can be beneficial for you.The first of these moments is immediately upon waking up (and this would only be beneficial if your goal is to gain mass).
In the morning, when we wake up, we have just gone through a period of 6 to 8 hours in which we had nothing to eat. Naturally, this lowers our muscular and hepatic glycogen (the form under which carbohydrates are stored in the body). This glycogen crash signals the body that it is necessary to start breaking down muscle fibres, to turn them into fuel.
Consuming something in between 20 to 40 grams of quick digestion carbohydrates right upon getting up from bed will stimulate insulin, promptly restoring glycogen levels and preventing the muscle breakdown process.
With this in mind, consuming fruit in the morning would be recommended. Not only for its insulin stimulating properties, but also for itsbeneficial antioxidants and phytochemicals.
Fructose is the main reason why fruit has a low GI, since it can only be processed once it reaches the liver. However, once it does reach the liver, fructose signals the body to stop the muscle breakdown process. Make sure you have those carbohydrates with 20 to 40 grams of quick digestion protein, like whey protein, to restore the muscle loss we may have experienced over the night.
On the other hand, if your goal is to maximize fat loss, you may just ignore carbohydrates in the morning altogether. Although it may be true that you are waking up in a catabolic state, you are also burning fat due to the low glycogen levels. A simple protein shake could be enough to stop muscle breakdown, without slowing down the fat burning process.
Whether your goal is to gain muscle mass or burn fat, there is another time of the day in which taking quick digestion carbohydrates would be opportune. That moment is 30 minutes after training. During this period, you can take 30 to 80 grams of carbohydrates, along with 40 grams of protein powder. High glycemic index carbohydrates will stimulate insulin, which will, in turn, help carry those same carbohydrates, as well as protein and its amino acids (like creatine), directly into the muscles.
Carbohydrates are fundamental to quickly restore the muscle glycogen spent while training. Amino acids increase muscle growth, but they give a new insulin boost as well. Creatine, as we well know, promotes muscle growth. As for insulin, it signals the muscles to start growing, while preventing them from breaking down at the same time.
Rule nº 4 – Protein to the rescue!
Studies confirm that when you take high glycemic index carbohydrates together with quick digestion protein, like whey, right after training, your insulin levels soar, going even higher than when you take only high GI carbs alone.
Some studies have suggested whey protein can actually boost insulin to levels only comparable to the effect high GI carbohydrates have. This has led many people wondering whether they should be using whey protein between meals and before working out, considering the significant insulin peak it causes. But would this hurt fat loss?
Whey seems to stimulate insulin, mainly due to the amount of leucine it contains, but it doesn’t seem to hurt the fat loss process on the long run. Studies have demonstrated a supplementation program composed of whey, BCAAs, or even just leucine alone could actually help to lose fat.
This supplementation also seems to increase insulin sensitivity, which helps to measure the efficacy with which the insulin receptors recognize insulin. It is good to have high sensitivity to insulin, for it allows the muscles to absorb more carbohydrates and, since insulin suppresses hunger, it will eventually lead you to eat less.
With this in mind, should you worry over the fact that whey protein stimulates insulin? Not much. However, if you reach a point in which you find it hard to lose fat in those notoriously stubborn areas, you may want to consider using casein – particularly micelar casein – which is a type of protein obtained from milk that doesn’t stimulate insulin levels as much as whey does. It is a good option to take before trainings, or at any time of the day in which you would normally take a whey shake between meals.
This may help you to get the quality protein you need, while keeping your insulin levels low at the same time, helping you to optimize your fat burning process. For best results, both with whey and with casein, you may combine them in a post-workout shake, maximizing your potential for muscle growth.
Rule nº 5 – Use insulin substitutes
There are supplements that can improve or mimic the effects insulin has on muscle cells, which can help you to fully benefit from your anabolic state you experience after working out. One of those supplements is alpha-lipoic acid (ALA).
ALA is a powerful antioxidant that improves insulin’s action on muscle cells. If you are looking to maximize the influence insulin has on the muscle growth process, add 300 to 500mg of ALA to your post-workout carbohydrates and protein. By doing so, you will be encouraging insulin’s action, which may lead to a better post-workout recovery and growth.
References:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/insulin
http://findhealthcenters.com/tag/list-of-healthy-foods-to-lose-weight
http://www.prozis.com/blog/en/control-insulin-levels-maximize-fat-loss-muscle-gains/http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthy-eating/glycemic_index_and_glycemic_load_for_100_foods