Meal=GL level differences?

  • Hi all, things have been hectic of late and I've been devoting much time to my 3fc blog to spare the readers here but I do have a question if someone could answer it.

    Why is it that a meal of about 1-1.5c of whole wheat spaghetti (about 42 gm carbs) with meat sauce (with added tomatoes and mushrooms, sometimes spinach if I have it handy) will give me a level of 130-140 2 hours after but other meals won't, even when I think I've got a decent number of carbs? I mean, it looks like I could live on spaghetti the rest of my life and control my levels! Should I maybe double the portion of -lean- protein in other meals? How can 3 starch servings, just with the pasta, possibly not bump my levels up? I have no clue.

    On the other hand, the contest at work FINALLY starts tomorrow. I can't wait to lose weight! Not only do I want to see the scale go down, I want to see my GL go down too.

    TIA, Missi
  • Hi MISSI . . .

    Sorry, but I'm afraid I don't have a really good answer for you. Pasta does have a slightly lower Glycemic Index than bread, potatoes, or rice and that may have something to do with it. The amount of meat (and therefore fat) in the sauce will also lower the overall impact of the starch too, as will the acidity of the tomatoes.

    Other than that, all I can say is that diferrent people react more to certain carbs than to others. Personally, I can eat more pasta without a negative impact than I can other things. I react badly to bread - even the good, whole grain types - as compared to other starches.

    If you manage to get a better explanation, please don't forget to share it with the rest of us.

    And, BTW . . . we miss you . . . please keep in touch. . .
  • I'm still here, just trying to spare everyone my blogginess as I'm not known for my brevity online or IRL.

    I didn't think that the protein/ fat would make such a difference BUT I also forgot about the glycemic index as I've never really looked into it. Before you say anything, I promise to go check it out I just had some spaghetti leftovers and boy were they yummy. I am going to test about 6:30, then 7:30 to see where the levels lie.

    Weighed in for the contest today. The work scale has me at 267, though this morning I was 257.5 at home. Lost 7 lbs from Tue-Wed due to yakking from a nasty stomach bug/flu. Ran a fever and everything. Here's to hoping the weight stays gone.

    Oh, my GL was 133 this morning. Not great but not bad for me. Another benefit to being sick? ergh

    Hope everyone here has been doing well!
    Missi