5 ways to balance glucose for more energy, according to a nutritionist

Insulin is the hormone that is in charge of managing glucose in the blood. It also plays a central role in fat storage. “When we have more glucose than we need, insulin helps convert it into fat for storage,” Quintas explains. The problem comes when we develop insulin resistance—or, put another way, when our body’s cells become less sensitive to this hormone and, therefore, we are unable to process high glucose levels.

5 ways to manage insulin and energy

To reach balance, Quintas proposes an “insulin control diet,” which she says leads to better health because it benefits us in numerous ways—including helping to reduce tiredness after meals, hunger between meals and spurring our bodies to use stored fat efficiently as a source of energy. Furthermore, controlling our insulin can help us maintain muscle mass, stabilise our blood glucose levels, and improve our digestive health as well as reduce LDL (bad) and stabilise our liver profile, reducing our risk of fatty liver. Below are her five tips to balance glucose—

1. Eat carbohydrates with protein

“When we consume carbohydrates alone, especially if they have a high glycemic load, such as rice, pasta, or potato, they cause a rapid increase in blood glucose, leading to an insulin spike,” Quintas says. “This spike not only promotes metabolic imbalances, but can also cause an energy slump.” To prevent this from happening, she recommends adding protein in order to stimulate the secretion of glucagon, a hormone that counteracts the effects of insulin and helps keep the glucose level more stable.

2. Avoid liquid carbohydrates

Juices, sodas, and smoothies can cause insulin spikes. “Because they are in liquid form, the stomach doesn’t need to work hard to process them, which causes the sugar to quickly reach the bloodstream,” Quintas explains. “This sudden increase in glucose causes an insulin spike, which, as we already mentioned, favors the accumulation of fat and can generate hunger soon after.”

3. Eat every three to four hours

“Maintaining a constant supply of energy through small, frequent meals is key to avoiding insulin spikes and keeping the metabolism active,” Quintas says. She argues that if we let more time pass, our body may start using muscle mass as a source of energy instead of fat, lowering basal metabolism and causing a rebound effect. So be sure to have a healthy mid-morning and afternoon snack, as “this will help us arrive less hungry to our main meals.”

4. Eat within one hour of waking

Quintas warns that after a long overnight fast, our glucose stores are low, which means we must eat to keep the body going: “If we don’t eat soon after waking up, our body could start using muscle mass as a source of energy.” She advises eating first thing in the morning, even if it’s just a little yogurt or a coffee with milk: “After a few hours you can have a bigger breakfast. This will help our metabolism to get the batteries without forcing a large meal first thing.”

5. Don’t work out on an empty stomach

Some swear by the benefits of working out on an empty stomach but Quintas says this is a mistake—not only because of scarce morning glycogen reserves but also because it increases the risk of injury by using muscle mass as a source of energy. “A small portion of carbohydrates and protein before exercise ensures greater energy availability and protects muscle mass,” she says.

This story first appeared on Vogue.com

Also read:

Best time to eat protein, according to experts

The expert’s guide to working out during Ramadan

Why broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat