Energy Information

Make the Glycemic Index Work for you

The Glycemic Index is a nutrition concept that can help you sort out the pros and cons of eating various carbohydrates and the rise in insulin levels that occurs after eating carbohydrates.

Low to moderate glycemic index carbs produce a small but steady rise in insulin levels (healthy) as opposed to high glycemic index carbs that produce a large and rapid rise in insulin levels (unhealthy).

Low to moderate glycemic index carbohydrates provide slow release of energy that supplies continuous fuel for the body and brain and for the working muscles. Their slow rate of digestion and absorption puts less stress on the insulin producing cells in the pancreas.

Misconceptions about the Glycemic Index abound and people often have a hard time putting the principles into daily dietary practice.

A glycemic rating over 70 is high. Medium runs from 70- 56. Under 55 is considered low.

Many factors affect the glycemic index of a carbohydrate. In general, carbohydrates that are more processed and ground more finely with the bran separated out will have a higher glycemic index.

Guidelines for choosing lower glycemic index breads, cereals, crackers, chips and other carbohydrate packaged products:

Limit your intake of finely ground, soft, puffed and flaky products. Finely ground flour products ? both 100% whole wheat and white flour such as soft whole wheat or white flour bread, crackers, breakfast cereals will have a high glycemic index. If you can mush it together and form a ball out of it? the glycemic index is high.

Anything “puffed” such as puffed wheat, rice or corn cereals ? even whole wheat ones ? usually has a high glycemic index. If something has been processed into small fine particles that can be crushed into crunchy crackers and cereals ? the glycemic index is probably going to be high ?even those made out of good whole grains. Most crackers, packaged cold cereals and chips have a glycemic index in the 70s, 80s and 90s.

Instead, choose dense, grainy, chewy products. Foods with intact fiber will be more “dense” and chewy and less flaky and light. If the fiber is intact the product will have a lower glycemic index. Grainy, dense breads are more likely to have a lower glycemic index. Choose coarse breads with at least 50% intact kernels.

Sourdough breads, because of the acids produced by the fermentation of their yeast starter culture, have much slower rates of digestion and absorption.

You can also eat whole grains in their natural state. Whole intact grains that have been softened by soaking and cooking will have a low GI value. For example, cooked barley has a GI value of only 25. Cooked whole wheat has a GI value of 41. But choose old fashion whole grains and not the “instant” varieties ? any thing that has been “instantized” is probably going to have a higher glycemic index.

Fruits and Vegetables:

Choose barely ripe fruits and vegetables for a lower glycemic index. Overly ripe fruits and vegetables have higher sugar content and a higher glycemic effect than just ripe foods.

Tropical fruits, such as mango, papaya, pineapple, and cantaloupe tend to have higher values than temperate fruits such as apples and oranges. But all fruits are OK. Even the higher glycemic index fruits like pineapple will usually have a GI rating in the 60s. Just don’t eat only watermelon (GI 72).

Almost all vegetables are low to moderate glycemic index and are great to eat. The poor carrot has been greatly maligned as having “too much sugar” but actually has an average glycemic index of only 47.

Potatoes:

Most potato varieties have a high glycemic index due to the presence of high amounts of amyl pectin that is quickly digested.

Tiny new white and red bliss potatoes have a lower GI value than normal varieties. Russet baked potatoes have the highest glycemic index (an average of 85) and mashed potatoes an average of 92.

The glycemic impact of potatoes can be lessened by eating smaller portions and varying your diet with alternatives such as sweet potato (GI- average 61 – the starch in sweet potatoes is amylose ? more slowly digested and absorbed) or yams (GI average 37).

Rice vs. Pasta:

Pasta gets a bad rap. Pasta gets blamed for all sorts of maladies because it routinely gets categorized as a bad carbohydrate. “They” say to cut out the pasta and eat rice.

Well, it just so happens that pasta has a low to moderate glycemic index (30-55) that results in a slow, steady release of energy in your body.

Pasta made with semolina is made from cracked wheat and not finely ground flour so it has a moderate glycemic index. Furthermore, pasta is unique in its physical make up. The reason for its slow digestion and steady release of energy is “the physical entrapment of ungelatinized starch granules in a sponge-like network of protein molecules in the pasta dough. ” That is something you don’t need to understand to get the good news that pasta can be good for your energy. Yippee!

But always serve pasta al dente. If you overcook pasta it gets soft and swollen and you have fully “gelatinized” those starch granules and turned pasta into an energy drainer.

Almost all kinds of pasta have a lower glycemic index than most varieties of rice – even brown rice (a glycemic index over 70 is typical because almost complete “gelatinization” of rice starch takes place during cooking). And pasta has more protein than rice or potatoes. Overall semolina pasta is a good energy food and can be part of a high-energy diet. Remember though ? a serving is just 1/2 cup and keep variety in your diet by not eating pasta any more that once every four days.

Rice varieties such as Jasmine and short grain varieties (even short grain brown rice) that have a lot of amylopectin tend to have higher glycemic index GI (high 70s to 139). You will know these higher amylopectin rice varieties because they tend to stick together after cooking (an example of the “if you can mush it into a ball and it sticks test”).

High amylose content rice varieties such as Basmati, Uncle Ben’s converted rice and long grain brown rice have a low glycemic index. If the rice grains stay separate after cooking it is more likely to have a lower glycemic index (GI 50s and 60s)

Great alternatives to rice include pearled barley, buckwheat, bulgur, couscous, or noodles – all moderate to low GI.

Simple steps to lower the glycemic effect of your diet:

To get good glycemic control you don’t have to eliminate all high glycemic index foods ? just be sure and have at least one low glycemic carbohydrate at each meal.

Overly cooked foods are predigested have higher sugar content and a higher glycemic index. Avoid over cooking your foods.

Fats slow down the digestion of starches. The higher the fat content of a food the lower its glycemic index. This is why the glycemic index of potato chips is lower than that of a baked potato. To lower the glycemic effect of a high glycemic food such as a French baguette add a little fat such as olive oil, good quality organic butter or some nut butter.

When you do eat a high GI index carbohydrate include protein with it. The protein will slow down the rate of digestion and can cut the glycemic index effect by about one third.

The higher the acid content of a food the lower its glycemic index. Acids in foods slow down stomach emptying, thereby slowing the rate at which the starch can be digested. Include some acidic foods in your meals like vinegar, lemon juice, limejuice, some salad dressings, and pickled vegetables. A side salad with your meal will help to keep blood glucose levels under control. Four teaspoons of vinegar in a salad dressing or about four teaspoons of lemon on your food or in your water reduces the glycemic effect by about one-third.

Include more legumes in your diet. Legumes are super nutritious, high fiber low glycemic index foods (GI ranging from 13 to 59). If you want to ensure stable long lasting blood sugar control legumes are your friends.

The glycemic index is only one of many markers you can use to choose nutritious foods. It is not the only marker to use. Often it is better to have a higher glycemic index food such as baked potato than a lower glycemic index food such as potato chips. Consider not only the glycemic index of a carbohydrate but also the nutrient value of the food when making your choice.

Even with these guidelines it can sometimes be hard to tell the glycemic effect of a carbohydrate. But when you are not carrying a reference book around with you these guidelines will help you take better care of your health and well-being.

All About Liquid Organic Fertilizers

Using organic fertilizers is a widely accepted practice in the agricultural industry. Farmers use them to cultivate their field and row crops, winemakers utilize them for growing grapes, and horticulturists apply a liberal does of these during the landscaping of their orchards or turfs.
Liquid organic fertilizers are a safe and effective way of providing your plants with the best nutrient supply without harming them or increasing the soil’s acid content. Liquid organic fertilizers act as agents to effectively increase the content levels of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium. Because these three substances are the three major nutrients that plants need, liquid organic fertilizers thus provide plants with an abundant food supply essential for their growth.
Liquid organic fertilizers are especially important in helping the plants overcome the tension involved in transplanting, cold weather, or dry season. Because liquid organic fertilizers help enrich the soil, they assist in removing the risk of soil nutrient-deficiency.
There are two basic methods of application for liquid organic fertilizers – through spraying or through direct application to the soil around the plant. Spraying is the more commonly used method of applying liquid organic fertilizers. This is because plants usually take in nutrients through their leaves and stems where their stomata are located. Liquid organic fertilizers sprayed on plant leaves and stem allow them to absorb the nutrients faster.
The other method used for applying liquid organic fertilizers are called direct or tea application. Liquid organic fertilizer direct application is like adding tea to the soil around the plant. Liquid organic fertilizer direct application still has the same nutritional component as the spray type. The only difference is that with the liquid organic fertilizer direct application method, nutrients such as nitrogen and potash may be wasted because they are not easily absorbed by the plants.
There are several types of liquid organic fertilizers available in the market. The most common liquid organic fertilizer is fish emulsion. Made from ground up and liquefied fish parts, fish emulsion liquid organic fertilizer contains trace elements essential for plant growth. Fish emulsion liquid organic fertilizer also has high content level of nitrogen, the nitrate source for plants. Fish emulsion liquid organic fertilizer may be sprayed on the plant’s foliage or applied directly as tea.
Liquid organic fertilizers can also be made from earthworm castings. Earthworms play a major role in providing the soil with minerals and vitamins that help plants grow and this is what led scientists to manufacture earthworm-based liquid organic fertilizer.
Another type of liquid organic fertilizer is the bat guano. Several more manufacturers have produced liquid organic fertilizers containing any combination of the following: fish meal, soybean protein extract, rock phosphate, bone ash, potassium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, sea kelp, and humic acid.

Solar Panels For My House – Blueprints DIY Solar Energy

Fortunately, more householders are also beginning to see the advantages of using green energy. I will even show you in this article how replaceable solar panels for my house have shot down my electrical bill. Normally it is determined that a typical family spends more than $1,300 on heat and electricity each year, according to the Office of Energy. I’m certain that you have recently seen some form solar panel, particularly those than run on solar panel powered calculators. With a touch more effort, they can be built cost effectively to generate sufficient electrical energy to run most households even my house! They’re capable of soaking up daylight and move to the semi-conductors for the electrons to be damaged. The cells are called photovoltaic and work to convert sunlight into electric power that may be employed to run the household appliances. How Does the Earth4Energy solar power at Home System Work and What Are Its Benefits? It harnesses the widely available sun energy to free the house owner from ever having to depend on the power company for electricity. It might be running our houses and companies in the future. Does my DIY solar panels energy for my house actually work? The panels truly work by breaking loose the electrons and moving them in a certain way which generates an electric current output. This is truly one of the best ways to generate energy in your home while going green and saving a bunch of money.

Geothermal Energy: Tapping Into The Earth

When considering the many sources of renewable energy that could help reduce the United States’ dependence on fossil fuels, much consideration must be give to geothermal energy. ? Geothermal energy is entirely clean and does not pose the health risks associated with the harvesting, use, and burning of fossil fuels. ? It is an affordable and sustainable option, something that should be given great consideration as a viable alternative. Geothermal energy is simply the heat given off by the earth itself. ? The core of the earth contains a layer of magma that continually produces heat. ? This heat is produced by the decay of radioactive materials such as uranium, and over fifty thousand times more energy than contained by all of our oil and natural gas resources can be found in only a 33,000 foot radius of the earth’s surface. Currently, the most common method of harvesting geothermal energy is by tapping into geothermal springs. ? In these springs, cooler water seeps into the ground, only to be heated through convection and rise to the surface as steam. ? This steam is collected and used to power electricity generators. ? Many power plants drill into the earth in order to capture steam more effectively and in greater quantities. Many geothermal reservoirs have been discovered across the globe, each with the capacity to produce as much energy as a thousand wind power plants. ? There is currently much research taking part on a global scale to find effective and safe ways to tap into and utilize this energy. ? The biggest hindrance to mass geothermal energy use has been the buildup of silica inside wells at geothermal power plants. ? Because researchers have recently found ways to help control this costly problem that has long been the biggest barrier to widespread use of geothermal energy, there is much hope that this form of energy will finally receive the attention and consideration it deserves. With the discovery of a way to control silica buildup comes the hope that the energy committees will invest more research and money into geothermal energy, which promises to be both inexpensive and one of the cleanest energy sources available. ? Over sixty million people worldwide receive their electricity from geothermal power plants, with over four million of those people residing in the United States. ? Supporters of geothermal industry hope to see that number rise significantly in the coming years, as the process becomes more efficient in regards to both finances and energy production. In short, tapping into the earth to harvest geothermal energy is by far one of the most sustainable methods of acquiring energy available. ? The earth’s core is a constant supply of energy, with no risk of depletion and no harmful emissions. ? Much research should be put into geothermal energy to find the best possible methods of bringing the technology to the greatest number of people, creating energy independence and eliminating the need for fossil fuels in the production of electricity.