Slow-release carbohydrates

http://www.bioneers.org/rdi/iwc_page.html

Iroquois corn, and other ancient crops that are absorbed by the body slowly, are referred to as "slow foods".²

The term "slow food" corresponds to foods that contain carbohydrates that are converted into sugars slowly.

"Slow foods, which include squash, watermelon, ancient varieties of corn and a dense, tough desert bean called pepary, were commonly grown and eaten by the America's general population before the 19th-century agricultural revolution." ²

As Native Americans have been forced into a more "Western" diet, diabetes has increased in some communities, at a rate of 80 percent. A change back to more "traditional" diets have reduced the rate and in some cases even reversed the conditions.²

Iroquois White Corn Project founder Dr. John C. Mohawk claims, "If [white corn is] good for Indians, it must be good for other people too." ¹

http://www.bioneers.org/rdi/rdimedia_page.html

Simple/complex carbohydrates and the Glycemic Index

The previous assumption in the past was that all complex carbohydrates (i.e. bread and potatoes) were slow-release carbohydrates and that all simple sugars (i.e. table sugar) were fast-release carbohydrates.³

Simple carbohydrates used to be defined as "simple molecules that broke down quickly once in the blood stream and caused a fast spike in your blood sugar levels triggering the release of the hormone insulin [...]". Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, were defined as complex molecular structure that broke down slower and therefore released a more consistent flow of sugar into the blood stream. ⁴

Currently, nutritionalists are classifying carbohydrates according to their glucose response or glycemic index. The glycemic (GI) is simply a ranking of carbohydrate foods based on their direct effect on blood glucose levels. The GI measures how fast the carbohydrate of a particular food is converted to glucose and enters the bloodstream.³

It seems simple enough to replace the words simple with high GI and the words complex with low GI, but many of the foods traditionally thought of as complex and slow to digest are actually quite rapidly absorbed into the blood stream and those that we thought of as causing insulin levels to rise are not as dramatic previously thought.⁴

Preparation of foods such as grinding foods down, removing the skins/coatings, washing down tends to speed up the rate the food can be broken down and the effect that it will have on blood sugar levels.⁴

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Glycemic index websites

Glycemic index (GI) lists and general information about glycemic can be found at the following websites:

http://www.calvin.biochem.usyd.edu.au/GIDB/searchD3.htm- University of Sydney,
Australian GI database, search for GI value of certain foods, or foods with
certain GI values.

http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_food_diet/glycemic_index.php- "How quickly
does food raise your blood sugar?" General information about the glycemic
index and a table listing foods and their respective GI value.

http://www.gifoundation.com/GI Food List.htm- The Glycemic Index Foundation of
South Africa, foods grouped into categories of "Low" (below 55),
"Intermediate" (56-70) and "High" (above 70).

http://www.diabetesdigest.com/dd_nutrition2.htm- Glycemic index list, specific
foods and their GI values.

http://www.lowglycemicdiet.com/gifoodlist.html- Fifty50, glycemic index for some
everyday foods.

http://www.glycemicindex.com/gi_2000data.htm- Recent GI values from SUGiRS
2000-2001; manufacturer's names appear after the food.

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Organizations involved in slow foods and Iroquois white corn

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Slow Food U.S.A. is "an educational organization dedicated to stewardship of the land and ecologically sound food production; to the revival of the kitchen and the table as centers of pleasure, culture, and community; to the invigoration and proliferation of regional, seasonal culinary traditions; and to living a slower and more harmonious rhythm of life." Recognizing that the enjoyment of wholesome food is essential to the pursuit of happiness, Slow Food U.S.A. aims to bring awareness to "slow foods" and a slow life style.⁸

The Arc USA's goal is to save cherished slow foods. Iroquois white corn is one of 90 or more products protected within the International program that includes a variety of cured meats, preserved fish, herbs and vegetables.¹⁰