* Low GI Foods, 40 and Under on the Index.
These are low carb breakfast slow-release foods. All pulses – beans including baked beans, lentils, chickpeas, the brassica family of vegetables, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower especially the stalks, wholegrain nuts, rye bread, oats and oat bran, apples, plums, pears,cherries, acocado, leaks.
* Medium Gl Foods, 41-60 on the index.
These are fine if you eat with a little protein: sweetcorn, mangos, oat cakes, wholegrain, pasta, brown basmati, rice, figs, steamed potatoes in their skins beetroot, raw carrots and wholemeal bread.
* High GI Foods, Over 60 on the Index.
Try and eat these foods in moderation, with a little protein in a low carb breakfast, but avoid the foods which are really just pure refined sugars. Baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, white bread, white rice and pasta, honey cooked carrots, parsnip, swede, squash, sugar, ripe bananas, sweets and chocolate sugared breakfast cereal, watermelon, raisins, biscuits, desserts, ice cream, cakes and pastries, rice cakes and cous cous.
The American Nurses’ Health Study found that it was not the overall amount of carbohydrate eaten that affected fertility but the GI ranking of the foods their research participants ate, that is, how quickly they were converted to glucose in the body.
A low carb breakfast for women in the high GI intake group, were 92 per cent more likely to have problems ovulating than those in the lower groups, so blood sugar balance is important.
Sugar Accelerates the Aging Process.
A low carb breakfast with a high-sugar diet accelerates the aging process, and particularly if you’re a little older, you want to delay age-related damage as much as possible.
The process to blame is called glycation, and is caused by the attachment of sugar to proteins which together form destructive molecules called advanced glycation end products, known rather appropriately as AGEs. AGES affect the structural tissues that are made of collagen and elastin. They cause wrinkles in the skin, literally making it hard and brittle. AGES are also related to increased oxidative stress, another side effect of aging and cellular damage.
Moreover, recent studies have shown that accumulation of AGES may influence IVF success rates and of course, the odd glass of wine or bar of good chocolate is not going to affect your chances. It’s the everyday consistent consumption of those refined carbohydrates that counts. Always stick with a low carb breakfast diet, however treat yourself every now and again but otherwise say no.
Fats.
The whole subject of dietary fats is very topical at the moment, and with government campaigns urging us to lower our fat consumption it’s no wonder that many people are a little confused. Fat is absolutely crucial for every function in the body and low- or no-fat diets are an absolute no for fertility. The body needs fat for energy and growth, fats make the texture and taste of food good, and they help the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K. However, there is no doubt that some fats are much better than others and the type of fat eaten is crucial.. first thing with a healthy low carb breakfast.