What are Fast Digesting Foods?

The rate at which the food is digested in your body depends on the type of food that you are eating. There are some foods that digest quickly within 30 minutes after consumption while some foods take hours to get digested. We wonder what foods get digested fastly than others. So, read this article to know what are fast-digesting foods along with some examples. 

What Are Fast Digesting Foods?

Fast-digesting foods are the ones that increase blood sugar levels very quickly, has a high glycemic index, are low in fiber, and provide the body with a high burst of energy. The glycemic index is the speed by which your sugar levels are raised in the blood by food.

Among the macronutrients, carbohydrates are the fastest-digesting foods. Simple carbohydrates have a low glycemic index, and a low fiber content and are easily broken down and digested in our bodies. So they provide an instant burst of energy.

Are Fast Digesting Foods Good For You?

Fast-digesting foods like simple carbohydrates provide you with a burst of energy and are quickly digested by the body. But they make you consume more calories in a day as compared to slow-digesting carbs, fats, and proteins. As fast-digesting foods are quickly broken down into sugars, so after their consumption, you soon feel hungry again which results in overconsumption of calories. 

Fast-digesting foods are a good option when you take them before or after a workout where you need instant energy boosts. Before a workout, you need the energy to carry out your workout and after a workout, you need the energy to refill your depleted glycogen stores. Both these are fulfilled by fast-digesting foods like simple carbohydrates. 

Moreover, it depends on the timing as well. If you consume fast-digesting carbs every time and in every meal and snack it might result in weight gain and insulin issues later in life. Also, if you have diabetes, fats digesting carbohydrates are not a good option for you. 

Now let’s have a look at some examples of fast-digesting foods.

Example Of Fast Digesting Foods

Simple carbs are the fast digesting foods and some examples of fast-digesting carbs are:

1- Baked Potato

A baked potato is a fast-digesting food with a GIycemic Index (GI) of 100 that gets digested fast and spikes the blood sugar level very quickly.  The fiber content of a baked potato of 100 g is 2.2 g.

2- Pretzels

Pretzels contain simple carbohydrates with a GI of 83, so they are quickly absorbed in the blood, raising blood sugar levels. They are very low in fiber content and are fastly digested in the body providing an energy boost. 1 oz of pretzels contains 0.9 g of fiber.

3- White Rice

White rice is fast-digesting grain easy on the stomach. They are low in fiber content and high in glycemic index. They have a GI of 72 and are quickly broken down and absorbed in the blood. 

4- White Bagel 

White bagels are fast-digesting carbohydrate food with a GI of 72. They are prepared from refined flour and stripped of fiber content. So, they do not provide much fiber and are quickly digested in the body proving an instant energy boost. The fiber in the white bagel is around 1.8 g.

5- White Bread

White bread is a simple fast digesting food that is made from processed refined flour, The GI of white bread is between 72-75. It is also low in fiber and 1 slice of white bread has 0.6 g of fiber. 

6- Watermelon 

Watermelon is a high-GI fruit with a GI of 72. It is a quick energy fix and a healthy source of fast-digesting foods. Watermelon provides other essential benefits as they have high water content and also contain essential nutrients like vitamins A and C, lycopene, and citrulline. It has 0.4 g of fiber per 100 g. 

7- Quick Oatmeal

Quick oatmeal is processed to cook instantly. It has a GI of 66 and is broken, absorbed, and digested quickly in the body proving a quick energy supply. 

8- Riped Bananas

Riped bananas are also good fast-digesting food. It is rich in simple carbs making it easier for digestion and absorption in the body. Bananas also provide long-lasting energy and have a GI of 62.

Conclusion 

Fast-digesting foods are quickly absorbed in the blood. They are mostly simple carbohydrates that have a high glycemic index, and low fiber and fat content that increase blood sugar levels very quickly and provide the body with a quick burst of energy. Some fast-digesting foods include baked potato, pretzels, white rice, white bagel, white bread, watermelon, quick oatmeal, ripped bananas, etc.