Stable blood sugar (i.e., the amount of glucose you have in your blood at any given time) was once a concern only for diabetics, but the health marker has quietly become central to everyday wellness. Science shows that blood sugar affects many different aspects of the body, including energy, mood, energy, mental state, and much more.
Glucose comes from each and every thing you eat—and in response, the body creates insulin to move it into our cells for fuel. Eating an imbalanced meal may result in a glucose spike, which is when the blood sugar quickly rises above the normal range—then typically drops back down again just as fast. “In the long term, the more spikes you have, the more likely it is that you’ll develop type 2 diabetes,” biochemist Jessie Inchauspé has told Vogue in the past. When glucose spikes too often, insulin works overtime and the body becomes less responsive, a process known as insulin resistance. Research has revealed that just under half of Americans have insulin resistance, which can lead to other health issues like cardiovascular disease.
“When we want to know if a food will spike our glucose, we’re not only looking at sugar content but also starch content, which turns into glucose as it’s digested as well,” Inchauspé reveals. “Fat and protein content are also important to factor in since they reduce the spike.”
What that means is the classic culprits—i.e., sugary foods—that are causing glucose spikes in your body. You may be surprised to know, a lot of them are actually the foods we have previously labeled as “healthy.” Below, we discuss four of the common blood sugar spiking foods—plus, swaps to help control the surge.
Oat milk
A dairy alternative loved for its creaminess, oat milk is made of a starchy grain—and because of this, it breaks down into sugar faster than other nut- or dairy-based alternatives. Of course, this leads to sharp glucose spikes.
The swap: Look for a milk—dairy or otherwise—that has protein and fat to stabilize your blood sugar. That includes unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, or, if your stomach can handle it, full-fat dairy, to slow the glucose release and keep blood sugar level.
“Naked” carbs
Carbohydrates provide the body with a quick energy hit because they convert into sugar quickly. The downside? A sharper spike up—then crash down—when eaten alone.