What is a blood sugar spike?
Have you been tired, so you eat something starchy or sugary? You feel a quick burst of energy but then shortly after you crash with exhaustion and crave more food? That is a blood sugar spike! Your blood sugar levels, also known as glucose levels, fluctuate throughout the day. Glucose is used for energy but when you eat certain foods or in a certain way, your blood sugar levels spike unnecessarily high. Luckily, people such as biochemist, Jesse Inchauspe, @glucosegoddess, have extensively studied and shared simple hacks to stabilize your blood sugar levels every day. (Note: you don’t have to have a high glucose level on a standard blood test to have unstable blood sugar levels throughout your days).
Why need to Stabilize it?
When your blood sugar is unstable (you are having blood sugar spikes), symptoms include cravings, constant hunger, lethargy in the morning, eczema, brain fog, hormonal imbalances, and more. Blood sugar stabilization is the key to reducing and preventing inflammation in your body, which is the driver of most diseases in the body.
By using these hacks, you can stabilize your blood sugar levels to reduce inflammation, cravings, and perimenopausal symptoms and to improve your mood, energy, and hormonal health. Blood sugar stabilization is critical to prevent and/or manage diabetes.
Simple Hacks to Stabilize Blood Sugar
- START YOUR MEAL WITH VEGETABLES
Eating your vegetables first! The fiber, from vegetables, coats the upper intestines and prevents the glucose molecules from entering the bloodstream, preventing a blood sugar spike.
- HAVE VINEGAR BEFORE EACH MEAL
The acetic acid in vinegar cuts a blood sugar spike by up to 30%. Before eating, have a tablespoon of vinegar (any kind but balsamic glaze) in a glass of water, or drizzle vinegar on your vegetable starter.
- DON’T EAT CARBS ALONE
You may have heard of “naked carbs”- eating carbs alone. When you eat any carbs (oatmeal, rice, potatoes, fruit, bread, quinoa, etc.) alone, you create a glucose spike. To blunt the spike, “dress your carbs”- pair the carbs with protein and fat! For example: instead of just toast, add avocado and tomato, instead of a rice cake alone, spread a tablespoon of nut butter on top.
- WALK/MOVE AFTER YOU EAT
Simply move your muscles after each meal. Muscles need energy to contract so they will take the glucose out of the bloodstream, blunting a blood sugar spike. Take a 10-minute walk or even walk the stairs, do squats,etc. within 90 min after a meal.
- EAT A SAVORY BREAKFAST (NOT SWEET!)
Avoid sweets at breakfast. If you have sweets at breakfast, you are going to kick off the whole day on a sugar rollercoaster! Instead, for breakfast, focus on protein, fat, fiber, and starch (if you want). Whole fruits are okay as long as they are combined with the protein. For example: eggs (protein) with avocado (fat), broccoli (fiber), and gluten-free toast (starch).
6. EAT YOUR FOOD IN A CERTAIN ORDER
You can reduce a blood sugar spike by eating your foods in a specific order:
1. FIBER (veggies)
2. PROTEIN
3. FATS
4 .STARCHES AND SUGAR
If this hack seems unrealistic at most meals, just start your meal with vegetables instead!
Personally, I am not perfect and don’t use ALL of these hacks ALL of the time, but I do always start my meals with veggies, dress my carbs, and move after I eat, and I notice how much more stable my energy and appetite is all day long. Try some of these for yourself!