Nutrition tidbits #2: simplifying blood sugar

During the NFL playoffs I was overcome with anger not only when the Bills lost to the Chiefs after some questionable calls, but also during a commercial for a startup company marketing continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) to non-diabetics. The commercial vilified oatmeal, of all foods, because it was found to spike blood sugar higher than eggs in the morning, when measured on the company’s CGM. Well, duh. Oatmeal is a carbohydrate, and any carbohydrate is going to spike blood sugar more than a protein. That’s just basic science and nutrition.

Photo by Susan Wilkinson on Unsplash

My anger spiked even more when the commercial then pointed to its CGM as a savior to to individuals who were so ignorantly eating oatmeal in the morning. Oatmeal = bad, thanks to this CGM.

Now let me tell you why that’s ridiculous
The focus on blood sugar from influencers and companies like this one without proper science, medical or nutrition training is peak nonsense at the moment (in my opinion). Blood sugar is supposed to change throughout the day; especially in the morning after we eat breakfast and “break” our overnight “fast” in which blood sugar is naturally lower. Blood sugar is supposed to increase after we eat other meals, too. Again, it’s just basic science - the body needs to use sugar from the blood, which is taken into our cells by insulin, for energy. It is literally one of the main reasons we eat food. We should not be afraid of our blood sugar changing after meals; however, we should know how various foods impact blood sugar.

How foods impact blood sugar
Wacky blood sugar, that is, big spikes and drops, can lead to fatigue, crankiness, intense cravings, hunger and overeating. For these reasons, it is important and helpful to try and keep blood sugar relatively stable. Type 2 diabetes is another topic I won’t get into here, but it’s also a real concern in this country, and one in which long-term wacky blood sugar can increase risk for. Here are some nutrients and how they impact blood sugar.

• Fat - of all the macronutrients, fat takes the longest for our bodies to digest and therefore, can help prevent a big blood sugar spike after eating. Examples of fats are olive oil and other oils, nuts and seeds, butter, full fat dairy products and cheese, and avocado.

• Protein - protein takes the second longest for our body to digest, also making it helpful at keeping blood sugar more steady after meals. Proteins are fish, poultry, meat, pork, dairy products, tofu.

• Carbohydrates - as we have talked about, carbohydrates can spike blood sugar more quickly. Simple carbohydrates, like sweets, white breads, pastas and rice, and processed snacks spike blood sugar a bit more than complex carbohydrates like whole wheat breads and pastas, quinoa, potatoes (with skin!), brown rice, etc. Fruit falls somewhere in the middle, because it also contains fiber.

• Fiber - fiber in foods also works to slow down digestion and prevent blood sugar from spiking as high. Fiber is in plant foods, like oatmeal (!), vegetables, fruits, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, and other whole grains.

Photo by Olayinka Babalola on Unsplash

How to avoid big spikes and drops in blood sugar
I’d like to shout this one from the rooftops: it’s not about not eating carbohydrates! It’s about not eating carbohydrates by themselves. Consuming carbohydrates with a protein source, and/or a fat source, and maybe some fiber will result in less of a blood sugar spike then eating a carbohydrate by itself. Here are some examples:

• Old fashioned oatmeal made with almond milk, cinnamon and raisins: bigger blood sugar spike, because all you’re eating is a carbohydrate (although one that does have some fiber!).

• Old fashioned oatmeal made with almond milk, a tablespoon of peanut butter, 1/4 cup of berries, 2 teaspoons of chia seeds and a scoop of Greek yogurt: less of a blood sugar spike because of the great protein, fat and fiber added.

• Pasta made with tomato sauce: bigger blood sugar spike. Again, all you’re eating is a carbohydrate.

• Pasta with tomato sauce, sauteed mushrooms and peppers added to the tomato sauce, 3 ounces of grilled chicken, a side salad with leafy greens and an olive oil based dressing: less of a blood sugar spike because again, we’ve added some protein, fat and fiber.

In the second examples here, you can also see a much bigger variety of micronutrients - vitamins, minerals, antioxidants - which is really important for overall health. They are also much more filling and satisfying, making it less likely you’ll be hungry in an hour or having intense sugar cravings later in the day (when your blood sugar drops!).

Unless you have diabetes, forget the CGM
I’m sure people may come for me here, but I don’t think CGMs are necessary unless you have diabetes and need to monitor your blood sugar. Otherwise, they can create such unnecessary stress around food if you don’t understand what you’re looking for. I truly believe there is a such thing as too much information - just because the technology exists doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to know all the things, all the time. Plus, if you’re in tuned with your body you don’t need a CGM to tell you when your blood sugar may be off, and why. I’m feeling kind of hangry right now… oh right I missed lunch because I was in a meeting. Or, wow I’m feeling low energy and craving something sweet… dang maybe it’s because I had old Halloween candy for a snack today. See what I mean? Our bodies, with the help of our brains, can guide us in making the food choices that feel good, we just need to shut off the external noise and listen. I have to say here that if this seems daunting to you, working with a registered dietitian can be really helpful.

Take good care :)