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Five foods to avoid if you have high blood sugar

This is for you!

By ChanakiTPublished 2 years ago 4 min read
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Having high blood sugar can result in many different health problems. The main outcome is diabetes, which is thought to affect 34.2 million people in the US. A high blood sugar level indicates an excess of sugar in the blood. This is a result of either insufficient insulin levels or improper insulin usage by your body.

There are techniques to control your high blood sugar, despite the fact that it may occasionally appear unmanageable. Altering both your diet and lifestyle practices can aid in maintaining it. This entails avoiding certain foods that may be worse for your health than others (even if they are some of your favorites). The worst foods to eat if you have high blood sugar have been listed below. Check out 4 Eating Habits Secretly Increasing Your Blood Sugar, Say Dietitians after you've finished reading them.

1 Fruit flavored yogurts

A registered dietitian and owner of Sarah Gold Nutrition, Sarah Anzlovar, RD, claims that many fruit-flavored yogurts contain more sugar than some desserts. Try plain Greek or Icelandic yogurt instead, and add some honey to it to make it sweeter yourself.

Compared to conventional yogurt, both Greek and Icelandic yogurt has more protein, which can help regulate your blood sugar. Top your yogurt with fresh fruit or seeds for some extra fiber to spice it up. According to Anzolvar, the fiber may also aid in blood sugar stabilization.

2 Pre-made smoothie or acai bowls

Smoothie bowls are simply bowls filled with... smoothies! Just with a little bit more decoration on top, like additional fruit, nuts, and other toppings. The most popular one is an acai bowl, which is composed of dark purple fruit. Premade bowls don't have the same impact as freshly made ones, while being delicious and frequently nutritious.

The National Media Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Roxana Ehsani, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, states: "Nothing against fruit or smoothies, but when you buy a pre-made smoothie, your smoothie most likely will be made mostly from fruit juices such as a blend of apple juice and pineapple juice mixed together, and it lacks any form of dietary fiber and protein.

"Ehsani maintains that it is uncommon to find protein and dietary fiber in pre-made smoothies and smoothie bowls. The abundance of total carbohydrates in many of those pre-made bowls you can buy at the grocery store may further raise your blood sugar levels, which are already elevated.

She contends that making your own smoothies and smoothie bowls is preferable. Alternately, request that genuine fruit—fresh or frozen—be included at your neighborhood smoothie store.

Limit your fruit juice intake, Ehsani advises. "Use milk, non-dairy milk, or even kefir in its place, and add some fresh or frozen fruit as a source of fiber. Additionally, some nuts or seeds, such as chia or flax seeds."

To keep your blood sugar more constant with additional protein included in it, she advises that you can even add a scoop of peanut butter, protein powder, or Greek yogurt.

3 Processed carbs

Those with a high glycemic index spike blood sugar more quickly than foods with a low glycemic index, claims Melissa Azzaro, RDN, LD, a registered dietitian and host of the Hormonally Yours podcast. This includes foods like white rice, white bread, white potatoes, soda, and snacks like pretzels and potato chips.

You don't have to fully discount them, though.

According to Azzaro, the glycemic index solely evaluates items consumed on their own. Therefore, couple them with foods strong in protein and fiber rather than eating them alone to lessen their impact on blood sugar.

4 Sugary cereals

When it comes to the cereal aisles in particular, the variety in the grocery store aisles "could be overwhelming," adds Ehlani. Some cereals could include a lot of total carbohydrates but little protein or dietary fiber, which are two elements that help manage and stabilize blood sugar levels.

Ehlani advises that if you're undecided about which cereals to pick, it's advisable to go with one that has at least three grams of dietary fiber and three grams of protein per serving.

Don't be alarmed, though, if you do end up with a subpar cereal; there are methods to make up for it.

If you decide to choose a higher carb cereal, you could even add some protein on the side, advises Ehlani. "Serve it with some scrambled eggs on the side or top your dish with some chopped walnuts. Or, serve Greek yogurt or cottage cheese on the side."

5 Candy

When you learn about this one, you won't be as excited as a child in a candy store because sweets are on the "do not consume" list.

Unfortunately, eating handfuls of candy will only cause your blood sugar to rise even higher if it is already high, according to Ehlani. "Whatever kind of candy you select, it probably won't improve your blood sugar levels. To avoid it, wait until your blood sugar is within a healthy level."

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