What’s Raising Your Blood Sugar?
Bad things happen to your body when your blood sugar rises. You get thirsty, you need to urinate more, you feel fatigued… all things that you don’t want. So what can you do to stop blood sugar from rising? Well, for a start, you could cut back on these 35 everyday things that are bad for your blood sugar. You don’t have to give them up altogether, but you definitely should be aware of what exactly is going into your body and what it does.
White Bread
White bread is a hidden villain in your kitchen. It’s made from refined flour, which strips away fiber and nutrients. Without the fiber around to slow digestion, it causes rapid glucose spikes in the body. It’s best to stick with wholegrain bread instead, which is much better for you.
Instant Oatmeal
Do you wake up in the morning and reach for the instant oatmeal? Well, you shouldn’t be doing that, it’s bad for your blood sugar. Because it’s processed, it’s full of added sugars without any fiber, meaning your blood sugar will spike when you eat it.
Flavored Yoghurt
While yogurt itself can be a healthy source of protein and probiotics, the added sweeteners spike your blood sugar quickly. And don’t be fooled by the marketing. Many varieties marketed as “low-fat” actually have even more sugar in them than the regular versions.
Sugary Breakfast Cereals
Make sure you thoroughly read the ingredients on every cereal you buy, because even the ones that advertise themselves as healthy can be packed full of sugar. The sugar in things like Fruit Loops, combined with the refined grains, cause sharp blood sugar rises that will constantly make you feel bad.
French Fries
French fries are starchy and deep-fried, a double whammy for bad blood sugar. The starch breaks down quickly into glucose, while frying in unhealthy oils increases your insulin resistance. If you’re worried about your blood sugar you should really avoid fries at all costs.
Soda
Did your parents ever tell you when you were younger to stop drinking so much soda? They were right. Soda contains large amounts of high-fructose corn syrup or other added sugars. That means glucose floods your system almost instantly. All that, and too much soda is linked to obesity and bad teeth.
White Rice
You might think white rice is healthy, but unfortunately you’d be wrong. White rice is a high glycemic food, meaning it quickly converts to glucose in the bloodstream. It also has very little fiber and nutrients. Ideally you should be eating brown rice instead.
Donuts
Donuts are delicious, to be fair, but you absolutely should not be eating them every day. They’re loaded with refined flour, sugar, and unhealthy fats, all things which cause rapid spikes in your blood glucose and insulin levels. And like many other things on this list, eating too many of them will cause you to dangerously gain weight.
Fruit Juice
Wait, what could possibly be wrong with fruit juice? It’s good for you! Well, unfortunately, it’s full of sugar – the natural sugar that comes from the fruit. Its glycemic impact is thought to be almost as bad as soda, and diabetics should avoid it.
Energy Drinks
Energy drinks should be avoided like the plague if you’re looking for a healthy diet. They flood the bloodstream with glucose and contribute to insulin spikes, plus they make you gain weight if you drink too many. They give you a small burst of energy and that’s about it.
Crackers
People have been fooled into thinking crackers are healthy, but unfortunately they’re not. They’re made with refined grains and starches, offering very little in the way of fiber or protein, and when you eat them your blood sugar gets a massive, unwanted boost.
White Pasta
Basically, if a foodstuff has “white” in its name, you should probably avoid it, and that goes for white pasta as well. White pasta is made from refined wheat, and contributes to glucose spikes and crashes. Try the whole grain kind instead.
Granola Bars
People think that granola bars are good for you, but guess what? Full of sugar. The combination of sweeteners and quick-digesting carbs causes your blood sugar to rise rapidly, making you feel thirsty and tired. They’re almost as bad for you as candy bars.
Ketchup
Bad news for those who like eating fries with ketchup – not only are the fries bad for you, but the ketchup is too. The red stuff often contains hidden sugars, increasing your blood sugar. Try making your own ketchup instead, without as many sugars.
Muffins
Regardless of what’s in them, muffins aren’t the sort of thing you should be eating everyday. They’re made with white flour and loaded with sugar, and all that leads to quick blood sugar surges. They’re also high in fat, which can lead to obesity if you’re not careful.
Pizza
Pizza is a big no if you’re watching your blood sugar. Most pizzas use refined white flour in the crust, which rapidly converts to sugar. Then you have your sauce… with is also high in sugar. Basically, eating pizza is a good way to guarantee your body will feel bad.
Ice Cream
Ice cream should be avoided at all costs if you’re diabetic, but frankly it should be strictly a sometimes food for those who aren’t diabetic, too. It may taste good, but it’s high in sugar and also in fat, both things that are bad for the body.
Applesauce
What could be wrong with applesauce? It’s from apples, so it must be healthy, right? Wrong. Store-bought applesauce usually contains a lot of added sugars, and it doesn’t have the fiber in it that eating a regular apple would give you.
Smoothies
Store-bought smoothies are almost as bad for you as soda in some cases, they have that much sugar in them. Avoid them entirely and make your own smoothies using leafy greens and fruits. Much better for your blood sugar.
Rice Cakes
Rice cakes advertise themselves as healthy but unfortunately they’re not really, or at least they’re not good for your blood sugar. They’re made from puffed white rice, which is an extremely high glycemic food.
Sweetened Nut Butters
You should really beware of anything that has “sweetened” on the label. Nut butters like peanut or almond butter were healthy, and then brands started adding sugar. Always check the labels and go for the unsweetened kind.
Canned Fruit
This is another one that fools people by virtue of being fruit. However, by the time the fruit comes out of that syrupy can, it’s lacking all the health benefits you would have gotten from regular fruit. Avoid the canned kind and always go for fresh fruit.
Pancakes With Syrup
One of America’s favorite breakfasts is pancakes with syrup. Unfortunately, the pancakes are made from refined flour, making them bad enough in themselves before you add the sugary syrup on. People who eat this meal for breakfast often find themselves hungry again shortly after.
Sweetened Coffee
Sorry to coffee lovers. Fancy coffee drinks like flavored lattes and frappes are often loaded with sugar, whipped cream, and syrups. They cause rapid glucose spikes and provide little nutritional value, sometimes less than a soda.
Cornflakes
So sugary cereals are out, but cornflakes must be fine, right? Well, unfortunately, they’re not good for your blood sugar either. They’re made from refined corn, which has a high glycemic index, and contain little fiber or protein.
Pretzels
Pretzels are often seen as a low-fat snack, better than something like (say) potato chips, but unfortunately they’re made from refined white flour and have little fiber or protein. This makes them digest quickly and spike blood sugar.
Bottled Salad Dressings
You would not believe how much sugar sneaks into bottled salad dressings. Yep, even the versions that advertise themselves as “low fat” or “light.” It’s best to avoid bottled salad dressing altogether and make your own at home. That way, at least you know what’s going in them.
Trail Mix
Trail mix has a reputation for being healthy, but when it’s packed with sugary dried fruits, chocolate, or candy pieces, it becomes a snack that’s very bad for blood sugar. The dried fruit alone is concentrated sugar with little fiber, and that’s not even getting started on the chocolate.
Energy Bars
Don’t be fooled by the marketing of energy bars, they’re not good for you at all. They do contain more protein than some of the things on this list, but eating them will still lead to sharp blood sugar spikes and crashes. Why not try eating fresh fruit instead? That will also increase your energy.
Mashed Potatoes
Many a parent has fed their child mashed potatoes believing that they’re healthy. And while they are healthy in some ways, they’ll also raise your blood sugar. They don’t have much protein in them (that came from the skin of the potato) and adding butter makes the meal even worse.
Banana Bread
Bad news if you like to make your own banana bread… it’s not good for you. The cake digests quickly, and the added sugar causes glucose spikes. And buying banana bread from the store guarantees an even more unhealthy treat.
Teriyaki Sauce
People love teriyaki sauce, but that flavor comes with a high price. Teriyaki sauce is high in sugar, and it can leave you feeling fatigued if you eat too much of it. It’s the sort of thing you should have on your plate only occasionally.
Waffles
Waffles are another beloved breakfast food that many people ought to cut down on. They’re typically made from refined flour and contain added sugars and preservatives, making them awful for blood sugar, especially when combined with sugary toppings.
Milkshakes
Milkshakes are frankly one of the worst things you could drink if you’re watching your blood sugar, or your weight. Some shakes contain over 50 grams of sugar in one serving. It’s best to avoid these altogether, you’ll feel terrible after just one.
Instant Noodles
Instant noodles are a convenience food to many, but they’re very bad for you. They’re made with refined white flour and often come with flavor packets which are high in sodium and sugar. They also contain very little fiber and nutrients.
