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From savory breakfasts to veggie snacks, some nutrition tips will help keep your blood sugar in a healthy range.
Have you ever eaten a bar of chocolate to get rid of the daytime slump and noticed that the momentary surge of energy was quickly replaced by a wave of fatigue?
This is because when your body receives too much glucose too quickly after a meal, it experiences a spike in blood sugar.
The influx of sugar causes the mitochondria in your cells to feel stressed and shut down.
This leads to inflammation and affects their ability to adequately produce energy. Glucose spikes make us feel tired and hungry every few hours and can cause bad moods, hormonal imbalances, fogginess and speed up the aging process through a process known as glycation.
Worse, persistent spikes in glucose levels can lead to diseases like type 2 diabetes over time.
Although certain foods can trigger this harmful process, smart dietary choices can keep blood sugar levels under control.
Fortunately, an expert has recommended three simple dietary changes that will help you avoid spikes.
1. Replace a sweet breakfast with a salty one
Consuming fruit juices, smoothies, cereal or acai bowls first thing in the morning can damage your mitochondria, raise your blood sugar, and actually give your body less energy, Arsenyeva explained.
So she recommended switching to options like eggs, smoked salmon or hummus on rye toast, as well as Greek yogurt with nuts.
"Pay attention to how you feel, how strong your cravings were, and how much energy you felt," she added.
2. Add a vegetable snack to your diet
Vegetables are rich in fiber, and eating this carbohydrate primarily has a "powerful" effect on blood sugar levels.
“When fiber reaches the upper intestine before other foods, it clings to the intestinal wall, creating a protective mesh. This mesh reduces the absorption of any glucose molecules during the rest of the meal and therefore reduces the glucose spike during the meal."
3. Try to prepare food in advance
Preparing meals ahead of time can help you regain control over what you eat and include more fiber-rich foods in your diet.
"Make bags of raw vegetables and store them in the fridge, or use steamed bags of frozen vegetables to quickly add to lunch or dinner."
Avoid pureeing vegetables as this affects the fiber content.
