Blood sugar 101
How to find your sweet spot
We all know that too much sugar can be bad for our health. But why? And how much is too much? This blog outlines the importance of keeping our blood sugar balanced and offers some quick tips on avoiding blood sugar spikes that can undermine our health.
Not all sugar is created equal
First, let’s define what we mean by 'sugar’, as different types of sugar have different effects on our bodies. Sugar is a carbohydrate found in natural foods like fruit, grains and vegetables. It comes in many forms, including fructose found in fruit and lactose found in milk. Our bodies have been designed to break down sugars and carbohydrates into a molecule called glucose because that’s the form our cells use for energy. It’s essential to human life! Glucose is the ‘sugar’ we refer to in ‘blood sugar’. These sugars are absorbed into our bloodstream at different rates, depending on how processed they are and whether they are mixed with other nutrients like fat, fibre or protein.
The sugar most quickly absorbed into our blood is called ‘free sugar’. Free sugar means that the sugar has been refined and processed, ‘freeing’ it from any other compounds (like fibre in fruit or protein and fat in milk). The presence of fibre, fat and protein in foods slows the absorption of sugar because our bodies take more time to process these other nutrients.
Free sugar is the type of sugar that will raise our blood sugar levels the most quickly and can cause the most damage.
Unfortunately, the food industry has taken full advantage of the fact that humans crave sugar. Many products have added sugar to improve taste, texture and, of course, the addictive quality that will make us crave and buy more. This overconsumption of sugar can come at a high price for many, as the modern rise in Type 2 diabetes and obesity has shown.
According to the NHS, Adults should have no more than 30g of ‘free sugars’ per day, roughly equivalent to 6 teaspoons. Once you start reading labels and keeping track, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you reach this level.
Why blood sugar balance is key
Steady blood sugar is essential to achieve optimum energy, hormone balance, mood and weight. When our blood sugar is too high, our body releases insulin to store any excess as either glycogen (stored in our liver and muscles for quick release on demand) or fat (a long-term storage solution once our glycogen stores are full). A spike in blood sugar often leads to a blood sugar ‘crash’. If this happens, our blood sugar level can drop dangerously low. Our bodies use our stress hormone cortisol to raise it again quickly to protect our brains from being starved of energy.
Likewise, if we experience stress, cortisol rises to quickly release the sugar our bodies need for our 'fight or flight’ response. In pre-modern times, this was very important because fighting a wild animal or running away from one takes a lot of physical energy. Unfortunately, sitting at our desk writing an angry email does not use up the same amount of energy, so our blood sugar levels remain high, meaning our body is forced then to store the excess quickly again.
Many of us are on a blood sugar ‘rollercoaster’ without realising it. I know I once assumed needing coffee or a 'sweet treat' as a pick-me-up was a necessary way to get through my day.
Our bodies prioritise storing excess sugar as quickly as possible because high levels in the blood can damage tissues. That’s why people with diabetes risked amputations or blindness before treatments with insulin or other drugs were available. Their tissues could not recover from the constant onslaught of sugar and eventually, the tissues would die.
As you can see, managing your sugar levels is very important. This can be done through diet, lifestyle and exercise so if you feel you need some help with sugar cravings and managing the blood sugar rollercoaster, get in touch! I’d love to help you lead a life without constant thoughts of food, those urges to raid the fridge late at night and overeating, often caused by excess sugar in the diet. Book in for a free 15-minute discovery call today!