High blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, can hit people with diabetes. Usually, glucose from food enters the bloodstream and gets into your cells with the help of insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas.
If you have diabetes, this process doesn’t work as well, and you might end up with elevated blood sugar levels. Cutting back on some foods can help you keep tabs on your blood sugar.
1. White Flour Tortillas
Simple carbohydrates are super easy to digest and make your blood sugar shoot up fast. Cutting back on simple carbs—like refined grains—can help control high blood sugar. Fiber, which slows digestion and helps prevent blood sugar spikes, is usually stripped out during the processing of refined grains.
White flour tortillas are made with refined grains, but you don’t gotta cut ’em out completely. You can eat flour tortillas in moderation, or consider swapping ’em for whole-grain or corn tortillas. Some white flour tortillas only have 1 gram of fiber, while corn tortillas have 2 g, and whole wheat tortillas have 5 g.
2. Flavored Nut Butter
Nut butter can add protein, fiber, and potassium to your diet. But flavored nut butter might have way more added sugar than you’d think, so give the label a quick double-check first.
Creamy peanut butter may have only 2 g of added sugar, while the chocolate version can clock in at 8 g.
3. Energy Drinks
People who want to manage their blood sugar usually get told to cut back on sugar-sweetened beverages—like sodas and fancy coffee drinks. It’s also smart to cut back on or skip energy drinks entirely.
Some 16-oz energy drinks have between 54 and 62 g of added sugar. Studies show that people with type 2 diabetes who chug sugar-sweetened beverages are at a higher risk for heart issues and poor brain function.
Caffeine can also mess with blood sugar levels for some people with diabetes. Energy drinks are loaded with caffeine—some 16-oz cans pack up to 328 milligrams.
4. White Rice
White rice is another low-fiber refined grain that can send your blood sugar soaring. White rice is a staple in many diets, and you don’t have to nix it entirely. Consider eating it in moderation, or occasionally trading white rice for whole grains like brown rice or wild rice.
You can also cook white rice the day before you plan to eat it. Cooling the rice lets indigestible resistant starch form. Some research suggests that reheated refrigerated white rice causes a smaller blood sugar spike than fresh white rice.
5. Bagels
Some people with diabetes who need to keep an eye on their blood sugar levels use the glycemic index—a tool to figure out how fast certain foods jack up your blood sugar. Low-GI foods usually have a slower effect than high-GI foods.
Bagels and other types of white bread have a high glycemic index. Consider trading your morning toast or bagel for a low-GI option like oatmeal.
6. Baked White Potatoes
White potatoes are another high-GI food that can make your blood sugar spike. Baked potatoes also have a high glycemic load—another tool to measure how foods impact blood sugar. Unlike the glycemic index, glycemic load factors in the amount of carbohydrates in a standard serving size.
Most folks can enjoy a baked potato every now and then, but cutting back on this starchy veggie can help you keep your blood sugar in check.
7. Candy
Candy, ice cream, and other sugary desserts are simple carbohydrates that make your blood sugar spike super fast. Making small swaps—like grabbing naturally low-sugar dark chocolate or fiber-rich fruit—can help satisfy your sweet tooth.
Diet Is Only One Way to Manage Blood Sugar Levels
The foods you eat are a big part of your blood sugar levels. But diet is just one piece of the puzzle.
Hydration, exercise, stress, pregnancy, and certain medical conditions besides diabetes also influence blood glucose. It’s important to team up with your go-to healthcare provider to learn how to pair dietary tweaks with glucose monitoring and medications to manage your high blood sugar.
