When working with clients, one topic that comes up over and over again is blood sugar. Blood sugar can affect everything from your cravings to your hormones and your ability to use different macronutrients as fuel. I’m breaking down why managing your blood sugar is key to feeling full and satisfied, turning on/off hunger hormones, and how to keep those ‘hangry spells at bay.
Understanding Blood Sugar Basics
Blood sugar is mostly impacted by carbohydrates. When we eat carbohydrates, they break down into glucose, the technical name for blood sugar. Each of us has an optimal range for how much glucose is floating in our bloodstream. When our blood sugar level gets too high, after eating simple, processed, or sugary carbohydrates for example, the hormone insulin is released to signal that excess glucose should be stored away for future energy needs and to restore balance.
The first place excess glucose is stored is in your liver. When your liver is full, storage moves to the second tank: your muscles. Unlike glucose in your liver which can be utilized as fuel for a variety of bodily functions, glucose stored in your muscles can only be depleted by the muscles themselves. Meaning, you need to use your muscles through exercise in order to empty the tank. If both your liver and muscles are maxed out in terms of storage, additional glucose is converted into triglycerides and stored as fat. Unfortunately, there is no maximum limit here so your body will continue to store as fat so long as your liver and muscles are at capacity.
What does this mean? We want to make sure our liver and muscles are not constantly full of stored glucose so that we avoid going straight to converting to fat.
Blood sugar crash
As insulin signals to take glucose out of the bloodstream and deposit it away, our blood sugar starts to fall. The decrease in blood sugar follows the same trajectory as the rise so if you ate something that gave you a quick spike, such as a donut, toast, or even oatmeal, you’re going to experience a quick crash. The crash often results in headaches, energy loss, and irritability (we’ve all been hangry at one point or another), and more importantly, it leaves you craving more processed and sugary carbohydrates to bring your blood sugar back up quickly. It’s a vicious cycle that many people find themselves in daily or even every few hours.
Here’s another problem: insulin resistance
Insulin lingers in the bloodstream beyond the time it takes to bring blood sugar down, usually 6-8 hours. So if you eat a meal that causes a rapid blood sugar spike and the subsequent fall, you’ll be hungry again in just a couple of hours but your blood will still be full of insulin. If you continue this cycle of eating, you may experience sustained elevated insulin levels which over time can lead to insulin resistance. In short, insulin resistance is when your liver and muscle cells stop responding to the command to store excess glucose and as a result, it automatically is converted into fat. It is a precursor to a host of health problems such as obesity and diabetes.
Here’s how to balance your blood sugar
When you eat, your goal is to elongate your blood sugar curve so that there are no rapid spikes and falls. How do you do this? You eat balanced meals that include protein, healthy fats, and fiber. And no, this does not mean no carbohydrates! Vegetables are carbs after all!
Protein, Healthy Fats & Fiber
Protein is incredibly satiating, meaning it won't leave you hungry or craving more. We add healthy fats to our meals because fat slows absorption of our food which helps you stay fuller longer. Fats are also the building blocks of our cell membranes and essential for the absorption of the vitamins A, D, E, and K. Finally, while fiber is mostly found in carbohydrate containing foods, it doesn’t absorb into the bloodstream or bring your blood sugar up. Fiber also adds bulk to your meals, aids digestion, and high fiber foods contain many important vitamins and minerals.
Ensuring that these three components are included in every single meal will help ensure your blood sugar stays nice and steady.
But what about starchy carbs?!
If you want to eat a starchy carbohydrate such as a potato, bagel or pasta, no problem! Remember, no food should ever be viewed as completely off limits. Simply pair it with some protein, healthy fat and fiber to maintain a steady blood sugar curve, keep you full and cravings at bay.
Your Grocery Guide to protein, healthy fats, & Fiber
Sources for each of these nutrients can be confusing so I've broken it down into an easy-to-use grocery guide.