Five surprising foods that drive your blood sugar through the roof

Keeping your blood sugar stable is key to keeping your weight, mood and heart health in check. It's also important if you're one of the 422 million people around the world who suffer from diabetes, a disorder of the metabolism that causes you to feel extremely thirsty and urinate excessively.

Whether you're diabetic or not, keeping your blood sugar levels steady is important to many aspects of your health. There are a number of serious risks associated with high blood sugar levels, including obesity and heart disease.

To prevent blood sugar spikes and lower your risk of these chronic conditions, you should avoid eating these five surprising foods that drive your blood sugar through the roof…

Five foods that spike your blood sugar

#1: Coffee
You don’t need to ingest sugar to cause your blood sugar to rise. Coffee – even if it’s black coffee that contains barely ay calories – can take a serious toll on your blood sugar because of its high caffeine content. Other caffeinated drinks including black tea, green tea and energy drinks have the same effect. So if blood sugar is something you’re trying to be mindful of, choose caffeine-free beverages instead.
 
#2: Nut milk
This may come as a shocker, but it’s true – certain nut milks, including almond, hemp and rice milk, can play a role in increasing your blood sugar. This is because they often contain added sugar to enhance their flavour. If you’re a big nut milk drinker, don’t worry, you can still enjoy this dairy-free drink – you just need to make your own at home or opt for unsweetened varieties to avoid excess sugar.

 
#3: Bread
Bread is rocket fuel to your blood sugar. Because bread is so mas-produced today, a lot of its nutrition gets stripped before it reaches your plate. Needless to say, bread isn’t one of the most nutritious foods out there. The starches in bread break down quickly and easily in your digestive tract and then make their way into your bloodstream as glucose. The result? A rapid spike in your blood sugar and insulin levels. Try replacing store-bought bread with a thick slice of sweet potato, or a homemade bread made with almond meal.
 
#4: Processed meats
Saying that you should eliminate meat from your diet entirely would be unrealistic. However, you should stop eating unprocessed meat to keep your blood sugar under control, as studies show that this kind of meat could contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes. That’s right – it may be time to say “no” to hotdogs! You can swap processed meats for less processed versions or even plant-based versions such as beans or lentils. Veggie burgers, anyone?
 
#5: Fat-free foods
You may think that you’re doing the right thing by choosing “fat-free” or “low-fat” foods like milk and yoghurt, but it turns out that manufacturers generally have to up the sugar content of these foods to make them more palatable. Eating too many fat-free foods can cause your blood sugar to skyrocket, making it difficult to maintain stable energy levels and control your overall calorie intake. So choose full-fat only – your blood sugar will thank you later!

PS: To learn why all diabetics need to see a specialist from time to time, read this.

Tags: diabetes, type 2 diabetes, blood sugar, insulin, blood sugar spike, foods that spike blood sugar, nutrition tips