Keto Means
Keto Means
Photo: Nataliya Vaitkevich
Exercise more. Exercise helps control blood sugar spikes by increasing the sensitivity of your cells to the hormone insulin. Exercise also causes muscle cells to absorb sugar from the blood, helping to lower blood sugar levels (21).
The lowdown. The keto diet changes the way your metabolism works by encouraging it to use ketone bodies instead of glucose for energy production....
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Skim milk came in first followed by "oral rehydration" drinks like Pedialyte. Next came full-fat milk, orange juice, soda, diet soda, cold tea,...
Read More »Blood sugar spikes occur when your blood sugar rises and then falls sharply after you eat. In the short term, they can cause lethargy and hunger. Over time, your body may not be able to lower blood sugar effectively, which can lead to type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a rising health problem. In fact, 29 million Americans have diabetes, and 25% of them don’t even know they have it ( 1 ). Blood sugar spikes can also cause your blood vessels to harden and narrow, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. This article looks at 12 simple things you can do to prevent blood sugar spikes. 1. Go low-carb Carbohydrates (carbs) are what cause blood sugar to rise. When you eat carbs, they are broken down into simple sugars. Those sugars then enter the bloodstream. As your blood sugar levels rise, your pancreas releases a hormone called insulin, which prompts your cells to absorb sugar from the blood. This causes your blood sugar levels to drop. Many studies have shown that consuming a low-carb diet can help prevent blood sugar spikes ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ). Low-carb diets also have the added benefit of aiding weight loss, which can also reduce blood sugar spikes ( 6 , 7 , 8 , 9). There are lots of ways to reduce your carb intake, including counting carbs. Here’s a guide on how to do it. Summary: A low-carb diet can help prevent blood sugar spikes and aid weight loss. Counting carbs can also help. 2. Eat fewer refined carbs Refined carbs, otherwise known as processed carbs, are sugars or refined grains. Some common sources of refined carbs are table sugar, white bread, white rice, soda, candy, breakfast cereals and desserts. Refined carbs have been stripped of almost all nutrients, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Refined carbs are said to have a high glycemic index because they are very easily and quickly digested by the body. This leads to blood sugar spikes. A large observational study of more than 91,000 women found that a diet high in high-glycemic-index carbs was associated with an increase in type 2 diabetes ( 10 ). The spike in blood sugar and subsequent drop you may experience after eating high-glycemic-index foods can also promote hunger and can lead to overeating and weight gain ( 11 ). The glycemic index of carbs varies. It’s affected by a number of things, including ripeness, what else you eat and how the carbs are cooked or prepared. Generally, whole-grain foods have a lower glycemic index, as do most fruits, non-starchy vegetables and legumes. Summary: Refined carbs have almost no nutritional value and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and weight gain. 3. Reduce your sugar intake The average American consumes 22 teaspoons (88 grams) of added sugar per day. That translates to around 350 calories (12). While some of this is added as table sugar, most of it comes from processed and prepared foods, such as candy, cookies and sodas. You have no nutritional need for added sugar like sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup. They are, in effect, just empty calories. Your body breaks these simple sugars down very easily, causing an almost immediate spike in blood sugar. Studies show that consuming sugars is associated with developing insulin resistance. This is when the cells fail to respond as they should to the release of insulin, resulting in the body not being able to control blood sugar effectively ( 13 , 14 ). In 2016, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) changed the way foods have to be labeled in the US. Foods now have to display the amount of added sugars they contain in grams and as a percentage of the recommended daily maximum intake. An alternative option to giving up sugar entirely is to replace it with sugar substitutes. Summary: Sugar is effectively empty calories. It causes an immediate blood sugar spike and high intake is associated with insulin resistance. 4. Keep a healthy weight At present, two out of three adults in the US are considered to be overweight or obese ( 15 ). Being overweight or obese can make it more difficult for your body to use insulin and control blood sugar levels. This can lead to blood sugar spikes and a corresponding higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The precise ways it works are still unclear, but there’s lots of evidence linking obesity to insulin resistance and the development of type 2 diabetes ( 16 , 17 , 18 ). Weight loss, on the other hand, has been shown to improve blood sugar control. In one study, 35 obese people lost an average of 14.5 pounds (6.6 kg) over 12 weeks while they were on a diet of 1,600 calories a day. Their blood sugar dropped by an average of 14% ( 19 ). In another study of people without diabetes, weight loss was found to decrease the incidence of developing type 2 diabetes by 58% ( 20 ). Summary Being overweight makes it difficult for your body to control blood sugar levels. Even losing a little weight can improve your blood sugar control. 5. Exercise more Exercise helps control blood sugar spikes by increasing the sensitivity of your cells to the hormone insulin. Exercise also causes muscle cells to absorb sugar from the blood, helping to lower blood sugar levels (21). Both high-intensity and moderate-intensity exercise have been found to reduce blood sugar spikes. One study found similar improvements in blood sugar control in 27 adults who carried out either medium- or high-intensity exercise ( 22 ). Whether you exercise on an empty or full stomach could have an effect on blood sugar control. One study found exercise performed before breakfast controlled blood sugar more effectively than exercise done after breakfast ( 23 ). Increasing exercise also has the added benefit of helping with weight loss, a double whammy to combat blood sugar spikes. Summary Exercise increases insulin sensitivity and stimulates cells to remove sugar from the blood. 6. Eat more fiber Fiber is made up of the parts of plant food that your body can’t digest. It is often divided into two groups: soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber, in particular, can help control blood sugar spikes. It dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance that helps slow the absorption of carbs in the gut. This results in a steady rise and fall in blood sugar, rather than a spike ( 24 , 25 ). Fiber can also make you feel full, reducing your appetite and food intake ( 26 ). Good sources of soluble fiber include: Oatmeal
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Read More »11. Try berberine Berberine is a chemical that can be extracted from several different plants (51). It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Some of its uses include cholesterol reduction, weight loss and blood sugar control ( 52 , 53 ). Berberine reduces the amount of sugar produced by the liver and increases insulin sensitivity. It has even been found to be as effective as some drugs used for type 2 diabetes ( 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 ). One study looked at 116 people with type 2 diabetes who either received berberine or a placebo for three months. Berberine reduced blood sugar spikes after a meal by 25% ( 58 ). However, another study found berberine caused side effects in some people, such as diarrhea, constipation and gas ( 59 ). Although berberine appears to be fairly safe, speak to your doctor before taking it if you have any medical conditions or are taking any medication. Summary Berberine has minimal side effects and studies have shown it can reduce blood sugar spikes by 25% after you eat it. 12. Consider these lifestyle factors If you really want to reduce your blood sugar spikes, you should also consider these lifestyle factors that can affect blood sugar. Stress Stress can negatively affect your health in a number of ways, causing headaches, increased blood pressure and anxiety. It has also been shown to affect blood sugar. As stress levels go up, your body releases certain hormones. The effect is to release stored energy in the form of sugar into your bloodstream for the fight-or-flight response (60). One study of 241 Italian workers found an increase in work-related stress was directly linked to an increase in blood sugar levels ( 61 ). Actively addressing stress has also been found to benefit your blood sugar. In a study of nursing students, yoga exercises were found to reduce stress and blood sugar spikes following a meal ( 62 ). Sleep Both too little and too much sleep have been associated with poor blood sugar control. Even having one or two bad nights can affect your blood sugar levels. A study of nine healthy people showed that sleeping too little, or only for 4 hours, increased insulin resistance and blood sugar levels ( 64 ). With sleep, quality is as important as quantity. A study found the deepest level of sleep (NREM) to be most important in terms of controlling blood sugar ( 65 ). Alcohol Alcoholic drinks often contain a lot of added sugar. This is particularly true for mixed drinks and cocktails, which can contain up to 30 grams of sugar per serving. The sugar in alcoholic drinks will cause blood sugar spikes in the same way as added sugar in food. Most alcoholic drinks also have little or no nutritional value. As with added sugar, they are effectively empty calories. Furthermore, over time, heavy drinking can decrease the effectiveness of insulin, which leads to high blood sugar and can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes ( 66 ). However, studies show that moderate, controlled drinking can actually have a protective effect when it comes to blood sugar control and can also lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes ( 67 , 68 , 69 ). One study found that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol with meals may reduce blood sugar spikes by up to 37% ( 70 ). Summary Poor sleep, stress and high alcohol intake all negatively affect blood sugar. That’s why it is important to consider lifestyle interventions as well as diet.
However, there are plenty of low- foods that will keep you full on the keto diet, like eggs, almonds, and coconut oil. ... Just because you're...
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Since ice cream is generally high in carbs, most of which come from sugar, it typically doesn't fit into a keto diet. However, several brands of...
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The body preferentially breaks down carbohydrates first, and then fats and finally proteins only if the other two fuels are depleted. This is...
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Consuming too many carbs can kick your body out of ketosis — and it takes several days to 1 week to get back into it. In the meantime, your weight...
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