Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, occurs when your blood sugar drops below normal levels. Sugar, also known as glucose, comes from the food you eat. Carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, pasta, cereal, milk, fruit, candy, cookies and cakes are the main dietary source of glucose. Because your brain uses glucose as fuel, if left untreated, hypoglycemia can cause confusion, clumsiness or fainting, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. Severe hypoglycemia can be fatal.
Effect of Sugar on Hypoglycemia
If you have hypoglycemia, you should limit your intake of simple sugars or concentrated sweets by avoiding regular soft drinks, fruit juices, candy, cake with icing, sugar, honey and other sugary foods. If you have hypoglycemia, these foods will raise your blood sugar too quickly, then cause it to drop again to abnormally low levels, thus triggering your hypoglycemia. If you are tempted to eat something high in concentrated sweets, eating it on a full stomach will lessen its impact on your blood sugar.
Glycemic Index
If you have hypoglycemia, foods that have a high glycemic index may aggravate your body's blood sugar and insulin response. The glycemic Index is a ranking of more than 600 foods based on their immediate impact on blood sugar levels. The glycemic index is a physiological measure of how fast, and to what extent, particular serving sizes of a carbohydrate food will affect your blood sugar levels, as stated by the Glycemic Index Foundation.
Glycemic Load
Knowledge of the glycemic load produced by your overall diet may help you control hypoglycemia. Your glycemic load is the sum of the glycemic loads of all the foods you eat. If your glycemic load is high, your insulin will spike, which may result in hypoglycemia. Lowering your glycemic load by eating foods that are lower on the glycemic index, such as switching from white rice to brown rice, may enable you to improve your condition.
Dietary Changes That May Help
If you have hypoglycemia, you may be advised to eat small meals or snacks about every three hours. You should eat a variety of foods and try to combine your foods. For example, add an ounce of meat to a slice of whole grain bread, or eat a serving of cheese together with a serving of fruit. You may also be advised to increase your intake of high fiber foods, such as whole grain cereals, breads, vegetables and fruits. High fiber foods slow down the release of sugar in your blood and help to regulate your blood sugar.
Effect of Alcohol on Hypoglycemia
You may be told to eliminate alcohol, particularly on an empty stomach. Drinking alcoholic beverages, especially binge drinking, can cause hypoglycemia. Alcohol may also interact with your medications. Check with your health-care professional.
