Chronic high blood sugar can cause serious health problems. Excess glucose weakens blood vessels and can lead to heart and kidney damage, as well as blindness. Controlling blood sugar should be done with a combination of diet and exercise, and medication if necessary. Once your blood sugar is too high, eating anything will only make it higher. Only additional insulin or exercise will lower glucose. Prevention is the best way to avoid high blood sugar -- and dietary changes are the best preventive method.
Target Blood Sugar Level
Glucose levels will rise and fall depending on the time of day, your diet and activity level. For people with diabetes, monitoring your blood sugar is an important part of treatment. Before you eat, your glucose level should be between 70 and 130 mg/dl. Blood sugar will start to rise within an hour of eating and should peak between one and two hours after you've eaten. Two hours after your meal, your blood sugar level should be below 180 mg/dl. Four hours after eating, your blood sugar should be back below 130 mg/dl and you might be ready to eat again.
Sugar, Starch and Fiber
There are three types of carbohydrates that impact your glucose levels. Sugar and starch are simple carbohydrates and will quickly raise your blood sugar because they are so easily digested and converted to glucose. Limit sugar and starch consumption in your diet to avoid high blood sugar, also known as hyperglycemia. Fiber, which is only found in plant-based foods, is not digestible. High-fiber carbohydrates slow digestion and keep blood sugar levels stable. Harvard's Joslin Diabetes Center says that a high-fiber diet that contains 50 g of fiber daily will help diabetics control glucose levels.
The Glycemic Index
The glycemic index, or GI, was designed as a tool to help people stabilize glucose levels. It ranks carbohydrates on a scale of 1 to 100; the higher the score, the faster your blood sugar rises. Foods that score less than 55 are considered low-glycemic index foods. If you have chronic hyperglycemia, the majority of your carbs should be low-GI carbs. Most vegetables, excluding potatoes and corn, many fruits, except tropical fruits, bananas and watermelon and many legumes are low-GI foods.
Slowing Digestion and Portion Control
Both protein and fat slow digestion and will help keep glucose levels from quickly rising. Don't eat carbohydrates by themselves, but always with fat or protein. For example, instead of eating just a piece of fruit, add a handful of nuts or a slice of cheese. You'll also need to practice portion control -- eating too much, even too much healthy food, will drive up glucose levels. The American Diabetes Association suggests dividing your plate into four equal quarters and filling two quarters with vegetables or fruit, one quarter with lean protein and one quarter with a low-GI carb.
