Foods that tend to raise your blood sugar level are those high in carbohydrates and have a Glycemic Index value over 70. However eating a variety of low GI foods will help keep your blood sugar on an even keel all day long.

1 – Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits among the lowest on the GI chart are cherries, plums, grapefruit and peaches with index numbers of 22, 24, 25 and 28, respectively. For vegetables, choose tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli which come in on the chart at 15, 10, 15, 10, respectively.

Not only are these items low on the GI scale, but they typically are also low in calories, but packed with fiber so they keep you fuller longer. That means less snacking between meals on higher GI foods. Continue reading →

Do you ever get drowsy or tired after lunch? If so, you are not alone. The physical lack of energy you get after overeating is so common it has actually been given a scientific term. “Sugar crash” is used to define what happens to you after consuming too many carbohydrates and sugars.

And, since many modern day lunches are packed with those two components, you can often times “crash” after your midday meal.

Giving your body too many carbohydrates and too much sugar to process at one time can spike your blood glucose levels. This signals a surge of insulin production and secretion. Glucose in sugar and carbohydrates is absorbed by your tissues and used for energy production or stored as glycogen. Continue reading →