Sugar and Glucose Spikes - should we worry about them?

Jane Arlow • July 16, 2024

Or are they a storm in a (sweet) tea-cup?

A quick caveat - this blog is by way of general information.

I'm not a microbiologist, nutritionist or a registered dietician. And I'm not qualified to give you any medical advice or write diet plans for you.

However, as you know, I am interested in all topics wellness and am very happy to read technical stuff and hopefully, make it less technical for you.

So, today's question - glucose spikes...what are they and should we be trying to manage them?

Glucose spikes - what are they?

Put really simply this is when glucose builds up in your bloodstream quickly.

This can happen after you've eaten - usually around 1.25 hours after - and the food has been broken down into its constituent parts.

And alongside that glucose spike, you get an insulin spike as the body reacts to try and process the glucose.

If you want more of the techie stuff going on, check out this blog

Is it bad to have glucose in your blood stream?

No, glucose is the primary source of energy for every cell in your body so you need glucose.

But what the body likes is a nice steady state of glucose, because when we have too much of it, our sugar management processes can't do their job properly.

What happens when the sugar management processes go awry?

Every time the body detects glucose, it releases insulin, which acts as the key to get the glucose into cells for further processing.

If there's too much glucose, and a lot of insulin, the body key stops working. Your body is said to be "insulin insensitive".

So more insulin is released, but the glucose is still swirling around.

To be clear, insulin insensitivity isn't something that happens with a one-off sugar binge.

It takes a while of repeated or consistent high blood sugar.

And over time, it will move from insulin insensitivity to insulin resistance to diabetes.

OK, that doesn't sound fun.

Not fun at all.

In fact, here are a bunch of other things that have been identified as being directly related to uncontrolled blood sugar:

- low mood (⬅️sugar influences the brain rewards circuitry)

- cognitive function (⬅️leads to higher incidence of dementia, Alzheimers and vascular dementia)

- hot flushes (⬅️still not fully understood, quelle surprise, but sugar crashes seem to make a flush more likely)

- sleep quality (⬅️which can lead to you eating more sugar and fatty foods)

- imbalance in gut bacteria (⬅️ which can also lead to mood changes)

- increased cortisol levels (⬅️ stress hormones)

But the good news is that insulin insensitivity and resistance are both fully avoidable AND reversible.

How can we avoid glucose spikes?

The spikes are more likely to happen when a lot of glucose is dumped into the blood stream in one go.

Foods that create this effect are said to have a "high glycaemic index level".

The sort of foods that are high GI can easily be broken down into glucose and tend to be things that are highly processed like breakfast cereals, crisps, cakes, biscuits, ice-cream and white bread; as well as foods like cooked potatoes, jasmine rice, watermelon or dates.

Foods that are low GI can't be broken down so easily. This means that the glucose is released into the blood stream more slowly and the amount of insulin released can keep up with it.

Vegetables, lentils, wholegrain bread, whole fruit, beans, peas, oats, apples and oranges tend to be lower GI.

In many cases, it's the amount of dietary fibre that makes them harder to break down.

Interestingly, cold food digests slower than hot foot; and some foods that are high GI, like potatoes, act as low GI once cooled (it's to do with how the starches react to heating and cooling).

How do I know if I'm having a glucose spike?

You probably won't unless you're wearing a glucose monitor.

Are they more challenging for women?

Yup.

Both excess and low levels of oestrogen have been linked to higher levels of insulin resistance.

So it's a good idea to keep your blood sugar levels stable so you don't over-stress an already stressed system.

What else can I do to avoid or reverse insulin insensitivity or resistance?

We've already talked about eating more fibre....eating more protein can also help as it leaves you feeling fuller for longer and less likely to reach for the biscuit tin.

It wouldn't be me if I didn't talk about the benefits of exercise. This allows your muscles to use the glucose that's in your system.

In fact, going for a brisk 15 minute walk after your meal has been shown to reduce glucose and insulin spikes.

Managing your stress levels and sleep also have a massive impact on what you eat and want to eat; as well as on your body's ability to process the food.

And finally, I seem to find myself saying sorry for this a lot....but reduce your alcohol consumption. Most alcohol is high in sugar.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

3 Foods to add for better immunity this autumn

By Jane Arlow • October 13, 2025

Because no one wants the lurgy!

3 Surprising things that help build more muscle

By Jane Arlow • October 13, 2025

And the first one's a doozie!

Breast cancer - know your risks

By Jane Arlow • October 13, 2025

October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month and if you haven't done it recently, please let this be the nudge you need to give them a good feel up. Here 's a link to the NHS website below showing how to perform your check and what to look for. If you're one of my gentlemen readers, please don't think this doesn't apply to you. It does. Men can still get breast cancer. And if you find something that doesn't seem right, please contact your GP as soon as possible. 80-90% of lumps are likely to be benign, but for the small percentage of those that aren't, early detection and treatment are your best chances of having successful treatment and being around to annoy friends and family for a long time. Don't skip your mammogram I know having mammograms is really uncomfortable. But this is one of the best ways to check for cancers that aren't otherwise easily spotted. So if you get invited, please go. (And don't skip your smear test either!!!) Know your risk factors 1 in 7 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime. Here are some of the risk factors: - Age : older women are more likely to get breast cancer than younger women and age is the highest risk factor. - Genetics : Breast cancer risk is higher if you have first-degree relatives who've had it (although 85% of women with a relative with breast cancer WON'T get it). - Breast density (relates to the percentage of non-fatty tissue): the risk is highest for those with the most dense tissue. You can ask your radiographer to tell you whether you have dense tissue at your mammogram. - Lifestyle factors: These include having overweight or obesity, alcohol consumption, tobacco use and insufficient physical activity. - Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals: These "forever" chemicals, such as pthalates and parabens, show up in makeup and toiletries. Risk doesn't normally come from one exposure to one chemical, but from prolonged exposure to many different chemicals over a long period of time. You can read more about the risks here It's worth noting that even if you get a diagnosis, it's unlikely you'll ever know if there was "one thing" that caused it. What happens if you get a diagnosis of breast cancer? I am in no way competent to comment on the treatment plan your medical team recommend for you. Everyone I know who's had breast cancer has had a different treatment plan, depending on: the stage of cancer; whether it had spread further; whether it was hormone-receptive; whether it was due to genetic mutation; and the age of the woman. I do know that for all of us, it was a really scary time. You should be given access to resources outside of the surgical and oncology team, often via a Macmillan nurse, who can answer questions on topics from your treatment and reactions, to claiming for extra benefits. They're also great if you're not sure what questions to ask. While you're in the heat of the panic, it can be difficult to think clearly about what you need to know. Using "what should I be asking that I'm not?" is super helpful. Keep moving after your diagnosis, during and after treatment The one thing I can advise you on with all confidence, is to keep moving. Exercise is safe, possible and helpful for individuals with breast cancer, throughout the treatment cycle. In fact, international guidelines say you should try to get back to your normal activities as soon as possible. Exercise can help reduce the risk of cancer coming back; and may stop stage 1 cancers from growing further; and can also reduce treatment side effects like tiredness, cognitive impairment or lympoedema. Yes, you may need to dial back your usual activities if treatment leaves you feeling exhausted. But whenever you can, please aim for 150 minutes of exercise in every week. Many forms of treatment also lead to a higher osteoporosis risk, so please also do resistance-based and/or some impact-based exercise every week. I'd also recommend paying attention to shoulder mobility. Scar tissue and "guarding" of surgery sites can reduce your range of movement a lot. Check in with your medical team to confirm if there's any specific movements you should avoid during your treatment plan, and when you'll be signed off to go back to them. One last piece of advice someone else gave me... When you tell people you have cancer, a lot of them will have an opinion on your treatment plan. Especially if they're of the "my friend cured their cancer by just eating this one thing.." type. Unless this person is an oncologist, you can safely ignore them! So, what are you still doing reading this? Go off and give yourself a fondle!