Understanding Blood Sugar
Blood sugar, also called blood glucose, is the amount of sugar circulating in your bloodstream at any given time. It is your body’s primary source of energy and comes mainly from the carbohydrates you eat, such as rice, bread, fruits, and other foods that contain natural or added sugars.
How blood sugar works?
After you eat, your digestive system breaks down these carbohydrates into glucose, which then enters your bloodstream. A hormone called insulin, produced by the pancreas, helps move this glucose from the blood into your body’s cells.
Once inside the cells, glucose is used to produce energy that powers your brain, muscles, and other organs.
Keeping blood sugar levels balanced is important because levels that are too high or too low can affect how your body functions and how you feel throughout the day.
Why blood sugar balance is important?
Keeping your blood sugar levels stable helps your body maintain steady energy throughout the day. When blood sugar is balanced, your brain, muscles, and organs can function properly without sudden energy crashes.
Over time, consistently high blood sugar could increase the risk of health problems such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
What causes blood sugar to spike or fall?
Blood sugar levels can change depending on what you eat, how active you are, and how your body processes glucose.
Eating large amounts of refined carbohydrates or sugary foods can cause blood sugar to spike quickly, while skipping meals or engaging in intense physical activity may cause it to drop.
Stress, lack of sleep, and certain health conditions can also affect blood sugar levels.
Signs your blood sugar may be unstable
Unstable blood sugar can sometimes show up through everyday symptoms. You may experience sudden fatigue, frequent hunger, irritability, dizziness, or difficulty concentrating.
Paying attention to these signals can help you recognize when your body might need better blood sugar balance.
6 Practical Ways to Control Blood Sugar Naturally
Before diving into practical strategies, the ideas below are inspired by insights from the book “Glucose Revolution: The Life-Changing Power of Balancing Your Blood Sugar“ by biochemist Jessie Inchauspé.
In the book, she explains how everyday food choices and simple habits can influence how our body processes glucose.
The following tips highlight several practical approaches based on those concepts that can help support more stable blood sugar levels in daily life.
Practical Ways to Help Control Blood Sugar:
1. Drink 1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar Before Your Meal
Having about one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar diluted in a glass of water before a meal may help reduce the rise in blood sugar after eating.
Some studies suggest that the acetic acid in vinegar can slow down how quickly carbohydrates are broken down into glucose. This simple habit may help your body process sugar more gradually instead of causing a sharp spike.
2. Follow this Eating Sequence:
The order in which you eat your food can influence how quickly glucose enters your bloodstream.
A helpful sequence is: start with vegetables (fiber), then eat protein and fats, and finally consume starches or sugary foods. Fiber and protein help slow down digestion, which can reduce the speed at which glucose is absorbed.
If your meal includes bone broth (not MSG-based soup), starting with it may also help prepare your digestive system before the rest of the meal.
Malaysian Dietary Example:
For Malaysians, this eating sequence can easily be applied to common local meals. For example, if you are eating nasi lemak, start by eating the fresh cucumber slices, which are naturally high in fiber and commonly served as a side dish. You can even ask the vendor for extra cucumber — many will happily give more at no extra cost.
After that, move on to the eggs (protein), and only then eat the rice, which is the main source of carbohydrates in the meal. This simple adjustment may help slow down the glucose spike from the Nasi Lemak.
3. Avoid Sugary Foods for Your First Meal of the Day
Your first meal of the day can have a strong effect on how your blood sugar behaves for the rest of the day. In the morning, the body is often more sensitive to glucose spikes, so starting with sugary foods or refined carbohydrates may cause a rapid rise and crash in blood sugar.
A better first meal usually includes protein, healthy fats, and fiber, with only a small amount of whole fruit if desired. Good examples include scrambled eggs, half-boiled eggs (a Malaysian favorite), avocado, smoked salmon, cheese, Greek yogurt, or a handful of nuts.
Whole fruits are generally a better option than fruit juice because the natural fiber helps slow down how quickly the sugar or fructose enters the bloodstream.
"Choose a Savory Breakfast Instead of a Sweet Breakfast"
Starting your day with sweet foods like sugary cereal, pastries, or sweet drinks can cause a rapid blood sugar spike followed by an energy crash. A savory breakfast that includes protein, healthy fats, and fiber can help keep blood sugar more stable throughout the morning.
4. Add Vegetables to Every Meal
Vegetables are rich in fiber, which helps slow down how quickly glucose enters your bloodstream. Adding vegetables to your meals can help make blood sugar rises more gradual instead of sharp spikes. Leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, and other non-starchy vegetables are great options to include regularly.
5. Move Your Body After Meals
A simple way to help manage blood sugar is to move your body after eating. Light activity, such as a 10–15 minute slow walk, doing housework, or light stretching, can help your muscles use some of the glucose from your meal for energy. This helps reduce the size of the blood sugar spike after eating.
6. Eat Dessert After a Meal, Not on an Empty Stomach
If you have a sweet tooth and really love desserts, the good news is you don’t have to completely avoid them. Instead of eating sweets on an empty stomach, have them after a balanced meal that contains fiber, protein, and fats. This helps slow down sugar absorption and reduces the size of the glucose spike.
Tips on Snacks:
If you feel hungry between meals, choosing the right snacks can help keep your blood sugar stable. Snacks that contain protein, healthy fats, or fiber are generally better than sugary or highly processed snacks.
Healthier snack options may include:
Nuts
Full-fat raw cheese
Avocado
Boiled eggs
Greek/ Bulgarian yogurt
Dark chocolate (80% above)
Ham or other protein-rich foods
These options can help you stay satisfied while avoiding sudden spikes in blood sugar.
FAQs
Sugar, Carbohydrates, Starch, and Glucose: What’s the Difference?
These terms are related but not exactly the same. Carbohydrates are a broad group of nutrients that include sugars, starches, and fiber. Sugar is a simple type of carbohydrate that the body can absorb quickly.
Starch is a complex carbohydrate found in foods like rice, bread, and potatoes. During digestion, starch is broken down into glucose, which is the form of sugar that circulates in your bloodstream and is used by your body for energy.
What Is Dopamine Hunger?
Dopamine hunger refers to the craving for foods that quickly stimulate the brain’s reward system, such as sugary or highly processed foods. When you eat these foods, your brain releases dopamine, a chemical linked to pleasure and motivation, which makes you want to repeat the behavior.
This is why people often crave sweets, snacks, or desserts even when they are not physically hungry. The craving is driven more by the brain’s desire for reward rather than the body’s actual need for energy.