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Foods that raise blood sugar

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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Blood sugar is a stable indicator at any age. The sugar level fluctuates depending on food, even unsweetened ones, and therefore it is determined in tests taken on an empty stomach. If the indicator does not exceed 5.5 mmol/l, there is nothing to worry about. Products that increase blood sugar have a negative effect on people with a history of diabetes.

What foods increase blood sugar?

The question: what foods increase blood sugar? – is of particular interest to athletes and diabetics. In short, these are foods rich in carbohydrates. They can be divided into several groups:

  • cereals;
  • some vegetables;
  • berries and fruits;
  • certain types of dairy products;
  • honey, sugar, other sweets.

Individual groups of foods that raise blood sugar do so at different rates. Because of this, diabetics must constantly monitor the quantity and quality of food they eat.

Rapidly increase sugar levels:

  • sugar, candy, honey, baked goods, other sugar-containing products;
  • corn, potato, pineapple, banana;
  • canned goods, smoked products;
  • meat, fish, cheese;
  • nuts.

The following foods have little effect on sugar levels: fatty foods, various stews, sandwiches, desserts with proteins and cream, including ice cream.

Fruits with a small amount of fiber do not increase blood glucose: watermelons, pears, tomatoes, apples, oranges, strawberries, cabbage, cucumbers.

Prohibited foods for high blood sugar

Prohibited products for high blood sugar include all those that provoke a sharp jump in its level. First of all, products enriched with fast carbohydrates that increase blood sugar are excluded from the diet. Namely:

  • carbonated and energy drinks;
  • semi-finished products, smoked products;
  • fatty first courses;
  • candies, jams, sweets;
  • sausage, lard;
  • ketchup;
  • mushrooms;
  • canned goods, marinades;
  • tangerines, grapes, dried fruits;
  • alcohol.

Priority is given to foods containing complex carbohydrates: buckwheat and wheat porridge, unprocessed rice, whole grain bread, leafy greens.

People with diabetes are bound to come across the concept of the glycemic index. This figure characterizes the speed at which sugar consumed with food enters the blood.

For diabetics, products with an index of up to 30 are recommended. If more, food should be kept under control. Food with a GI above 70 is recommended to be excluded.

There are special tables that calculate the GI of the most popular food products. They can be used by anyone interested in this issue.

Allowed foods for high blood sugar

The basis of the diabetic diet is the restriction or maximum refusal of easily digestible carbohydrates and the consumption of products with a low glycemic index. We are talking about the so-called diet No. 9. Food should be fortified and low-calorie, without products that increase blood sugar.

You should eat regularly, in small portions, in 5-7 meals. An equally distributed dose of carbohydrates allows you to maintain the desired indicators at a stable level.

The diet depends on the patient's individual indicators (weight, age) and blood test results. Non-starchy boiled and baked vegetables and stews are prepared from the permitted products for high blood sugar. Fried fruits are "outlawed". Also useful:

  • Flour products made from bran, whole grain, rye flour. White baked goods and pastries are prohibited.
  • Dietary meat and fish are steamed, boiled, baked. Eggs are allowed 2 per day.
  • Seafood, vinaigrettes, and jellied fish can be present on a diabetic’s table.
  • Instead of sugar – xylitol or sorbitol. Salt is limited.
  • Cottage cheese and cottage cheese dishes, fermented milk products up to 2 glasses per day are acceptable products for high blood sugar.
  • Of the cereals, oatmeal, pearl barley, millet and buckwheat are useful. Semolina is excluded from this list.

Fruits are taken after meals, choosing only those that have little glucose. Sweets with sugar substitutes and a little honey are allowed.

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Foods That Increase Blood Sugar During Pregnancy

Normally, the sugar level of a pregnant woman who has donated blood on an empty stomach is within the range of 4.0 - 5.2 millimoles/liter. After eating, the figure can increase to 6.7. The average normal values are from 3.3 to 6.6. The increase is explained by the fact that the woman's pancreas is not always able to cope with the load.

At a certain stage, pregnant women who are under control at antenatal clinics undergo sugar tests. An increase in insulin, first detected during pregnancy, indicates the presence of the so-called gestational form of diabetes.

Expectant mothers who are at risk should carefully monitor their diet and avoid foods that are harmful to them. It is recommended to purchase a personal glucose monitor (take a test on an empty stomach) and eat every three hours. At the same time, completely exclude foods that increase blood sugar during pregnancy.

  • The menu should include buckwheat porridge, chicken broth, vegetables, and dry biscuits. Red meat, mushrooms, spicy, sweet, salty, and fatty foods are not recommended.

There are risks associated with pregnancy, and women should be aware of them. Elevated levels can provoke miscarriage, adverse changes and death of the fetus. And even if the child is born safely, unfortunately, it may have problems: congenital insulin resistance and carbohydrate metabolism failure. Therefore, it is very important to combine dishes so that both mother and child are happy, that is, receive a full set of necessary components.

Restrictions on the use of products that increase blood sugar apply to people with health problems. Even with minor deviations, you should review your diet and see a specialist. When you are sick, your diet becomes a way of life, and if there are no indications, it is enough to follow a healthy diet, without particularly focusing on various restrictions.

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