Blood sugar and insulin resistance made easy
I don’t know about you, but it took me a while to get my head around blood sugars and insulin resistance, so I thought it might be useful to put together a quick and easy to understand blog outlining the basics. Here goes!
What Are Blood Sugar Spikes? (And Why Do They Matter?)
You’ve most likely recognised that when you eat something sweet, for example a biscuit, fizzy drink or a sandwich you might feel full of energy at first … but later really tired?
That’s called a blood sugar spike.
What is blood sugar?
Blood sugar is the sugar in your blood that your body uses for energy.
When you eat food, your body turns some of it into sugar to give you fuel
What is a blood sugar spike?
A blood sugar spike happens when sugar in your blood goes up really fast.
This can happen when you eat:
- Sugary foods (like sweets or cake)
- White bread or sugary cereal
- Fizzy drinks or juice
- Any food with carbohydrates in it - check the labels
Your body gets a big rush of energy… but it doesn’t last long.
After the spike, your blood sugar drops quickly. That’s when you might feel:
- Tired
- Grumpy
- Hungry again
What is insulin?
Your body creates something called insulin that helps it release sugar from the blood stream.
Insulin is like a key. It helps move sugar out of your blood and into your body’s cells, where it can be used for energy.
What is insulin resistance?
If your body has too many sugar spikes over time, it can stop listening properly to insulin. This is called insulin resistance.
It means:
- The “key” (insulin) doesn’t work as well
- Sugar stays in the blood instead of going into cells
- Your body has to work extra hard
Why is this not good for us?
Too many blood sugar spikes and insulin resistance can cause problems like:
- Feeling tired a lot
- Trouble focusing
- Feeling hungry all the time
- Weight gain
- Health problems like diabetes
Why is it important to keep blood sugar balanced?
When your blood sugar is steady (not going up and down all the time), your body feels much better.
You will have:
- More energy
- Better focus
- A happier mood
- Less hunger
How can we keep blood sugar steady?
Here are some simple tips:
1. Eat balanced meals
Try to eat:
- Protein (like eggs, meats, yoghurt, cheese)
- Healthy fats (like nuts or avocado)
- Fibre (like vegetables, coconut flour, psyllium husk)
2. Don’t eat too much sugar on its own
For example:
- Toast on its own → quick spike
- Toast + eggs or nut butter → steadier energy
- Although if you are eating low carb you’re most likely avoiding bread but if you do have it this is a good tip!
3. Snack smart
Good snacks include:
- Nuts
- Eggs
- Apple slices with peanut butter
- Ham off the bone
A little helping hand
Sometimes it’s not about cutting out treats - it’s about choosing ones that are a bit kinder to your body.
That’s actually one of the reasons I started making Go-Low baking mixes. I wanted something the whole family could easily make and enjoy… without that big sugar spikes and crash afterwards!
