The sugar spikes often seen come from ‘visually unhealthy’ foods. Depending on the look, this usually involves chocolate, cake, pastries, or anything that seems too ‘sugary’. Because of this appearance, one may have to be wary of foods that taste overly sweet, thereby limiting intake.
But here’s the mistake, foods that appear to be traditionally healthy escape scrutiny, even when they spike blood sugar just as quickly.
Also read: Endocrinologists share the best and worst fruits for blood sugar spikes: Know where berries, grapes, bananas, apples stand
Addressing this, Dr. Alessia Rohenault, a New Jersey-based endocrinologist, shared 3 healthy foods that raise blood sugar faster than chocolate cake and how one can modify them to make them better. He revealed that one chocolate raises blood sugar to the range of 38-45, which is low to moderate. But the other ‘healthy foods’ he highlighted also sent blood sugars rising much higher, ranging from the 60s to the 90s.
1. Instant Porridge Packets
The first thing he warns about is instant oatmeal. Oats are often the first choice for a healthy breakfast, but who cares? According to endocrinologists, those instant oats are highly processed, and they cause a very rapid increase in blood sugar.
Then how do you make it better? Here’s Dr. Rohnelt’s suggestion, “If you mix instant oatmeal with perhaps a little milk instead of water, you’ll add some fat and protein that will slow the rise in blood sugar.” Instant oatmilk has the highest spike level among the foods they report: 79-83.
2. Oatmilk Latte
Oatmilk is widely chosen over dairy products, but how risk-free is it, especially when used for a latte?
“Oat milk is made from enzymatically broken down oats, which actually gives them a very high glycemic index,” Dr. Rohnnelt said. “When you combine that type of milk with some potential sweeteners in your latte, the blood sugar goes much higher after that.”
For those unaware, the glycemic index is a scale that evaluates how quickly a food raises blood sugar after eating. Turns out that a latte made with oatmilk ranks high on this scale. Dr. Rohenault shared a score of 65-75 spikes, which is moderate to high. The endocrinologist’s recommendation to make this drink healthier was to replace the oatmilk with almond milk to lower the glycemic index.
3. Acai Bowl
Acai bowl is a thick smoothie bowl with lots of fruit on top. It looks very healthy, but the surprising thing is that after eating it, the increase in blood sugar is the highest. Endocrinologists report it to be in the range of 70-90, which is labeled as high.
“These have a very high fruit-to-protein ratio, and then when you add any kind of juice or granola to it, it spikes the blood sugar even more,” Dr. Rohnelt explains why it has a high glycemic index.
To make an acai bowl more nutritious and less likely to spike blood sugar levels, Dr. Rohnelt recommends adding a scoop of yogurt or eating some nuts.
So what happens if you continue to have these supposedly healthy snacks on a regular basis? According to endocrinologists, starting your day with them can cause blood sugar to rise rapidly, followed by a crash. In such a situation, one feels tired throughout the day.
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them. This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
