Why ‘Healthy’ Foods Might Be Spiking Your Blood Sugar
The So-Called ‘Healthy’ Foods Secretly Spiking Your Blood Sugar
Have you ever felt like you’re doing everything right—choosing whole grains, opting for low-fat options, loading up on fruits—yet still struggle with fatigue, stubborn weight, or erratic blood sugar levels?
What if I told you that some of the “healthy” foods you trust might actually be working against you?
It sounds shocking, but it’s true.
Despite our best intentions, hidden sugars and sneaky ingredients in common health foods could be sabotaging your efforts to balance your blood sugar and maintain optimal health.
Curious to find out which ones?
But before we dive into the specifics, let’s take a moment to understand the science behind diet and blood sugar balance. It is important that you understand when I reveal these ‘healthy’ foods holding you back that there is data and studies behind why, and why my suggestions could be a massive help for you.
The Alkaline Science Behind Diet and Blood Sugar Balance
A ton of recent studies have shown that an alkaline diet—rich in greens, vegetables, healthy fats, etc (see my alkaline food chart here)—can help prevent insulin resistance and support healthy blood sugar levels. As we get into the suggestions of foods to avoid in this guide, it’s important you note that these foods are labelled as ‘healthy’ by the mainstream, but are actually acid-forming to the body.
[Note: if you’re keen to understand more about why this is important, why pH matters, and the science behind this, check out my guide here]
- Study 1: A 2016 study published in Biochimie found that diets high in acid-producing foods can lead to insulin resistance. The researchers concluded that maintaining acid-base balance through dietary choices may improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. (Source)
- Study 2: Research published in Nutrients indicated a strong association between an acidic diet (called “dietary acid load”) and insulin resistance. The study suggested that diets high in acid-forming foods might contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes, while an alkaline diet could be protective. (Source)
- Study 3: A 2023 review in Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders emphasized the role of metabolic acidosis in type 2 diabetes, highlighting that diet-induced acidosis may impair insulin sensitivity. (Source)
These studies underscore the importance of focusing on those lovely alkaline-forming foods to help in managing blood sugar levels and preventing insulin resistance. By focusing on alkaline-forming foods, you can create a more balanced internal environment that supports optimal health.
Ready to uncover the hidden culprits in your diet that might be spiking your blood sugar?
Let’s dive in.
1. Whole Wheat Bread and the Hidden Impact of Amylopectin-A
Is Your Daily Bread Betraying You?
Whole wheat bread often wears a health halo, touted as a superior alternative to white bread. But here’s the twist: it might be spiking your blood sugar more than you think, and is actually no healthier than plain old white bread.
In fact, all gluten-containing grains, whether it’s wheat, spelt, rye, etc. are causing a blood-sugar-spiking nightmare.
The Culprit: A starch called amylopectin-A.
This rapidly digestible starch breaks down quickly, flooding your bloodstream with glucose. In fact, amylopectin-A can raise blood sugar levels even faster than table sugar!
Imagine that—every slice is sending your insulin on a rollercoaster ride. In fact, gluten-containing grains spike your blood sugar more than regular sugar!
And now imagine the typical daily standard American diet (it’s not just America, it’s the “standard modern diet”)…
- breads, bagels, pastries, cereals for breakfast
- plus jams, preserves, orange juice, coffee with sugar…
- sandwiches for lunch
- pasta, breads, pizza at dinner…
Can you imagine the constant blood sugar spiking, all day, every day…and what this is going to do to your poor old pancreas and that insulin response?
And this is before we get onto the next foods in the list…
2. Low-Fat Yogurt
Could Your Yogurt Be a Sugar Bomb in Disguise?
You grab a low-fat yogurt, thinking it’s a smart choice. After all, it’s low in fat and packed with probiotics, right?
But here’s what the sugar industry doesn’t want you to know.
When fat is removed, flavor often goes with it. To make up for this, manufacturers pump in sugar—sometimes more than a candy bar’s worth!
The Shocking Truth: These added sugars can wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels.
What many don’t realize is that healthy fats actually help stabilize blood sugar and insulin levels. Fat slows down the digestion of carbohydrates, leading to a more gradual release of glucose into the bloodstream. By removing fat and adding sugar, these yogurts can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar, defeating the purpose of choosing yogurt as a healthy option.
3. Fruit Juices: Nature’s Healthy Beverage or Sugar-Laden Trap?
Is That Morning OJ Doing More Harm Than Good?
Fruit juices seem innocent enough—they’re made from fruit, after all. But without the fiber of whole fruit, you’re essentially drinking a concentrated dose of sugar.
The Eye-Opener: Even 100% natural fruit juice can spike your blood sugar as rapidly as a sugary soda.
Behind the Scenes: Fructose and Your Liver
Here’s something you might not have heard before: Fructose, the primary sugar in fruit juice, is metabolized differently than other sugars like glucose. Unlike glucose, which is used by every cell in your body, fructose is processed almost entirely in your liver.
Why does this matter?
When you consume fructose in large amounts—as you do when drinking fruit juice—the liver gets overloaded. It can’t convert all that fructose into energy, so it starts turning it into fat. This can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, impairing your liver’s ability to regulate blood sugar and insulin levels effectively.
But that’s not all.
Fructose metabolism also produces uric acid, a waste product that, in excess, can lead to inflammation and increase your risk of gout and kidney stones. Elevated uric acid levels can also contribute to insulin resistance, making it harder for your body to manage blood sugar levels.
So, that glass of orange juice might be causing more harm than you realize, setting off a chain reaction that affects your liver health, promotes inflammation, and disrupts insulin balance.
The Solution: Reach for whole fruits instead. The fiber slows down sugar absorption, keeping your blood sugar steady and allowing your liver to process fructose more efficiently.
4. Dried Fruits: Tiny Treats with a Big Sugar Punch
Are Those Raisins Raising More Than Just Your Spirits?
Dried fruits are convenient and tasty, but they’re also sugar-dense. Removing water concentrates the natural sugars, turning a handful into a glycemic surprise.
Just as a little example:
- Dried apricots: 17g sugar per serve
- Sultanas: 29g sugar per serve
- Dates: 32g sugar per serve
The Hidden Risk: A small serving can contain as much sugar as several pieces of fresh fruit, leading to unexpected spikes, and it is SO easy to over eat these!
5. Fruit Smoothies and Acai Bowls
Could Your Instagram-Worthy Breakfast Be Sabotaging Your Health?
They look vibrant and are packed with fruits, but store-bought smoothies and acai bowls often hide heaps of added sugars and sweetened additives.
The Surprise: What seems like a nutrient-packed meal can send your blood sugar soaring. A typical acai bowl of:
- Acai puree
- Banana
- Apple juice
- Blueberries
With a topping of:
- Strawberries
- Granola
- Honey
…contains a whopping 65g of sugar per serve, of which over 32g is fructose. This is going to seriously impact blood sugar and insulin levels.
I have some alternatives for you 😀
6. Granola and Energy Bars: Quick Fix or Quick Spike?
Is Your Go-To Snack a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing?
Marketed as the ideal on-the-go snack, many granola and energy bars are laden with sugars and refined carbs, flavours, preservatives, food additives, chemicals and artificial sweeteners. And when it comes to insulin, they are full of sugar and pro-inflammatory. How they get away with being marketed as a healthy snack…
Most granola bars contain around 12-16g sugar, which is far from being a healthy snack.
There are some incredible alternatives, and I have a few easy recipes for you right here:
The Reality Check: I know that healthy snacks can be hard to find…and I know when you’re hungry and in need of something quick it gets tempting…but with just a little bit of forward planning, having one of my healthy alkaline snacks on hand can be a complete gamechanger.
7. Gluten-Free Packaged Foods: Free of Gluten but Full of…
Are You Swapping One Problem for Another?
Gluten-free doesn’t automatically mean healthy. They often contain acidic additives and chemicals that can be detrimental to your health. To replicate the texture and taste that gluten provides, manufacturers often use artificial additives such as xanthan gum, guar gum, and carrageenan as thickeners and stabilizers. While these ingredients help make it seem like it is gluten-y, they can cause digestive imbalance and inflammation.
Manufacturers also frequently use artificial preservatives like sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate to extend shelf life, as well as artificial flavors and colors to enhance taste and appearance. Some gluten-free packaged foods might also contain the dreaded monosodium glutamate (MSG) or artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose, all highly acid-forming.
And when it comes to insulin, these products frequently contain refined starches and flours like white rice flour, potato starch, or tapioca starch to replicate the texture gluten provides. These ingredients are high on the glycemic index, leading to rapid spikes in blood sugar due to their quick digestion into glucose.
The takeaway is…just because a product is labeled gluten-free doesn’t guarantee it’s free from unhealthy additives and chemicals. Always read labels carefully to identify any artificial ingredients, and focus on naturally gluten-free, whole foods like quinoa and brown rice.
8. Agave Nectar and Other “Natural” Sweeteners
Is Your Natural Sweetener Naturally Misleading?
Agave nectar is often promoted as a low-glycemic sweetener, but it’s high in fructose—a sugar that can lead to insulin resistance when overconsumed. The same goes for honey, maple syrup, coconut syrup, date syrup, raw sugar – you name it – these are all high in fructose.
I have a full guide to the ‘healthy sugar alternatives’ here so you can make the best decisions for you and your family, but please know – as we discussed earlier – fructose is highly inflammatory, acidic, and has a huge impact on insulin and blood sugar levels. And these sugars are all high in fructose (agave is definitely the worst).
The Path Forward: Empowerment Through Just Eating Real Foods (JERF)
Feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the hidden sugars and confusing labels?
Take a deep breath.
The journey to balanced blood sugar doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it can be as simple as embracing the philosophy of JERF: Just Eat Real Foods. I can’t claim credit for that little expression, but I love it. It just makes sense.
Now, you know me – I’m never going to tell you to do it all at once. Start small. Look for where these foods are currently appearing in your day to day life, and find the replacements.
Final Thoughts
Remember, it’s not about perfection—it’s about progress.
Each informed choice and each simple step forward brings you closer to the vibrant health you deserve. I’d LOVE to see you on the Blood Sugar Breakthrough session, I’ve got SO much to share with you!
A brilliant post Ross. I’m sure it will raise awareness of those hidden traps and help people to make healthy choices.
I was diagnosed with gluten intolerance in the mid 80s, when I had to order gluten-free items by phone from specialist companies and make my own baked products. I was delighted when the supermarkets started stocking free-from goods. But rapidly disillusioned when I discovered just how unhealthy most of them are, loaded with sugar and ultra processed ingredients. I only buy pastas, whole grain ciabatta, pitta and wraps from certain manufacturers I view the rest of the alternative baked product shelves as just as forbidden as their normal counterparts.
It makes my blood boil. The rising number of parents shopping for their children suffering gluten and other intolerances are being blindsided. Not only are these products far more expensive, but they’re extremely unhealthy. And they’re encouraging children to be addicted to sugar. How do we get manufacturers of so called “free from” foods to take a more responsible approach and stop loading on the sugar and other ultra processed ingredients?