I tried a blood sugar tracking device and what I learned surprised me
I tried a blood sugar tracking device and what I learned surprised me
[Published on www.1news.co.nz 5th April 2025]
Yes sugar and carbs cause spikes and dips in our blood sugar levels, but other things impact them too.
In the world of wellbeing how food impacts your blood sugar (glucose) levels has been a hot topic for many years. With blood sugar "crashes" being blamed for our low energy levels and the blood sugar "rollercoaster" believed to be the root of many health problems; it's no wonder so many people feel anxious at the thought of what might going on inside them when they eat.
Having previously worked for many years as a dietitian for Diabetes NZ, I have a professional understanding of blood sugar level management and what really impacts the ups and downs. But with the rise of interest in self-monitoring and the growing promotion and availability of blood glucose monitoring devices, I decided try one out.
This is what I learned:
1. It's normal for blood sugar to fluctuate
This happens throughout the day and during the night. Your body has a very clever inbuilt system that's designed to manage the amount of sugar in your blood by producing the hormone insulin when your blood sugar levels are on the rise and releasing glucagon when your blood sugar levels get too low to keep your levels within the ideal range of 4-8mmol/l.
From my tracking, I saw this in real life action and was reminded that even without food, during the night for example, our blood sugar goes up and down as our bodies do their thing. We do not need to fear this normal fluctuation.
2. Not all carbs are to be feared
Yes, it is true that eating carbs increases blood sugar levels, but this in not inherently a bad thing if you're eating appropriate quantities of fibre-rich or wholegrain carbohydrates, such as oats or brown rice, which are more slowly absorbed by your body and don’t make the swings up and down of your blood sugar too extreme. Large consistent volumes of sugary drinks, highly processed carbohydrates (think pasta, bread and cakes and anything else made with white flour and sugar) along with eating more than your body needs does, however, present problems.
3. Protein and fat are key
It was really interesting to see in real time just how much difference eating a complete meal like rice, chicken, veggies and avocado (even with a bit of sugar in the teriyaki sauce), compared to just eating rice alone. When you're eating carbs as part of a complete meal, it doesn’t cause the same spikes as when you have them on their own. Even the effect of jam on toast can be offset by also adding some peanut butter for example.
4. Stress can cause spikes
During this experiment we were trying to buy a house and on several occasions over the 10 days of tracking, without having anything to eat or drink, during stressful conversations with real estate agents, banks and so on, my blood sugar level rose significantly! This was a big lesson to me and a reminder of just how holistic this whole process is. It's not just food that matters; keeping your stress in check and getting enough quality sleep matters too.
5. Exercise plays a big role
One of the biggest learnings of all was the enormous impact of activity on my blood sugar levels. Moving your body increases your body's sensitivity to insulin and better able to manage rises in your blood sugar and, interestingly, it's not just at the time of exercising that this takes effect. Even for hours after exercising, this sensitivity continues. On the days I did a morning walk, I really noticed my blood sugar level peaks being lower, compared to days when I didn’t walk, even though I ate the same things. So rather than stressing over every gram of carbs in your meal, do some moving!
Do you need a blood sugar level tracker?
Would I recommend a blood sugar level tracking device if you don’t have diabetes? Not unless you have a qualified health professional working with you who can help you correctly interpret the data. While it is interesting to see all the ups and downs, the readings can be influenced by all sorts of things, so context always needs to be applied.
As a first step if you want to know more about your blood sugar and how well your body is managing things, you can ask your doctor to get your HbA1c tested which measures your average blood sugar over a three-month period.
Overall balancing your meals, opting for quality carbs when you have them, moving your body and prioritising seven to nine hours of sleep a night will help keep you well.
Here’s a link to the article on nzherald.co.nz: I tried a blood sugar tracking device and what I learned surprised me
Want to know more? If you would like support to understand your blood sugar levels and learn how to balance your meals and lifestyle better, reach out to my team of registered dietitians and nutritionists at Mission Nutrition, they would love to help you.
