What counts as a blood sugar ‘spike’

[Lamont D]

Ok so results are as follows after a 64g carbs dinner: -
Before dinner - 5.6
30 mins after - 8.3
60 mins after - 9.6
90 mins after - 8.7
2 hours after - 7.5

Looks like I spike 1 hour after eating (well today anyway) my question now is if my blood sugar is returning to 7.5 2 hours after than surely that’s ok? Or should I not be wanting a spike as high as 9? According to my diabetic nurse and various sources under 8.5 2 hours after a meal is what I should be aiming for. So 7.5 after 2 hours is fine??

If it was only the two hours after from pre meal, I would say, that the reading would be borderline, and with glucometer not being as accurate as you would wish, it in my opinion too high. I would be looking at much nearer the pre meal.
Along with that view, the spike is relatively high at the hour mark.
It is the abnormal spikes that is the ones to avoid.
You have a normal pre meal reading, but the spike reading is too high, that to me for the food you have had is an abnormal reading. And to be avoided, either by portion control, having some good fats, or by avoidance.

It is a huge learning curve and you will learn so much from all the experiments you do.
I would agree with everything above, excellent advice.
And add, that I used a food diary to help with my discovery of what I should eat, and those I shouldn't.

my spike is around 45 minutes to an hour after first bite, if I have one, out of normal levels, but because I have knowledge of what my body can tolerate. And I don't want to have spikes higher than 7mmols. But that is me.
it will be different for you.
so keep asking, keep testing, start recording your meals and results.
best wishes.

 

[Paul_]

I’ve applied for the libre 2 free trial and am awaiting delivery of that. I know that will give me a more accurate reading for carbs and what my blood sugar is doing at night. Especially as I am waking up in the 7-9 range.
Trying to get my results from carbs now as I know the NHS don’t give out testing strips for Type 2 diet only. Plus if I can stop testing all the time, great. Feel like I’m getting unhealthily obsessed with the number on the machine before and after every meal.

If it's any consolation, I became obsessed for a while too. In all honesty, if you're going for the diet managed T2 route, I think you kind of have to become obsessed while finding your way with a new diet. I used to test first thing in the morning, before and 2 hours after every meal, sometimes I'd also test during and after the 2 hour window too, then I'd even test before bed to see what was going on. I was burning through up to 10 test strips a day at points for at least 2-3 months, testing everything I ate and tracking trends. Armed with this information, I reduced my hba1c from 83 in July 2023 to 29 in my latest blood test, however for the last 6 months I've been in a more settled routine with diet (thanks to the testing marathon in the first 3 months) and I don't test anywhere near as often.

 

[MimT]

I’ve been given a blood sugar monitor to check what foods are spiking my blood sugar but so far no carbs are… unless I’m grossly underestimating what a spike is….?

Potatoes - 130g (39.5 carbs per meal)
Before meal - 5.6
After meal - 6.1

Rice - 66g (86.8 carbs per meal)
Before meal - 5.4
After meal - 7.3

Bread - 14.6g (34g carbs per meal)
Before meal - 5.8
After meal - 7.4

Now, would any of these be considered a spike?
The only thing I have found that’s spiked my sugars (unsurprisingly) is galaxy caramel when the night after I ate a whole bar I woke up to a blood sugar of 11.0.

Why aren’t carbs spiking my blood sugar?

In my limited experience, blood glucose levels can vary depending on what I eat, how much of it I eat (portion size) and when I eat it - morning, afternoon or evening.

For example, it looks as if you monitored after having one slice of bread. I have found that one slice of wholemeal bread is fine (ie a rise but no big spike), even at breakfast time. However, two slices, such as a sandwich, can cause a spike, even later in the day - but not always. I haven't tried potatoes or rice yet as I only started monitoring in late February and have been avoiding those foods. As another example - I can't eat a large portion of sweet potato in the evening (say 350g), but I can eat a smaller portion (<170g) with greens and steak for example.

What I'm saying is that it might be down to portion size and time of eating. That is, provided you keep the portions within the above limits they may be fine in your diet.

 

[EmilyMay11]

If it was only the two hours after from pre meal, I would say, that the reading would be borderline, and with glucometer not being as accurate as you would wish, it in my opinion too high. I would be looking at much nearer the pre meal.
Along with that view, the spike is relatively high at the hour mark.
It is the abnormal spikes that is the ones to avoid.
You have a normal pre meal reading, but the spike reading is too high, that to me for the food you have had is an abnormal reading. And to be avoided, either by portion control, having some good fats, or by avoidance.

It is a huge learning curve and you will learn so much from all the experiments you do.
I would agree with everything above, excellent advice.
And add, that I used a food diary to help with my discovery of what I should eat, and those I shouldn't.

my spike is around 45 minutes to an hour after first bite, if I have one, out of normal levels, but because I have knowledge of what my body can tolerate. And I don't want to have spikes higher than 7mmols. But that is me.
it will be different for you.
so keep asking, keep testing, start recording your meals and results.
best wishes.

I’m going to try testing at these intervals tonight with a mediumish amount carbs meal (200g potatoes) and then Saturday evening with a very low carb meal (under 30g) to see what happens.
I’ll keep testing in the hopes one day I can stop testing
Thanks for your reply.

 

[Lamont D]

I’m going to try testing at these intervals tonight with a mediumish amount carbs meal (200g potatoes) and then Saturday evening with a very low carb meal (under 30g) to see what happens.
I’ll keep testing in the hopes one day I can stop testing
Thanks for your reply.

Your favourite food is something I haven't ate for about nearly fifteen years ish.
And I do understand why.
Anything with chips, was my diet, feeding four children and a busy working life.
And how I miss a chip doorstep.
Spuds are full of starch, which is just another example of a carbohydrate.
And it is the carbs and sugars that spike you.
You may not have to give them up totally, but be prepared to reduce the portion size, to help with controlling your blood glucose levels, and reducing your spikes.
Best wishes.

 

[Beating-My-Betes]

All my readings have been below a raise of 2.0mmol and under 8.5. Been lucky in that sense, since my favourite food is potatoes in any form lol

You seem to be doing great!

 

[EmilyMay11]

Your favourite food is something I haven't ate for about nearly fifteen years ish.
And I do understand why.
Anything with chips, was my diet, feeding four children and a busy working life.
And how I miss a chip doorstep.
Spuds are full of starch, which is just another example of a carbohydrate.
And it is the carbs and sugars that spike you.
You may not have to give them up totally, but be prepared to reduce the portion size, to help with controlling your blood glucose levels, and reducing your spikes.
Best wishes.

I tested with lunch since I had a McDonald’s: Big Mac and fries with 6 nuggets.

before - 6.1
30 mins after - 6.4
60 mins after - 8.8
90 mins after - 8.3
2 hours after - 6.9

Seem to respond less to the carbs in McDonald’s than the carbs in the pastry of the spring rolls last night. Don’t think I’ll be eating pastry again.

The more I’m testing the more I think I’m just getting obsessed over it. Spend that last 10 days doing nothing but obsessing over blood sugars and reading diabetic forums. Think I’ll just stay with post 2 hours meal and go from there. I’ll also see what my diabetic nurse suggests at the next appointment.

 

[EmilyMay11]

You seem to be doing great!

Thank you! I’m hoping I caught it early enough that I haven’t done too much damage and my body can handle carbs (at the moment) and I can ‘reverse it’. Fingers crossed.

 

[Paul_]

I tested with lunch since I had a McDonald’s: Big Mac and fries with 6 nuggets.

before - 6.1
30 mins after - 6.4
60 mins after - 8.8
90 mins after - 8.3
2 hours after - 6.9

Seem to respond less to the carbs in McDonald’s than the carbs in the pastry of the spring rolls last night. Don’t think I’ll be eating pastry again.

The more I’m testing the more I think I’m just getting obsessed over it. Spend that last 10 days doing nothing but obsessing over blood sugars and reading diabetic forums. Think I’ll just stay with post 2 hours meal and go from there. I’ll also see what my diabetic nurse suggests at the next appointment.

McDonald's is high fat and high protein, so that causes slower digestion of the carbs when it all mixes together in your stomach. If the carbs are digested at a slower rate, it can have the positive benefit of allowing the resulting glucose (carried by insulin) to be absorbed at a rate where your insulin resistance doesn't cause a build up of glucose in your bloodstream.

Spring rolls (and pastry products generally) are quite a high proportion of carbs to any other macronutrient, so there's not much chance of carb digestion being slowed. Pastry has a significant impact on my blood glucose levels and I seem to remember @KennyA saying on another thread previously he'd experienced the same with it too, so you're not alone with it.

 

[lovinglife]

I tested with lunch since I had a McDonald’s: Big Mac and fries with 6 nuggets.

before - 6.1
30 mins after - 6.4
60 mins after - 8.8
90 mins after - 8.3
2 hours after - 6.9

Seem to respond less to the carbs in McDonald’s than the carbs in the pastry of the spring rolls last night. Don’t think I’ll be eating pastry again.

The more I’m testing the more I think I’m just getting obsessed over it. Spend that last 10 days doing nothing but obsessing over blood sugars and reading diabetic forums. Think I’ll just stay with post 2 hours meal and go from there. I’ll also see what my diabetic nurse suggests at the next appointment.

If I was doing this experiment (which I would never do as it would make me feel so yucky) the following would be my testing regime
Test at first bite
1 hr
2hr
3hr & depending on the 3 hr reading possibly 4hrs too

I bet you a chicken nugget to a chicken breast in a cream sauce my readings at 1 & 2hr I would see pretty much what you have, my 3hr & 4 hr would continue to rise again probably into double figures and stay up probably in the high 6s to 7s for a while after that too

as @Paul_ says it’s high fat as well as high carb so the fat will have slowed down the absorption of carbs.

 

[EmilyMay11]

McDonald's is high fat and high protein, so that causes slower digestion of the carbs when it all mixes together in your stomach. If the carbs are digested at a slower rate, it can have the positive benefit of allowing the resulting glucose (carried by insulin) to be absorbed at a rate where your insulin resistance doesn't cause a build up of glucose in your bloodstream.

Spring rolls (and pastry products generally) are quite a high proportion of carbs to any other macronutrient, so there's not much chance of carb digestion being slowed. Pastry has a significant impact on my blood glucose levels and I seem to remember @KennyA saying on another thread previously he'd experienced the same with it too, so you're not alone with it.

I think it was this thread, someone said about pastry. Glad I’m not alone in that. Knew I should have had rice instead of the spring rolls. Definitely will be avoiding pastry products from now on!!

 

[EmilyMay11]

If I was doing this experiment (which I would never do as it would make me feel so yucky) the following would be my testing regime
Test at first bite
1 hr
2hr
3hr & depending on the 3 hr reading possibly 4hrs too

I bet you a chicken nugget to a chicken breast in a cream sauce my readings at 1 & 2hr I would see pretty much what you have, my 3hr & 4 hr would continue to rise again probably into double figures and stay up probably in the high 6s to 7s for a while after that too

as @Paul_ says it’s high fat as well as high carb so the fat will have slowed down the absorption of carbs.

I don’t have any foods that make me feel yucky. I’m quite lucky in that respect. Very lucky to not have any symptoms (yet) either.
I did test after 3 hours but it was reading the same 6.8.
Had done my blood sugar about an hour ago (4 1/2 hours after the McDonald’s) before some toast for dinner and reading was 5.9.
So I should be trying to include some fats into my diet?

 

[lovinglife]

I don’t have any foods that make me feel yucky. I’m quite lucky in that respect. Very lucky to not have any symptoms (yet) either.
I did test after 3 hours but it was reading the same 6.8.
Had done my blood sugar about an hour ago (4 1/2 hours after the McDonald’s) before some toast for dinner and reading was 5.9.
So I should be trying to include some fats into my diet?

The reason that the food would make me feel yucky would be the high BS not the food itself, high carb high fat isn’t a great diet for anyone never mind someone with T2, if you reduce your carbs then including more good fats in your diet would keep you fuller but I wouldn’t recommend upping your fats if you are still eating lots of carbs.

I eat 20g or less of carbs a day and I eat normal fat not high fat

 

[RayCox]

Should you Emilymay be going low/no carb. Your BG will not improve if you eat lots of carbohydrates.