Sunday Sessions #1
The Fuss on Sugar
What we are currently thinking..
Sugar, what’s all the fuss?
We recently reviewed a podcast on our Instagram on the effects of blood sugar which got me thinking, how much of this (controlling our blood sugars) actually matters for most people? The problem often starts when vague terminology, or failing to provide context, leads people to worrying about factors that are in fact normal. Blood sugar is no different. The people who typically find and implement this information are often those who don’t need it, while those that could benefit never stumble across it in the first place.
When we eat carbohydrate, blood sugar levels rise. This rise in blood sugar signals the release of insulin which takes that sugar from the blood and deposits it into the muscle and/or liver (to be stored for energy). These “spikes” in blood sugar are a normal response to you consuming carbohydrate and in healthy, non-diabetic, individuals then returns to baseline levels. The health issues typically arise when blood sugars remain chronically elevated for long periods of time due to a poor insulin response (diabetics).
The biggest risk factor in the development of diabetes (type 2) isn’t in fact sugar, but overconsumption of calories in general. This typically leads to the liver and muscle having a “full” effect whereby blood sugar levels, even while fasted, are elevated. What we should be focusing on is mediating ways to manage ones overall calorie needs to help them maintain a healthy weight while encouraging regular forms of physical activity.