Encore: The Worst And Best Foods For Your Blood Sugar with Dr. Casey Means

Mark Hyman

Dec 18, 2024

Episode description

What if you had a tool that helped you not only make better health decisions in the grocery store and restaurants but also gave you real-time feedback on how your body uniquely reacts to any kind of food? That is the beauty of wearable technology, and thanks to continuous glucose monitors this is something we’ll all be able to take advantage of in the near future. Levels is one company that’s been spearheading this field, providing an incredible amount of information on blood sugar responses and metabolic individuality. Today on “The Dr. Hyman Show,” I talk to Dr. Casey Means about what we can learn from the 51 million data points Levels has already gathered on blood glucose reactions, and so much more.

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Mindsip insights from this episode:

Beware of glucose spike from ProLon fasting diet soup

The tomato soup from the popular ProLon fasting-mimicking diet was found to cause a significant average glucose spike of 53 mg/dL.

#fasting

#glucose

Avoid Skittles to prevent glucose spikes

Across a dataset of 51 million glucose data points, Skittles were the single worst food, causing an average glucose rise of 83 mg/dL.

#glucose

#nutrition

Take a walk to reduce glucose spikes after sugary drinks

In an experiment, taking a simple walk after drinking a can of Coke lowered the median glucose spike by 33%.

#exercise

#glucose

Avoid naked carbs to prevent blood sugar spikes

Carbohydrates consumed alone without fat, protein, and fiber, referred to as 'naked carbs,' are more likely to cause significant blood sugar spikes.

#glucose

#nutrition

Beware of 'healthy' foods that spike blood sugar

Foods marketed as healthy, such as unsweetened oat milk, can cause a monumental glucose spike, whereas other non-dairy milks have virtually no response.

#glucose

#nutrition

Maintain fasting glucose levels between 70-85 mg/dL for optimal metabolic health

An optimal fasting glucose level is in the lower-normal range of 70-85 mg/dL, as levels in the high 90s are a lagging indicator of poor metabolic health.

#glucose

#metabolism

Strategically order meals to lower glucose response

Eating protein and fat before carbohydrates in a meal has been shown to significantly lower the subsequent glucose response.

#glucose

#nutrition

Recognize fructose's role in insulin resistance and fatty liver disease

Fructose doesn't spike glucose on a monitor but directly contributes to insulin resistance and fatty liver disease by creating uric acid and oxidative stress.

#fatty-liver

#fructose

Choose peach pie over sugary cereals for better glucose control

Peach pie causes a lower average glucose spike than many popular breakfast cereals like Cinnamon Toast Crunch, which is worse than eating dessert for breakfast.