blood sugar levels after eating

Many foods that you eat contain the sugar vital to your body’s normal function. Sweets, such as candy or cake contain processed sugar. Fruit contains natural sugar. The body converts carbohydrates into sugar. When you ingest sugar from any of these sources, it enters your bloodstream and becomes what is known as blood glucose or blood sugar levels after eating.

You can test your blood glucose level by placing a small amount of blood on a small strip of treated paper that you then insert into a glucose meter. Normal blood sugar levels are between 70 mg/dl to 120 mg/dl (milligrams of blood glucose per deciliter of blood).

Hyperglycemia is when your blood glucose levels are higher than normal. Blood glucose levels below normal can cause a condition called hypoglycemia.

When sugar enters your bloodstream, your pancreas is triggered to produce a hormone called insulin. Insulin bonds with the blood glucose, allowing it to feed your body the energy that it needs. The pancreas constantly monitors your blood glucose levels and produces enough insulin to fuel your body and keep your blood glucose levels in the normal range. This all effects your blood glucose levels after eating.

There are several activities that can cause normal fluctuations outside of the normal range in your blood glucose. The most common are eating a meal, exercise and stress.

When you eat a meal that contains any sugar source, your body is flooded with blood glucose. The pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin to accommodate the sugar, and so your blood glucose levels will rise above a normal level for approximately one to two hours. It is possible that during that first hour, your blood glucose level could be as high as 180 mg/dl.

Your blood glucose levels after eating will vary from what you eat, what time of day it is as well as what types of food you eat. By avoiding foods that are high in sugar and carbohydrates you can take care of your blood glucose levels.

What should sugar levels after eating be?

What should blood sugar levels after eating be? Is an important question for many who suffer from the disease diabetes? Diabetes, or as it is known as hyperglycemia, is where there is too much glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream. This is because of the body not producing the amounts of the chemical insulin needed.

Insulin is the main chemical and is used to convert glucose into fuel. If the body produces too little the body doesn’t get the necessary energy and the high amount of sugar in the blood can permanently damage the body. This can result in kidney damage, blindness, and heart disease later in life.

What blood sugar levels after eating depends on you individually. The amount varies due age, weight, amount of exercise and other specifications. Blood sugar levels 1 hour after eating should be under 120 mg/dl for an average person. But for a diabetic the blood sugar range after eating should be anywhere from 120 to (and no higher than) 140 mg/dl. The levels that are given after testing with a blood glucose meter should be in this range or too much or not enough insulin has been taken.

The amounts should also be put on a blood sugar levels chart were they can be compared with other days and are a record for your doctor. Hypoglycemia is also a factor and is very dangerous. If too much insulin is added and not enough glucose was taken in, the body will run out of energy and begin to show bad symptoms that should be treated with immediate sugar intake. Symptoms include dizziness, confusion, fogginess, and eventually fainting. So this should be immediately treated with.

Find out what your blood sugar levels after eating should be and talk to you doctor about improving your diet.