How to Reduce Blood Sugar Spikes | Saga Health Insurance

Big blood sugar spikes happen when glucose levels rapidly rise after eating sugary or high-carb foods, leading to a short energy boost followed by fatigue, brain fog and cravings.

Saga Health Insurance surveyed 500 people and partnered with Steve Bennett, a qualified health coach and Parliamentary Advisor on the House of Lords’ Food, Diet and Obesity Committee, to reveal how our eating habits affect our blood sugar levels.

The biggest sugar spikers in modern diets

Steve says: “Ultra-processed carbs like white bread, sugary cereals, pasta and baked goods lack fibre and digest rapidly into sugar. Hidden sugars in ‘healthy’ foods like granola bars, fruit juices, low-fat yoghurts and smoothies often contain as much sugar as desserts and are big spikers.

“Unexpected culprits like rice cakes (higher glycaemic index than sugar), dried fruit, sushi with white rice and even sweet potato fries can trigger large glucose spikes.”

What is the glycaemic index?

The glycaemic index (GI) is a list of common foods and ingredients. Each one is given a score based on how they raise blood sugar levels.

The more processed a product is, such as granulated sugar or white bread, the sharper and higher the blood sugar spike is. This means it’s top of the GI list.

Medium and lower GI foods are generally wholegrain and unprocessed foods, such as vegetables and multigrain bread.

The glycaemic index mainly lists individual foods. But when a low GI food is combined with a high GI one, for example tuna or beans on a jacket potato, the GI rating of the meal itself is medium.

Most get it wrong as soon as they wake up

Overnight, your body depletes its stored glucose, so by morning you're running on empty and need a sugar-balanced meal.

For breakfast, 39% of the people in our survey opt for ultra-processed carb-heavy meals like toast, cereal or pastries. These breakfast foods aren’t the best choices as Steve explains: “Blood sugar spikes are primarily caused by ultra-processed carbohydrates, especially those stripped of fibre.”

However, over a quarter (27%) of our respondents opts for something high in protein or fibre, like eggs and spinach or Greek yoghurt and berries – good options for balanced blood sugar levels in the morning according to Steve.

Enjoying a sweet treat doesn’t have to come at the cost of your health

Almost half (49%) in our survey reaches for a chocolatey snack as their preferred sweet treat. And most like it in the late afternoon as a pick-me-up between lunch and dinner.

But Steve recommends to time your treats wisely: “The best time to have a sugar-rich treat is within 30 minutes of a balanced meal. This allows your body to process the sugar more effectively and minimise spikes.”

The nation’s favourite time for a sweat treat

Treat time	Percentage
Afternoon slump (around 4pm)	26%
After dinner (around 8-9pm)	25%
After lunch	21%
Mid-morning (elevenses)	16%
Late night (midnight snack)	4%
All options	8%

Eating blood sugar spikers before bed is particularly disruptive

Steve says: "Our bodies become more insulin resistant in the evening, meaning the same food eaten at night causes a higher glucose response than if eaten earlier in the day.

“Nighttime spikes disrupt sleep quality, impair overnight cellular repair and contribute to morning brain fog. They also interfere with growth hormone release, which occurs primarily during deep sleep and is essential for tissue repair and metabolic health.”

Why big spikes matter

Over time, repeated big blood sugar spikes contribute to insulin resistance (where your body is less able to regulate its blood sugar levels), increasing the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and even accelerated ageing.

Heart disease is the third-leading cause of death in England and Wales according to the ONS and Diabetes UK figures show that diabetes levels are at an all-time high.

How to avoid big spikes and crashes for a balanced day of eating

Steve says: “Incorporating fibre (vegetables, salads and whole grains), protein (lean meats, legumes or tofu) and healthy fats (avocado, nuts and olive oil) at every meal slows the absorption of sugars and helps maintain steady blood glucose levels.”

If you’re looking to swap a chocolate bar for a satisfying, balanced snack, Steve recommends Greek yoghurt with berries, chia seed pudding, hummus with vegetables, some nuts or a boiled egg.

Steve’s 5 tips for steady glucose levels

1. The fibre-first principle: Eating high-fibre foods at the start of a meal can significantly reduce glucose spikes. Start with a salad, raw vegetables or a handful of nuts before eating a carb-heavy meal.

2. Strategic food pairing: Combining high-carb foods with protein and healthy fats helps slow digestion and moderate glucose impact. For example, pair dark chocolate with almonds or have berries alongside a dessert.

3. Move after meals: A short 10-minute walk after eating can reduce glucose spikes by up to 30%. Gentle movement helps muscles use up excess sugar before it accumulates.

4. Add a splash of vinegar: Studies show drinking a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in water before meals can improve insulin sensitivity and lower post-meal glucose levels by up to 20%.

5. Make smart swaps: Replace white rice with cauliflower rice, use leafy greens instead of tortillas, and swap tropical fruits for lower-GI berries.

Spotting blood sugar spikers

Understanding food labels during your food shop helps manage balanced blood sugar levels. Steve advises:

More than 5g of sugar per 100g may cause moderate spikes.
Above 10g per 100g is likely to trigger significant glucose elevation (often marked red on food labels).

Aim for products where fibre is at least half the sugar content.

Stay on top of your health with Saga Health Insurance

If you’ve got a Saga Health Insurance policy, you can call the Saga GP Service to speak to GP at a time that suits you. You can call as often as you like and without having to make a claim, making it easy to discuss blood sugar spikes with a UK-registered GP.

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