Cómo bajar los niveles de azúcar en sangre rápidamente: 6 consejos para detener los picos de azúcar en sangre

Let’s talk about blood sugar, or blood glucose. Maybe you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes and you’re not sure where to start. Or maybe you’ve just been hearing some buzz about blood sugar levels after eating. Let’s explore how to get blood sugar levels down quickly with a few simple steps.

When blood sugar spikes after eating, it can leave you feeling tired, lethargic and moody. Over time, chronic blood sugar spikes can put you at risk for conditions like kidney disease, heart disease and even dementia.

The good news is this: you can improve your blood sugar control today. Here’s how.

¿Qué causa los picos de azúcar en la sangre?

First, let’s define what a blood sugar spike is and how it happens. A blood sugar spike occurs when your blood glucose level rises right after eating. This is actually a normal occurrence in all people after eating foods that contain carbohydrates.

When this happens, two important reactions take place in the pancreas: an immediate release of insulin and an immediate release of a hormone called amylin.

Insulin works quickly to move glucose out of the bloodstream and into cells. This takes just a matter of minutes. The amylin helps prevent food from reaching the small intestine too fast (where most nutrients are absorbed).

Most of the time, the after-meal blood glucose rise is temporary, hardly even noticeable. But for people with diabetes and/or insulin resistance, these normal post-meal reactions are hampered.

In people with Type 2 diabetes, the pancreas makes insulin, but the cells don’t respond to it as they should. This is referred to as insulin resistance.

Since the glucose can’t get into cells, the blood sugar level quickly rises. People with diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2) who are on insulin therapy typically experience a significant delay in the reduction of blood sugar because it can take up to 15 minutes for the insulin to begin working. People with diabetes also either do not produce amylin at all, or not in sufficient quantities. This causes their food to be digested much faster.

Como resultado de la liberación retardada de insulina y una tasa de digestión más rápida, los niveles de azúcar en la sangre pueden aumentar mucho justo después de comer. Una vez que la insulina finalmente hace efecto, puede ocurrir una caída rápida del azúcar en la sangre.

What blood sugar spikes do to your health

If you have diabetes or prediabetes, limiting blood sugar spikes is essential. But even if you don’t have diabetes, it’s a good idea to pay attention to your blood sugar and prevent blood sugar spikes by making smart food choices.

Over time, recurrent spikes in after-meal blood sugars can raise your HbA1c level. is a measure of your average blood sugar over a three-month period. Having an elevated HbA1c has been shown to increase the risk of other health complications.

Investigación has shown that frequent high blood sugar levels after a meal can exacerbate the onset of kidney disease and accelerate the progression of retinopathy. People with Type 2 diabetes may experience more cardiovascular problems when post-meal blood sugar spikes occur frequently.

Cognitive decline, including an increased risk of dementia, has also been associated with after-meal blood sugar spikes and large variations in blood sugar levels. Other short-term complications can include fatigue, cognitive impairment (also called brain fog), reduced physical ability and changes in mood.

One study conducted on the effects of acute high blood sugar on cognitive function and mood in people with Type 2 diabetes found that the speed of information processing, memory and some features of attention were all impaired during elevated blood sugar readings. It was also noted that participants experienced a reduction in energy and increased sadness and anxiety.

How to get blood sugar levels down quickly after eating

The good news is, understanding how to get blood sugar levels down quickly after eating can help improve your overall health—and better manage or prevent diabetes.

First and foremost, for anyone looking to change their diabetes medication or insulin therapy, it’s important to consult with your primary care physician or diabetes specialist. Ensuring that you are on the best medication treatment plan can significantly improve your ability to control after-meal sugar spikes.

However, medicine is only one piece of the puzzle to controlling blood sugar. Diet and exercise play a big role too.

Here are my top lifestyle tips to help you maintain healthy blood sugar levels, whether you have diabetes or are looking for ways to help prevent it.

1. Limit foods that have a high glycemic index

Glycemic index (GI) I is a measure of how fast a food can cause blood sugar to rise. A GI score is rated between 0 to 100. Foods that have a high GI are often high in processed carbohydrates and sugars, are quickly digested and absorbed, and can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar. For example, pretzels have a GI of 83.

Foods with a low GI are broken down at a slower rate and cause a slower rise in blood sugar. Low GI foods are typically high in fiber, protein and/or fat. Apples, for example, have a GI of 28 and peanuts have a GI of 7.

In general, eating more low glycemic index foods may help reduce after-meal sugar spikes. Use this guide for help replacing high GI foods with low GI foods.

2. Come más fibra

Another dietary adjustment to get blood sugar levels down quickly is eating more high-fiber foods. Besides helping with digestion and lowering cholesterol, fiber-rich foods contain slow-digesting carbohydrates. These carbohydrates help block elevations in blood sugar after eating because fiber takes longer to digest in your intestines. This allows a slower release of glucose into your bloodstream.

Good sources of fiber include beans, whole grains and fruit. Increasing your overall fiber intake may help keep your after-meal blood sugars down. Here are some quick and easy tips to increase your fiber intake:

• Pruebe un tazón pequeño de avena para el desayuno con una onza de nueces y bayas frescas o congeladas.
• Eche algunos frijoles encima de su ensalada o inclúyalos en una envoltura para el almuerzo.
• Include a small sweet potato (microwaves in less than 10 minutes) or a pouch of ready rice/grains such as brown rice or quinoa in your meal.
• Coma como refrigerio garbanzos asados o una manzana o pera en rodajas (deje la piel).

3. Haz maridajes inteligentes

Meal composition also matters when trying to control blood sugar spikes and get blood sugar levels down quickly after eating. Ensuring your meals and snacks contain an appropriate ratio of carbohydrates, proteins and fats is the key.

Comer solo grandes porciones de alimentos ricos en carbohidratos en las comidas o meriendas hace que se libere demasiada azúcar en el torrente sanguíneo. Debido a que las proteínas y las grasas tardan más en digerirse que los carbohidratos, combinar carbohidratos con proteínas y/o grasas puede ayudar a mantener estable el nivel de azúcar en la sangre, lo que ralentiza la digestión y la absorción en los intestinos. Esto, a su vez, disminuirá la tasa de azúcar que ingresa al torrente sanguíneo.

Por ejemplo, elija una opción saludable de carbohidratos y una opción saludable de proteínas de la tabla a continuación para hacer un refrigerio amigable con el azúcar en la sangre.

4. Reducir el tamaño de las porciones

Reducir la porción de su comida también puede ayudar. La cantidad de comida que come tiene un gran impacto en su nivel de azúcar en la sangre. Usar platos y tazones más pequeños o dividir la comida en dos puede reducir las porciones. Puede almacenar la porción sobrante para un refrigerio una o dos horas más tarde o para una comida más tarde en el día. 

5. Muévete después de comer

Exercising soon after eating can also be a powerful tool for lowering your blood sugar levels quickly after eating. First of all, the glucose that doesn’t enter the bloodstream can be used for muscle use during exercise.

El ejercicio también desvía el flujo sanguíneo de los intestinos, lo que reduce la absorción de glucosa. Si se inyecta insulina antes de una comida o refrigerio, el ejercicio aumentará el flujo de sangre a la superficie de la piel, lo que permitirá que la insulina se absorba y actúe más rápidamente.

It doesn’t take a lot of exercise to produce a drop in post-meal blood glucose levels. One study showed that just 15 minutes of walking after meals significantly improved glycemic control over a 24-hour period. Furthermore, a short post-meal walk was significantly more effective than a 45-minute sustained walk in lowering 3-hour post-meal glucose.

Aquí hay algunas maneras fáciles de ponerse en movimiento después de una comida:

• Evite sentarse por largos períodos de tiempo después de comer.
• Evite leer, mirar televisión o trabajar en la computadora después de las comidas o meriendas.
• Intenta salir a caminar o pasear al perro.
• Haz algunas tareas.
• Ir de compras.
• Use a standing desk or walking pad while working after meals.
• Programe sesiones de ejercicio más largas para después de las comidas que generalmente causan picos más altos de azúcar en la sangre.

6. Prevenir el nivel bajo de azúcar en la sangre

Una forma que a menudo se pasa por alto para prevenir los picos de azúcar en la sangre después de las comidas es prevenir cualquier episodio de hipoglucemia. La hipoglucemia, o nivel bajo de azúcar en la sangre, puede ocurrir cuando no tiene suficiente azúcar en la sangre.

Para la mayoría de las personas, la hipoglucemia es un nivel de azúcar en la sangre inferior a 70 miligramos por decilitro (mg/dL). Las causas comunes de niveles bajos de azúcar en la sangre incluyen usar demasiada insulina, saltarse comidas, no comer lo suficiente o hacer más ejercicio de lo habitual.

Un efecto secundario de la hipoglucemia es que acelera la velocidad a la que se vacía el estómago. Por lo tanto, cuando se consumen alimentos, se digieren más rápidamente, lo que provoca un pico de azúcar en la sangre. La prevención de la hipoglucemia es la mejor manera de evitar este tipo de picos de azúcar en la sangre.

Worried about blood sugar spikes?

Controlling after-meal blood sugar spikes is possible with a little extra planning! Keeping your blood sugars balanced can help keep you more energized during the day and reduce the risk of developing diabetes or other complications later on.

If you’re worried about your blood sugar, talk to your doctor or connect with a dietitian for personalized diet and lifestyle support.