When you’re tracking your blood sugar levels with a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), it’s normal to see a rollercoaster-looking graph of little peaks and valleys throughout the day. And if there’s one place you’d expect to see changes in blood sugar, it’s when you eat. While it’s good to keep your blood sugar levels relatively stable (no sharp spikes!), your blood sugar level will naturally rise after you eat as sugar enters your bloodstream. If you’re wondering when your blood sugar will return to normal after eating — you’ve come to the right place. Here’s what you need to know about tracking your blood sugar after eating. Show
Quick refresher: How your body handles sugarDuring digestion, the carbohydrates you consume are broken down into sugar that is released into your bloodstream. When this happens, your blood sugar levels rise, which signals to your pancreas that it’s time to produce insulin. Insulin’s job is to get that sugar out of your blood and into your cells so it can be burned for energy. (Any extra glucose that your body doesn’t need for energy at that moment is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscle or converted to fat.) Still, some sugar will stay in your blood, especially if your pancreas isn’t able to make enough insulin or the insulin it does produce isn’t able to do its job effectively, which is the case with uncontrolled diabetes. When too much sugar stays in the blood — you guessed it — your blood sugar levels will go way up. How long after eating does blood sugar peak?For those with diabetes, glucose levels typically hit their peak within 90 minutes of eating. This is how long it can take for your body to fully register the sugar that’s made its way into your bloodstream after you consume carbohydrates. When is the best time to get a blood sugar reading after eating?Given that we know it takes your body about 90 minutes to clock the sugar in your blood, it’s good to take a blood sugar reading within 60 to 90 minutes of a meal. Testing too soon or too late may give a less-than-accurate picture of what’s going on. If you’re new to using a CGM or have recently been diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes, you may still be getting the hang of what foods work well for you and which ones cause too sharp a spike. Remember: It’s impossible to keep your blood sugar reading at the exact same number at all times, but you do want to avoid large swings in either direction, too low or too high. For those with diabetes, your doctor may refer to something called “time in range (TIR),” which is a target blood sugar range for different times of day (e.g., in the morning, after you eat, and before bed). Post-meal tracking is one way to start understanding the impact food has on your blood sugar levels. This way you can create a personalized approach to choosing foods that are best for keeping your blood sugar levels within the right range for your health goals. What should a normal blood sugar level be one hour after eating?You should always consult with your doctor about what your target blood sugar levels should be, as it’s not always the same for everyone. If you’re looking for a standard benchmark, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends a target of below 180 mg/dL one to two hours after you eat. For people without diabetes, you should aim for a target below 140 mg/dL. How long after eating should blood sugar return to normal?“Normal” is going to be different for everyone, so again, you should speak with your health care provider to set targets that are specific to your situation and goals. That said, outside of eating windows, you’ll want to keep your blood sugar levels between 80–130 mg/dL, according to the ADA. For those without diabetes, aim for under 100. You should expect to see your numbers return to pre-meal levels after about two hours. Key takeawaysIt’s completely normal to see your blood sugar levels rise after you eat, but you don’t want a sharp rise (to over 180 mg/dL). By tracking your blood sugar levels within 60 to 90 minutes of a meal, you can see how your body responds to certain foods and make informed decisions about what foods are the best at stabilizing your blood sugar. After about two hours, your blood sugar should drop back down to its pre-meal level. Keep in mind: these numbers are just average benchmarks. Where you are on your journey — no diabetes, pre-diabetes, or living with diabetes — will determine what your goals should be before, during, and after a meal. Your blood sugar levels are a critical part of your overall health and your body’s ability to function properly on a daily basis. For those of us with diabetes, striving to achieve “normal” blood sugar levels is a constant, hour-by-hour pursuit. And it isn’t easy. In this article, we’ll look at “normal” blood sugar levels and goal ranges for a non-diabetic’s body, and realistic blood sugar goals for people with prediabetes, type 1, and type 2 diabetes. 
Normal blood sugar ranges in healthy non-diabeticsFor a person without any type of diabetes, blood sugar levels are generally between 70 to 130 mg/dL depending on the time of day and the last time they ate a meal. Newer theories about non-diabetic blood sugar levels have included post-meal blood sugar levels as high as 140 mg/dL. (If you live outside the US and are used to measures in mmol/L, just divide all numbers by 18) Here are the normal blood sugar ranges for a person without diabetes according to the American Diabetes Association:
Diagnosing prediabetes, type 2, and type 1 diabetesDepending on which country or medical organization you ask, the qualifying numbers for “normal” versus “prediabetes” versus diagnosed type 1 or type 2 diabetes can vary slightly. The following blood sugar and A1c results are used to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes according to sources including the American Diabetes Association and Diabetes UK: Prediabetes
Type 1 or 2 diabetes
Please note: Type 1 diabetes tends to develop very quickly which means that by the time symptoms are felt, blood sugar levels are generally well above 200 mg/dL all the time. For many, symptoms come on so quickly that they are dismissed as the lingering flu or another seemingly ordinary virus. By the time blood sugar levels are tested, many newly diagnosed type 1 patients will see levels above 400 mg/dL or higher. If you do suspect that you or a loved one has type 1 diabetes, visit your primary care or urgent care immediately and ask for a urine test to measure ketones in addition to testing blood sugar levels and A1c. Read more about ketones at diagnosis in our Diabetic Ketoacidosis Guide. Your A1c and blood sugar goalsManaging any type of diabetes is far more complicated than giving a patient some insulin and telling them to keep their blood sugars within X and X. If you’ve lived with diabetes for more than a few days, you probably already know this. What is A1c?“A1c, hemoglobin A1c, HbA1c or glycohemoglobin test (all different names for the same thing) is a blood test that measures your average blood sugar over the last 2-3 months,” explains Christel Oerum in DiabetesStrong’s guide to lowering your A1c. The prior two weeks of blood sugar levels before your blood is tested for your A1c have the largest impact on your results, but the amount of glucose attached to hemoglobin (the protein in your red blood cells) in your body from the prior 3 months. The more glucose there is in your bloodstream from high blood sugar levels, the more glucose there is to attach to hemoglobin. Translating your A1c to a blood sugar levelUsing this easy calculator from the ADA, you can translate your most recent A1C result to an “eAG” or “estimate average glucose level.” You can also use this translation when working to improve your A1c and achieve closer to normal blood sugar levels. If you know an A1c of 6.5 is an average blood sugar level of 126 mg/dL or a range of 100 to 152 mg/dL, then you can look at your current blood sugar results on your CGM and meter and pinpoint which time of day you’re frequently higher than this range. 12% = 298 mg/dL or range of 240 – 347 “Normal blood sugar levels” in a person without diabetes can result in an A1c as low as 4.6 or 4.7 percent and as high as 5.6 percent. Just a decade or two ago, it was rare for a person with type 1 diabetes to achieve an A1c result below 6 percent. Thanks to new and improved insulin and better technology like continuous glucose monitors and smarter insulin pumps, more people with diabetes are able to safely achieve A1c levels in the higher 5 percent range. Why your A1c mattersIn a nutshell: your A1c is one of the clearest indicators of your risk for developing diabetes complications like neuropathy (nerve damage in your hands and feet), retinopathy (nerve damage in your eyes, risking blindness), nephropathy (nerve damage in your kidneys), and severe infection in any part of your body that requires healing. For instance, a small cut on your toe could become infected due to high blood sugars, struggle to heal, and become severe enough that the infection could lead to an amputation. The general guidelines from the American Diabetes Association recommend an A1c at or below 7.0 percent for the best prevention of diabetes complications. Your risk of developing a diabetes complication continues to drop as your A1c drops closer to 6 percent. Some people with diabetes aim for A1c levels in the 5s and lower — especially those who follow strict low-carb diets like the ketogenic diet and the Bernstein diet. However, this hasn’t been proven in research as especially necessary, nor is it reasonably achievable for the larger population of people with diabetes. It’s also important to remember that your blood sugar levels and your A1c are just information that tells you whether your body needs more or less of factors like insulin, other diabetes medications like Metformin, changes in your nutrition, and changes in your exercise. If you don’t like the number you’re seeing on your glucose meter or your A1c results, use that number as motivation to make changes (with the support of your diabetes healthcare team) in how you safely manage your diabetes in order to get different results. Determining the right A1c goal for youJust because a normal blood sugar range of 70 to 130 mg/dL is considered the healthiest doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the appropriate goal range for you — especially if you have type 1 diabetes, or take insulin as a person with type 2 diabetes. The reason this may not be the right goal for you is that extremely tight blood sugar management in people taking insulin can potentially lead to frequent low blood sugars — which can be dangerous. Achieving extremely tight blood sugar management, like a range of 70 to 130 mg/dL, also often requires a strict nutrition plan, more frequent than usual blood sugar monitoring, precise medication management, and most importantly, years of experience studying your blood sugar levels. A1c goals should be individualized“A1c goals should be individualized based on the individual capabilities, risks, and prior experiences,” explains Gary Scheiner, MS, CDE, founder of Integrated Diabetes, and author of Think Like a Pancreas. “For example, we generally aim for very tight A1c levels during pregnancy and more conservative targets in young children and the elderly.” However, Scheiner highlights important factors that could justify aiming for a higher A1c, like “hypoglycemia unawareness,” which is described as when a person with diabetes no longer feels the oncoming warning signs of low blood sugar. This can put you at significant risk for severe low blood sugars resulting in seizures or death. To reduce that risk, you would aim for higher target blood sugar ranges. “Someone with significant hypoglycemia unawareness and a history of severe lows should target higher blood glucose levels than someone who can detect and manage their lows more effectively,” adds Scheiner. “And certainly, someone who has been running A1c’s in double digits [like 10 percent or higher] for quite some time should not be targeting an A1c of 6%… better to set modest, realistic, achievable goals.” Your blood sugar isn’t just because of what you eatMainstream media would have you believe that your blood sugar levels are impacted only by what you eat and how much you exercise, but people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes who test their blood sugars frequently could tell you otherwise. It’s especially important to keep this in mind when looking at your own blood sugars and your goals because there are certain variables and challenges that impact blood sugar levels that you can’t always control. For example:
While you can’t necessarily prevent these factors that affect your blood sugar from occurring, you can work with your diabetes healthcare team to adjust your insulin, other diabetes medications, nutrition and activity levels to help compensate for them when they do occur. For example, when engaging in anaerobic exercise — like weightlifting — many people with type 1 diabetes find it necessary to take a small bolus of insulin prior to or during their workout because anaerobic exercise can actually raise blood sugar. Still frustrated with your blood sugar and A1c results?Your blood sugars and your insulin or medication needs never stay in one place. If you gain weight or lose weight, your insulin and medication needs will change. If you become more active or less active, your needs will change. If you make drastic or even small changes to your nutrition, your needs will change! Working with your diabetes healthcare team, and diabetes coaches who can teach you how to make changes in your overall diabetes management plan are essential. Diabetes is a lifelong learning process. Take a deep breath and be patient. If you don’t like what you’re seeing on your glucose meter, don’t get mad…get studying! Take good notes and work with your team to make changes to reach your goals. Read more about improving your A1c in DiabetesStrong’s guide, How to Lower Your A1c. What is a normal blood sugar rise after eating?Adults without diabetes who are not pregnant: 90-140 mg/dL two hours after eating. Adults with diabetes who are not pregnant: <180 mg/dL two hours after eating.
How much will blood sugar go up after a meal?A high or low reading before the meal will usually contribute to a higher reading after the meal. For example, a pre-meal blood glucose of 210 mg/dl followed by a 1-hour post-meal reading of 240 mg/dl shows just a 30-point rise, whereas a 110 mg/dl followed by a 240 mg/dl shows a 130-point rise.
Is 200 blood sugar normal after eating?Less than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) is normal. 140 to 199 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L and 11.0 mmol/L) is diagnosed as prediabetes. 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) or higher after two hours suggests diabetes.
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How much should your blood sugar go up after eating
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