What do you eat for low blood sugar

If you have diabetes, then you will know that certain foods can significantly affect your blood sugar levels. There is no one-size-fits-all meal plan for people with diabetes, but it can be confusing knowing what you can and can’t eat. In general, meals that are high in protein, complex carbohydrates, and low in fat help to minimize fluctuations between high and low blood sugar levels. It also helps if you make your meals smaller and spread them out during the day so that you are eating every 3 to 4 hours instead of only having 3 large meals a day.

Table of Contents Show

Symptoms of a low blood sugar level
How to treat a low blood sugar level yourself
How to treat someone who's unconscious or very sleepy (drowsy)
How to treat someone who's having a seizure or fit
What causes a low blood sugar level
Preventing a low blood sugar level
A low blood sugar level without diabetes
A low blood sugar level and driving
How can I quickly raise my low blood sugar?
How do you feel when your sugar is low?
What foods should I avoid if I have low blood sugar?

You should avoid foods high in saturated fat or sugar and choose foods high in protein, soluble fiber, or with a low glycemic index (low GI) score – these low GI foods contain carbohydrates that take the body longer to break down. Alcohol can also play havoc with your blood sugar levels, and if you don’t want to eliminate it, then keep it to a minimum and never mix alcohol with sugar-filled mixers, such as fruit juice. Eat a small meal soon after waking, a wholesome snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon, a light lunch and dinner, and then a small bedtime healthy snack.

Some examples of nutritionally high breakfasts suitable for people at risk of hypoglycemia include:

Scrambled or hardboiled eggs, plus a slice of whole-grain bread with cinnamon (cinnamon may help reduce blood sugar)
Steel-cut oatmeal, with blueberries, kiwifruit, peaches, or sunflower seeds
Plain Greek yogurt with berries, honey, and oatmeal

Some examples of nutritionally high mid-morning or mid-afternoon snacks suitable for people at risk of hypoglycemia include:

A small apple or peach with cheddar cheese
A banana mixed with a handful of almonds or walnuts
One piece of avocado or hummus on whole-grain toast
4 whole-grain crackers and a can of sardines or tuna
No-sugar peanut butter on whole-grain bread or crackers
One cup of brown rice with kidney beans

Some examples of nutritionally high lunches suitable for people at risk of hypoglycemia include:

A tuna or chicken salad sandwich on whole-grain bread with romaine lettuce
A green salad topped with chicken, chickpeas, tomatoes, and carrots
One piece of grilled fish, a baked sweet potato, and a side salad or side of cooked veggies

When it comes to your evening meal, keep it as small as your other meals, but ensure you include protein and complex carbohydrates. Some examples of nutritionally high dinners suitable for people at risk of hypoglycemia include:

Soup, such as lentil and quinoa
Grilled fish with broccoli, peas, and sweet potato
Broccoli salad with artichokes, black beans, and sun-dried tomatoes
Chicken Vege stir fry with zucchini, carrots, and broccoli
Vegetarian lentil tacos.

Before you go to bed, a small snack close to bedtime can help keep your blood sugar levels stable throughout the night. Some examples of light bedtime snacks suitable for people at risk of hypoglycemia include:

Low-sugar, high protein Greek yogurt mixed with blueberries and walnuts
A no-sugar vegetable smoothie

Foods that are not suitable for people with hypoglycemia to eat because they can cause your blood sugar levels to fluctuate significantly include:

A low blood sugar level, also called hypoglycaemia or a "hypo", is where the level of sugar (glucose) in your blood drops too low.

It mainly affects people with diabetes, especially if they take insulin.

A low blood sugar level can be dangerous if it's not treated quickly, but you can usually treat it easily yourself.

Symptoms of a low blood sugar level

A low blood sugar level can affect everyone differently. You'll learn how it makes you feel, although your symptoms may change over time.

Early signs of a low blood sugar level include:

sweating
feeling tired
dizziness
feeling hungry
tingling lips
feeling shaky or trembling
a fast or pounding heartbeat (palpitations)
becoming easily irritated, tearful, anxious or moody
turning pale

If a low blood sugar level is not treated, you may get other symptoms, such as:

weakness
blurred vision
confusion or difficulty concentrating
unusual behaviour, slurred speech or clumsiness (like being drunk)
feeling sleepy
seizures or fits
collapsing or passing out

A low blood sugar level, or hypo, can also happen while you're sleeping. This may cause you to wake up during the night or cause headaches, tiredness or damp sheets (from sweat) in the morning.

How to treat a low blood sugar level yourself

Follow these steps if your blood sugar level is less than 4mmol/L or you have hypo symptoms:

Have a sugary drink or snack – like a small glass of fizzy drink (not a diet variety) or fruit juice, 4 to 5 jelly babies, 4 to 6 glucose tablets or 2 tubes of glucose gel.
Test your blood sugar after 10 minutes – if it's improved and you feel better, move on to step 3. If there's little or no change, treat again with a sugary drink or snack and take another reading after 10 to 15 minutes.
You may need to eat your main meal (containing a slow-release carbohydrate) if it's the right time to have it. Or, have a snack that contains a slow-release carbohydrate, such as a slice of bread or toast, a couple of biscuits, or a glass of cows' milk.

You do not usually need to get medical help once you're feeling better if you only have a few hypos.

But tell your diabetes team if you keep having hypos or if you stop having symptoms when your blood sugar level is low.

How to treat someone who's unconscious or very sleepy (drowsy)

Follow these steps:

Put the person in the recovery position and do not put anything in their mouth – so they do not choke.
Call 999 for an ambulance if an injection of glucagon is not available, you do not know how to use it, or the person had alcohol before their hypo.
If an injection of glucagon is available and you know how to use it, give it to them immediately.
If they wake up within 10 minutes of getting the injection and feel better, move on to step 5. If they do not improve within 10 minutes, call 999 for an ambulance.
If they're fully awake and able to eat and drink safely, give them a carbohydrate snack.

They may need to go to hospital if they're being sick (vomiting), or their blood sugar level drops again.

Tell your diabetes care team if you ever have a severe hypo that caused you to lose consciousness.

How to treat someone who's having a seizure or fit

Follow these steps if someone has a seizure or fit caused by a low blood sugar level:

Stay with them and stop them hurting themselves – lie them down on something soft and move them away from anything dangerous (like a road or hot radiator).
If an injection of glucagon is available and you know how to use it, give it to them immediately. After they've recovered, give them a carbohydrate snack.
Call 999 for an ambulance if a glucagon injection is not available or you do not know how to use it, if they have not recovered 10 minutes after giving a glucagon injection, or if they had alcohol before their hypo.

Tell your diabetes care team if you ever have a severe hypo that caused you to have a seizure or fit.

What causes a low blood sugar level

In people with diabetes, the main causes of a low blood sugar level are:

the effects of medicine – especially taking too much insulin, medicines called sulfonylureas (such as glibenclamide and gliclazide), medicines called glinides (such as repaglinide and nateglinide), or some antiviral medicines to treat hepatitis C
skipping or delaying a meal
not eating enough carbohydrate foods in your last meal, such as bread, cereals, pasta, potatoes and fruit
exercise, especially if it's intense or unplanned
drinking alcohol

Sometimes there's no obvious reason why a low blood sugar level happens.

Very occasionally, it can happen in people who do not have diabetes.

Preventing a low blood sugar level

If you have diabetes, you can reduce your chance of getting a low blood sugar level if you:

Check your blood sugar level regularly and be aware of the symptoms of a low blood sugar level so you can treat it quickly.
Use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) or flash monitor to see how your blood sugar levels are changing. Ask your diabetes care team about getting a monitor if you do not already have one.
Always carry a sugary snack or drink with you, such as glucose tablets, a carton of fruit juice or some sweets. If you have a glucagon injection kit, always keep it with you.
Do not skip meals.
Be careful when drinking alcohol. Do not drink large amounts, check your blood sugar level regularly, and eat a carbohydrate snack afterwards.
Be careful when exercising; eating a carbohydrate snack before exercise can help to reduce the risk of a hypo. If you take some types of diabetes medicine, your doctor may recommend you take a lower dose before or after doing intense exercise.
Have a carbohydrate snack, such as toast, if your blood sugar level drops too low while you're asleep (nocturnal hypoglycaemia).

If you keep getting a low blood sugar level, talk to your diabetes care team about things you can do to help prevent it.

A low blood sugar level without diabetes

A low blood sugar level is uncommon in people who do not have diabetes.

Possible causes include:

your body releasing too much insulin after eating (called reactive hypoglycaemia or postprandial hypoglycaemia)
not eating (fasting) or malnutrition
a complication of pregnancy
a gastric bypass (a type of weight loss surgery)
other medical conditions, such as problems with your hormone levels, pancreas, liver, kidneys, adrenal glands or heart
some medicines, including quinine (taken for malaria)

See a GP if you think you keep getting symptoms of a low blood sugar level. They can arrange some simple tests to check if your blood sugar level is low and try to find out what's causing it.

A low blood sugar level and driving

You may still be allowed to drive if you have diabetes or you're at risk of a low blood sugar level for another reason, but you'll need to do things to reduce the chance of this happening while you're driving.

You also need to tell the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and your car insurance company about your condition.

How can I quickly raise my low blood sugar?

Your doctor may tell you to have really sugary foods or drinks (like regular soda, orange juice, or cake frosting) or might give you glucose tablets or gel to take — all of these can help to raise your blood sugar level fast, which is what you need to do when it's low. Wait about 10 minutes to let the sugar work.

How do you feel when your sugar is low?

Symptoms usually occur when blood sugar levels fall below four millimoles (mmol) per litre. Typical early warning signs are feeling hungry, trembling or shakiness, and sweating. In more severe cases, you may also feel confused and have difficulty concentrating.