What Sugar Should You Control? Is Avoiding Sweets Enough to Stabilize Blood Sugar?

November 14th marks World Diabetes Day, and this year’s slogan is: “Understand the Risk, Understand the Response.” According to the International Diabetes Federation, as of 2021, approximately 537 million people worldwide have diabetes. In China, the number of diabetes patients has reached 141 million, meaning 1 in every 10 adults has diabetes.

Diabetes is a metabolic disease characterized by high blood sugar levels. Patients need long-term management and control to achieve optimal blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of complications. To stabilize blood sugar, it's essential to control sugar intake in daily diet, engage in regular physical activity, maintain good sleep patterns, and manage emotional well-being.

Why Do People Crave Sugar?

Sugar broadly refers to carbohydrates, including rice, flour, and more. In a narrower sense, sugar refers to substances like sucrose, fructose, and glucose. The sweet taste of sugar stimulates receptors on the taste buds, sending signals to the central nervous system, triggering the release of dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and enkephalins, which make us feel happy and satisfied.

Carbohydrate-based sweet foods can quickly raise blood sugar levels, alleviating the anxiety caused by hunger. This pleasurable experience has led to the association of sugar with "happiness," which in turn increases people's craving for sweetness.

The Health Risks of Excessive Sugar Intake

Recently, a man gained widespread attention after documenting his one-year sugar control journey, during which he lost 100 pounds and saw improvements in previously abnormal medical test results.

According to Xu Yajun, Associate Dean of the School of Public Health at Peking University, and Professor of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, excessive sugar intake—whether from added sugars like sucrose, or from artificial or natural sweeteners—can lead to numerous health issues. Overconsumption of sugar is linked to conditions like tooth decay, obesity, cancer, and other chronic diseases.

Bi Yanxia, a nutritionist at Beijing Friendship Hospital, points out that excessive sugar intake can cause blood sugar to rise rapidly, increasing the burden on insulin and making it easier to develop diabetes. Sugar also interferes with the absorption of calcium, vitamins, and other essential nutrients, leading to conditions like malnutrition and osteoporosis.

Children who eat too much sugar may experience a higher risk of fractures, and high sugar diets are also a risk factor for myopia. Furthermore, studies show that eating sweet foods frequently can lead to oilier skin, acne, age spots, and even conditions like seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff.

The Recommended Daily Sugar Intake for Adults: No More Than 25 Grams

Sugar control doesn't mean eliminating all sugar from the diet; it means knowing how much sugar is appropriate to consume. Controlling added sugar is essential.

The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that daily sugar intake should be limited to below 10% of total daily energy intake, ideally 5% or less. The Chinese Dietary Guidelines (2022) recommend that adults consume no more than 50 grams of added sugar per day, with the ideal amount being 25 grams or less.

Professor Fan Zhihong from the College of Food Science at China Agricultural University offers the following tips for limiting sugar intake:

• Avoid sugary beverages: It's best not to consume sweet drinks regularly, even in social settings.
• Eat whole fruits: Limit fruit juices (including fresh juices) to 1 cup per day. When making homemade juice, use more vegetables than fruit to reduce sugar content.
• Limit consumption of yogurt drinks: Always check the carbohydrate content on the food label.
• Limit sweeteners like honey: If drinking honey water or brown sugar water daily, avoid other sweets and sugary beverages.
• Minimize sugar in coffee or milk: Avoid adding sugar to coffee, milk, or soy milk.
• Check “low-sugar” claims: Verify if the product meets the nutritional standard for "low-sugar" (less than 5 grams of sugar per 100 milliliters or grams).
• Limit baked goods: Even homemade breads, cookies, and snacks should not be eaten in excess unless no sugar is added.
• Avoid sweetened porridge: Don’t develop a habit of adding sugar to porridge or soups. When cooking, limit the amount of sugar added to dishes.
• Watch out for added sugar in "nutritional cereals" and other processed foods.

Not Eating Sweets Doesn’t Always Prevent Blood Sugar Spikes

Although it's common to think that diabetes results from consuming too many sweets, some non-sweet foods can cause blood sugar levels to rise even more rapidly.

Foods that are not sweet might still contain a large amount of carbohydrates. When consumed, carbohydrates break down into glucose, raising blood sugar levels. Therefore, even if a food doesn't taste sweet, its carbohydrate content can still cause a sharp increase in blood sugar.

Foods that are digested quickly, such as high-GI foods (e.g., white bread, white rice), can cause blood sugar to spike faster. On the other hand, low-GI foods (e.g., whole wheat bread, oatmeal) are digested more slowly and lead to a slower increase in blood sugar levels.

Combining Multiple Strategies for Stable Blood Sugar

To keep blood sugar levels stable, it's not enough to just manage sugar intake. You also need to consider other factors such as eating habits, physical activity, sleep, and stress levels.

Eating Habits:

• Meal order: It's recommended to start with soup, followed by vegetables, proteins, and finish with carbs. This can help lower post-meal blood sugar levels.
• Cooking methods: Opt for steaming, boiling, or stewing, and avoid frying or heavy sauces.
• Food texture: Hard, dry foods generally have a slower glycemic response than soft, moist foods. For those needing to control blood sugar, choose firmer options when eating staple foods like rice or bread.

Physical Activity:

Exercise plays an important role in blood sugar control. Sitting for long periods can be harmful, and it’s recommended to stand up and move every 30 minutes. Research shows that brisk walking is particularly effective in lowering blood sugar levels. The best time to exercise is about 1 hour after meals, which not only helps stabilize blood sugar but also reduces the risk of hypoglycemia.

Sleep and Stress Management:

Lack of sleep can decrease insulin production by up to 50%, increasing the risk of diabetes. Chronic stress and work pressure can lead to hormonal imbalances and promote the onset of diabetes. Therefore, ensure adequate sleep and manage stress through relaxation techniques.

Reduce Smoking and Alcohol Consumption:

Smoking constricts blood vessels and increases blood viscosity, contributing to cardiovascular problems. It also reduces insulin sensitivity. Excessive alcohol consumption can significantly affect blood sugar, particularly when consumed on an empty stomach, which can lead to hypoglycemia. To control blood sugar, it’s best to limit smoking and alcohol.

Regular Monitoring:

Regular self-monitoring of blood glucose is crucial for detecting abnormal levels. Blood sugar checks should be done before meals, 2 hours after meals, before bed, and at random times, especially when symptoms of hypoglycemia are present. Patients should tailor their monitoring frequency to their individual needs:

• For well-controlled patients, check fasting and post-meal blood sugar 1–2 times per week.
• For poorly controlled patients, monitor blood sugar 4–7 days a week, ideally 4–7 times a day, including before meals and before bedtime.
• For those at high risk of hypoglycemia, focus on midnight blood sugar and immediate pre-meal readings.

Proper Medication:

In addition to dietary control and regular exercise, the proper use of anti-diabetic medication is essential for better disease management. Patients should consult with healthcare professionals to ensure safe and effective blood sugar control.
By combining these strategies, you can manage blood sugar levels more effectively and reduce the risk of diabetes and its complications.