You can do all the “right” things—swap soda for kombucha, ditch processed snacks, choose gluten-free options or drizzle raw honey instead of white sugar—and still feel off.
You might find yourself feeling foggy by mid-morning, edgy after lunch or hungry again even though you just ate. It’s easy to blame yourself. Perhaps you think you should have eaten more protein or that your willpower is just low today. However, the problem may not be how much you’re eating, but rather how your body is metabolizing the foods you believed were beneficial.
My doctor asked if I wanted to see what foods affect my blood sugar. So I wore a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) for 2 weeks. And it was surprising to know that sushi (the white rice part) spiked my blood sugar and so did pizza.
I highly encourage you to pay attention to your energy levels throughout the day and note if it could be even the ‘healthy’ foods causing the problem. This is all about being curious and asking yourself,“Is this actually working for me right now?” instead of assuming that the label knows better than your body.
Below are some ingredients often marketed as ‘clean’, ‘natural’, or ‘better for you’, along with how they may unintentionally disrupt your blood sugar balance in subtle ways:
Dates and date syrup
The fiber in whole dates can provide some balance, but once they’re blended, pureed or made into syrup, they’re quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. For example, that energy bite made with five types of nuts and two tablespoons of dates might cause you to feel shaky an hour later, especially if consumed on an empty stomach. Pay attention to how you feel mid-morning if your breakfast includes dates—consider both your physical and mental state. Are you able to focus steadily, or are you already searching for snacks by 10:30?
Oat milk (especially in coffee)
Oat milk is creamy, cozy, and often perceived as harmless. However, even the unsweetened variety can cause a quicker spike in glucose levels than you might expect—especially when combined with caffeine. The caffeine increases cortisol levels, while the oat milk raises blood sugar, impacting your nervous system in two ways. You might experience this as heart palpitations, slight hand tremors, or a burst of energy that feels more urgent than clear-headed.
Coconut sugar and maple syrup
Yes, they’re less refined than table sugar, but being less refined doesn’t mean they’re metabolically neutral. The body processes these sugars in a similar way—especially when they’re added to baked goods or drizzled over carbohydrate-heavy foods like pancakes or toast. Instead of eliminating them, it’s important to pay attention to how you feel when served alone versus alongside protein or fat. For example, does the same syrup on almond butter toast feel more stabilizing than when it’s just on waffles? Paying attention to these differences is more meaningful than following strict rules.
Brown rice pasta and gluten-free baked goods
These alternatives are often easier to digest for some individuals, but they can still cause a spike in glucose levels due to their high glycemic load. Since they’re marketed as“healthy,” it’s easy to overlook their effects. You might not expect to feel sleepy or irritable after eating a gluten-free muffin, but blood sugar levels don’t consider how the muffin is labeled. If you experience a post-lunch energy crash, it’s worth checking if your meal was primarily based on rice, corn, or potato starch.
Kombucha
Kombucha can be tricky. While it offers real probiotic benefits, many brands contain 10 to 15 grams of sugar per serving. If you experience lightheadedness or feel unusually “activated” after drinking kombucha, consider pairing it with something more substantial next time. Options like a boiled egg, a handful of pumpkin seeds, or a slice of smoked salmon could help. Try this not as a solution, but as an experiment to see how it affects your experience.
Smoothies with fruit-forward bases
A smoothie made with mango, banana, and orange juice can feel light and energizing at first—but you might find yourself crashing at your desk an hour later. Blending fruit speeds up digestion, and without sufficient fat or protein to balance it out, blood sugar levels can rise and then drop quickly. Ask yourself: Does this smoothie leave me feeling nourished or just temporarily full? How am I feeling 90 minutes later? This is often where the real information lies.
Gluten-free crackers or “paleo” snack bars
They’re convenient and widely available, but many of them rely on starch-heavy flours such as cassava, tapioca, and rice. These ingredients digest quickly, which can lead to a rapid increase in blood sugar levels. This doesn’t mean they’re inherently “bad,” but they may not provide the steady energy they seem to offer.
Pay attention to how you feel after eating these foods. Are you calm and steady, or do you find yourself feeling distracted and reaching for more?
You don’t have to eliminate certain foods from your diet completely. The goal is not to restrict yourself, but rather to observe how these foods affect you. Instead of asking, “Is this food healthy?” consider asking, “Is this food supporting my energy right now?”
Focus on whether it helps you feel the energy you genuinely want, rather than the energy you think you should strive for. Your body often knows what it needs before the nutritional labels do. Over time, your meals can transform from being a guessing game into a source of quiet reinforcement, not only for your health but also for your self-awareness.
Let me know if you give this a try!
