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How Grapes Can Spike Your Blood Sugar — & The Best Pairing To Manage It

Merrell Readman
Author:
August 02, 2022
Merrell Readman
mbg Associate Food & Health Editor
By Merrell Readman
mbg Associate Food & Health Editor
Merrell Readman is the Associate Food & Health Editor at mindbodygreen. Readman is a Fordham University graduate with a degree in journalism and a minor in film and television. She has covered beauty, health, and well-being throughout her editorial career.
Image by Joanna Nixon / Stocksy
August 02, 2022
We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links.

Managing blood sugar levels is essential for feeling your best (and for long-term health), and avoiding spikes can support a healthy weight, mood, energy, and even hunger. But the first step toward keeping your blood sugar levels stable is knowing which foods may throw things out of whack to begin with.

It's no secret that we recommend following a whole-food diet that is packed with nutritious fruits and vegetables, but there are some fruits that are more likely to spike your blood sugar than others. One of the primary culprits? Grapes.

How grapes spike your blood sugar.

"One of the biggest spikers in our data set is grapes," functional medicine doctor Casey Means, M.D., explained in a recent TikTok for mbg. "A lot of fruits are minimal spikers, but grapes seem to be gigantic." The reason behind the significant blood sugar spike caused by grapes is twofold. "I think this has to do with the fact that grapes have very little fiber, and grapes are often eaten totally on their own," Means notes.

Grapes are of course a fruit but also a source of carbohydrates that are higher in sugar, and when they're not paired with other balancing foods, they cause a spike in some people. "Sometimes people who experience a blood sugar spike may feel 'buzzy'—a little jittery or anxious, or like they're a bit out of balance," Wendy Bazilian, DrPH, RDN, previously told mbg. While that's not to say you should never eat grapes again, there are certainly ways you can hack your diet to make them a better fit.

How to limit the spike.

One of the best ways to keep certain foods from spiking your blood sugar is by pairing them with ingredients that contain protein, healthy fats, or fiber to help slow the absorption rate of the glucose. "It would be a good thing to eat them on a charcuterie board where there are nuts, cheese, and other things," recommends Means.

If you're going the charcuterie board route, may we recommend adding a hummus dip with the addition of mbg's organic veggies+? Greens powders are generally packed with nutritious ingredients that help support a healthy body, but organic veggies+ features prebiotic fibers as well as probiotics that aid with smooth digestion, plus digestive enzymes to help actually absorb the wonderful nutrients of your meals.* Not to mention, that functional fiber serving in each spoonful of our greens powder helps support healthy blood sugar levels.* 

The takeaway.

Keeping an eye on your blood sugar and the impact that your diet may have on it will not only help manage your mood and hunger levels but also generally provide more balance and stability to your body. Grapes are a summertime favorite for a reason (hello, flavor!) so pairing them with a well-rounded charcuterie board (including an organic veggies+–spiked dip) will help you feel satisfied.

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before starting a supplement routine. It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what supplements are right for you.

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