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.
Quick refresher: How your body handles sugar
During 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 takeaways
It’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.
Diabetes (also known as diabetes mellitus) occurs when your blood sugar levels (sometimes called blood glucose) are too high. Blood glucose is the body’s primary source of energy. It’s absorbed from food and enters cells with the help of the hormone insulin, which the pancreas makes.
More than 34 million Americans have diabetes, and around 90%-95% of them have Type 2. It mostly affects people over the age of 45, but there is increasingly a higher incidence in children and young adults.
Is it possible to reverse diabetes?
It’s possible to reverse both prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 and gestational diabetes are not reversible; people with these conditions can only treat and manage them.
Most people with diabetes have insulin resistance, meaning their bodies don’t use insulin well and glucose then stays in their blood and doesn’t reach cells, eventually causing health problems. Other people with diabetes either don’t make enough insulin or make none at all. There are a few common forms of diabetes:
- Type 1 diabetes is when the body doesn’t make insulin. The immune system attacks and kills cells in the pancreas that create insulin. Healthcare providers usually diagnose this form of diabetes in young people, but it can develop at any age. Type 1 diabetes patients need to take insulin every day.
- Type 2 diabetes is when the body doesn’t make or use insulin well. It’s the most common form of diabetes. Although it can happen at any age, Type 2 diabetes most often develops in middle-aged and older adults.
- Gestational diabetes develops in pregnant women. It usually goes away after the baby is born but does raise the mother’s risk of having Type 2 diabetes later on. Diabetes during pregnancy is also sometimes Type 2 diabetes.
Healthcare providers also diagnose people with prediabetes. This is when blood glucose levels are higher than usual but not high enough to be diabetes. Prediabetes raises the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and has many of the same causes.
RELATED: What are normal blood glucose levels?
What is the best way to reverse diabetes?
The first step in diabetes remission for those with prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes is blood glucose control. That’s done through medication if needed, eating healthy food, and losing extra weight to help the body respond more effectively to insulin. These actions can help reverse insulin resistance and prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes.
The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), an ongoing research study started in 1996 and funded by the National Institutes of Health, shows that people at a high risk of diabetes reduced their chance of developing the disease by losing 5%-7% of their starting weight. For someone who weighs 200 pounds, that’s 10 to 14 pounds. People who participated in the study lost weight by changing their diet and exercising more.
1. Dietary changes
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) and a panel of scientists, doctors, diabetes educators, and dietitians set out to find which healthy eating patterns work well for people with diabetes. They reviewed more than 600 research articles and found that no one diet works for everyone, but following a few guidelines can help people to manage the condition. In general, their report suggests people with diabetes eat plenty of non-starchy vegetables, whole grains, unprocessed foods, and less added sugar.
For diabetes patients, the diet itself or food doesn’t matter; it’s more about portion control and longevity—whether you choose a low-carb diet, ketogenic diet, Mediterranean diet, or intermittent fasting. “There’s no difference between one diet or another,” says Ghada Elshimy, MD, an endocrinologist with Augusta University Health. “The most important thing is to stick with one diet. And we tell patients they have to eat more vegetables, more protein, and fewer carbohydrates.”
She recommends the diabetes plate method, which is also endorsed by the American Diabetes Association. It divides a dinner plate into three sections—half is for non-starchy vegetables, one-quarter is protein, and the final quarter is carbohydrates. Dr. Elshimy adds that diabetes patients should stick with 60 grams of carbohydrates per meal (the equivalent of one bagel), and the less complex, the better.
RELATED: What exactly are carbohydrates?
2. Calorie restriction
What about eating a low-calorie diet? In a small study from 2011, researchers restricted people with Type 2 diabetes to just 600 calories a day for eight weeks. They found that the underlying signs of diabetes—insulin resistance and pancreas function—began to improve, signaling diabetes remission. Researchers noted, though, that more research is needed in a larger group of people.
Similarly, other research shows that gastric bypass or bariatric surgery, which reduces the stomach’s size and limits calories, can reverse diabetes. In one study, researchers in Denmark studied just over 1,100 people with Type 2 diabetes who had gastric bypass surgery. One year after surgery, 74% no longer needed medications to lower blood sugar, while 27% saw their diabetes return after five years.
A gastric bypass is an option for people with Type 2 diabetes or other serious weight-related health conditions like sleep apnea, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or higher. Those who have the surgery will still need to make significant lifestyle changes to lose and maintain their weight. Some patients have complications after surgery and may not be able to reverse their diabetes.
3. Exercise
Regular exercise and lowering body fat are critical in managing Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. Physical activity increases the body’s cells insulin sensitivity so it works more effectively.
Experts recommend 20 minutes of moderate exercise a day—aerobic activity like jogging, cycling, or hiking, and resistance training such as lifting weights to build new muscle. People who aren’t very active or have health concerns should consult their healthcare provider before starting a new exercise program.
4. Medication
Medication could also play a role in delaying or reversing Type 2 diabetes. Some research shows that people with diabetes who take insulin immediately after a diabetes diagnosis have a better chance of living without it in the future and having fewer diabetes complications.
The DPP study found that taking metformin, a medicine healthcare providers prescribe to treat diabetes, may prevent people from developing the disease. And, two classes of Type 2 diabetes drugs that healthcare providers prescribe to improve blood sugar control—GLP-1 agonists and SGLT-2 inhibitors—can also lead to weight loss. Research shows that diabetes patients who take a GLP-1 medication could lose an average of three to five-and-a-half pounds. That number jumps to six to nine pounds with lifestyle changes in addition to diabetes medication.
There’s also medication to suppress appetite. Dr. Elshimy says the most effective drug for this purpose is Qsymia, and she only recommends it for Type 2 diabetes patients with a BMI of 27 or higher. Those who take this drug should only use it to supplement other lifestyle changes; they’ll also need to take it for the rest of their life to maintain weight loss results.
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Besides medication, diet, and exercise, there are other lifestyle and medical factors to keep in mind when working toward diabetes reversal.
5. Sleep
Research suggests a link between sleep, metabolism, and obesity. A lack of sleep makes us more hungry, especially for foods high in calories and carbs. Scientists believe that sleep affects hormones in the body called ghrelin and leptin that regulate hunger. Another factor: a lack of sleep zaps our energy for physical activity.
Most adults should get seven to nine hours of sleep a night and work toward better sleep habits like removing electronic devices from the bedroom and avoiding heavy meals two to three hours before bedtime.
6. Mental health
Having an illness can cause anxiety, sadness, and a loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities. People with diabetes are two to three times more likely to have depression than those without the condition, yet only 25% to 50% are diagnosed and treated. They’re also 20% more likely to have anxiety.
Those who are trying to reverse their diabetes may also have these feelings if they don’t see anticipated results or have friend and family support.
7. Smoking
Smoking can be a cause of Type 2 diabetes, and in fact, smokers are 30%-40% more likely to develop it. They also have trouble controlling the disease and are at a higher risk for other serious health problems such as heart disease, poor circulation in the legs and feet, nerve damage, and eye disease.
8. Treating polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
PCOS is a common cause of infertility and affects as many as 5 million U.S. women in their childbearing years. Women with the condition have trouble using insulin well, which raises their risk for Type 2 diabetes. More than half of women with PCOS also develop Type 2 diabetes by the time they reach age 40.
People with these health concerns should talk to their healthcare provider for help in treating them, which could also lead to a reversal of their diabetes.
How long does it take to reverse diabetes?
There’s no set timeframe for when people with Type 2 diabetes may start to see their hard work pay off. In general, diabetes experts say with medication and lifestyle changes, diabetes patients could notice a difference in three to six months. It may take one month to stabilize blood sugar (with or without medication), and then a couple of months or more for lifestyle changes to take effect.
“With enough work and time, you can do it,” says Stephanie Redmond, Pharm.D., CDE, BC-ADM, co-founder of diabetesdoctor.com. “The longer you’ve had diabetes and the higher your sugars have been for a sustained time, the harder this might be.” Redmond adds that despite their best efforts, it may be impossible for some to become diabetes-free. “Your pancreas just can’t produce the insulin it needs. There’s no point in stressing or beating yourself up. Work with your healthcare provider on the best medication plan for you.”
An A1C test measures average blood sugar levels (hemoglobin a1c) over the previous two to three months. A hemoglobin A1C below 5.7% is normal, between 5.7 and 6.4% is a sign of prediabetes, and 6.5% or higher indicates diabetes. People managing their Type 2 diabetes should get an A1C test at least two times a year and more often if they change medications or have other health conditions.
People working to reverse diabetes may see a difference in their blood sugar right away and be tempted to go back to their old ways. “Don’t confuse this,” Redmond says. “If you stop eating sugar and carbs and exercising, you may have lower or normal blood sugars almost immediately. But, it may take much longer to reverse the damage that the pancreas has endured and start to cut through the body’s insulin resistance and inflammatory state.”
Reversed diabetes can return. People with diabetes already have a gene that makes them insulin resistant and susceptible to the disease. Reversing diabetes takes continuous effort over many months and maintaining changes for a lifetime.
Who can help me reverse diabetes?
People with diabetes should start with their primary care provider for guidance on reversing the condition and diabetes care. Their provider may refer them to a Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) service. A DSMES healthcare team includes diabetes educators such as doctors, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers with special training and experience. The team helps diabetes patients to learn more about the condition and diabetes management.