Question about Blood Sugar Levels?

Question

I am doing a sci fair project on BSL's and I have some VERY odd data. I read that if you drink orange juice your blood sugar level would go up a lot. My testees BSL went down. WHATS UP?!?!

Answer 1

Your testee's probably all have a high glycemic index,..in other words orange juice is not enough alone to raise their glucose level.

The following article will attest to this.





The Glycemic Index
Pauline Williams, MPA, RD, USU Extension Agent
Wendy Stubbs, Dietetic Intern
What is the Glycemic Index?
The glycemic index is a ranking of carbohydrate containing foods. Foods are ranked according to their
immediate effect on blood sugar levels. The higher a food raises blood sugar, the higher its glycemic index.
Scientists published the first index in 1981 when they were researching diet therapy for diabetes. This first list
contained 51 foods, and the list has continued to expand, with the most recent official list containing 750 foods.
Fruits, grains, dairy products, some vegetables, pastas, and sugary desserts all contain carbohydrates, but have a
wide range of glycemic indices. Meats, fats and some vegetables have none or very small amounts of
carbohydrates and thus the glycemic index of these foods is low or close to zero.
Pure glucose is used as the standard to which other foods are compared, and is given the glycemic index
of 100. Most of today’s researchers use pure glucose as the standard mainly because it is the end product of
digestion. However, white bread was the original reference food used when determining glycemic index levels.
Glucose has a set index level of 100, which is considered
the top of the scale. All other foods containing carbohydrates are
ranked from 0 to 100 based on their effects on blood sugar
compared to glucose. A few foods do have a higher glycemic
index than glucose, with indexes over 100, such as jasmine rice,
dates, and tofu based frozen desserts. Refined sugars and processed
foods such as cookies, cakes, white breads, and crackers generally
have high glycemic indexes. Whole grains and some fruits
generally have lower glycemic indexes.
Figure 1 shows an example of a person’s blood sugar
response to a high versus a low glycemic index food. The graph
shows how glucose, a high glycemic index food, raises blood
sugar levels higher and faster than whole grains, a low glycemic
index food.
Influences on the Glycemic Index
Different factors that influence a food’s glycemic index include:
Cooking Methods – the more cooking and processing a food goes through, the higher the glycemic
index.
Physical Forms of Food – the more fibrous the food, such as whole grain seed, the slower it is digested
and the lower the glycemic index.
Figure 1. Glycemic Index. The 2 hour blood sugar
response of a high glycermic food (glucose) compared
to a low glycemic food (whole grains).
Type of Starch – A food made of amylose starch has a lower glycemic effect than food composed of
amylopectin starch. Amylose starch breaks down slower than amylopectin. Amylose is found in
legumes such as kidney beans and lentils and some types of rice. Amylopectin is found in
vegetables such as potatoes and corn.
Fiber – Soluble fibers slow digestion and effectively slow the availability of the starch to digestion
which usually lowers a food’s glycemic index. Soluble fiber is found in oatmeal, dried beans,
and some fruits and vegetables.
Sugar – Foods contain various types of sugars. Fructose, found in fruits, is metabolized slowly, which
lowers the glycemic index of fruit.
Which Foods Have a Low Glycemic Index?
High glycemic index foods are those foods with an index greater than 70. Low glycemic index foods
have an index less than 55. One can’t tell the glycemic index of a food by its food group classification, but in
general low glycemic foods include:
Grains – Oatmeal, pumpernickel bread, whole wheat bread, bran cereal, brown rice, most pasta
Fruits – apples, apple juice, apricots (dried), cherries, grapefruit, grapefruit juice, grapes, peaches,
pears, pineapple juice, plums, oranges, and orange juice.
Vegetables – yams, non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, beets, and celery.
Legumes – lentils, kidney beans, butter beans, split peas, chickpeas, lima beans, navy beans, pinto
beans, baked beans
Dairy – milk, yogurt, low-fat ice cream
Table 1 (following page) shows the glycemic index of some commonly eaten foods:
Glycemic Index and Type 2 Diabetes
Long-term studies have found that consumption of a high glycemic load diet is a predictor of type 2
diabetes. Though diet is not the only predictor of the development of type 2 diabetes, adults who replace high
glycemic foods in their diet with low glycemic foods can reduce their risk of diabetes.
The major objective of diabetes control is to reduce high blood sugars. Constant high blood sugar in
diabetes causes complications such as nerve damage, kidney disease, eye disease, and cardiovascular disease.
Eating low glycemic foods may reduce frequent and rapid raises in blood sugar and as a result may decrease the
potential complications from diabetes. A low glycemic diet may also increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin.
Changes in blood sugar caused from low glycemic foods are lower and more gradual, leaving more time for
insulin to respond to the raised blood sugar levels.
Heart Disease and the Glycemic Index
A low glycemic diet may have a positive effect on those with heart disease. Eating low glycemic index
foods is associated with decreased total cholesterol, decreased low density lipoproteins (LDL) or “bad
cholesterol,” and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) or “good” cholesterol. Lower total
cholesterol levels, lower LDL cholesterol, and high HDL cholesterol levels are protective against heart disease.
Obesity and the Glycemic Index
A diet combining low fat foods with low glycemic foods promotes better weight control than a low fat
diet alone. Low glycemic foods promote satiety and fat oxidation. Studies show that low-glycemic meals
decrease hunger and subsequent eating. Eating low glycemic foods is appropriate in the treatment and
prevention of obesity.
Table 1. Glycemic Index of Commonly Eaten Foods
Food Glycemic Index Grams of Carbohydrates per serving
Beans and Legumes
Kidney Beans, canned, ½ cup
Baked Beans, ½ cup
Navy Beans, ½ cup
Split Peas, boiled, ½ cup

Breads
White, 1 oz slice
Bagel, 1 each, 2 oz
Sourdough, 1.5 oz slice
!00% Stone-ground Whole Wheat, 1.5 oz slice
Rye Bread, 1 oz slice

Breakfast Cereals
Corn Flakes™, 1 cup (1 oz)
Total™, 3/4 cup
Cheerios™, 1 cup (.5 oz)
Special K™, 1 cup
Mini Wheats™, 1 cup
Frosted Flakes™, 3/4 cup
All-Bran Cereal™, ½ cup (.5 oz)

Dairy Foods
Vanilla Ice Cream, ½ cup
Skim Milk, 1 cup
Nonfat Yogurt, artificial sweetener, 8 oz

Grains
Instant Rice, 1 cup
White Rice, 1 cup
Brown Rice, 1 cup
Macaroni, 1 cup
Spaghetti, 1 cup
Fettuccine, 1 cup
Fruits
Watermelon, 1 cup
Cranberry Juice, 8 oz
Pineapple, fresh, 2 slices
Banana, 1 medium
Orange, 1 medium
Apple, 1 medium
Pear, 1 medium
Grapefruit, ½ medium

Potatoes
Instant mashed, ½ cup
Baked white skinned, 1 medium
French Fries. 4.3 oz
Sweet Potato, ½ cup
Potato Chips, 12 pieces

Vegetables
Parsnips, ½ cup
Corn canned, ½ cup
Peas frozen, ½ cup
Carrots boiled, ½ cup
Yams, 3 oz

Choosing to Eat a Low Glycemic Diet
Eating more low glycemic foods will benefit people at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
Many people will find it too time consuming to look up the glycemic index numbers on every food. In the
future, glycemic indexes may be available as part of the nutrition information label. Until then here are some
basic guidelines to help you to choose a low glycemic diet:
! Reduce your consumption of refined and highly processed grain products like most prepared cold
cereals and white bread. Choose whole grain breads, brown rice, and whole grain cereals such as
oatmeal.
! Eat non-starchy vegetables including leafy green vegetables.
! Eat plenty of fruits. Most have low glycemic indexes.
! Choose foods that are high in fiber, they take longer to digest which usually helps lower the rate that the
starch is broken down.
! Remember that combining foods and adding fat while cooking can change the glycemic index of foods –
usually lowering the glycemic index.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

2

Answer 4

Were your testees diabetic? If they weren't diabetic, then it makes sense that the blood sugar level went down. Their pancreas started functioning and the insulin was taking care of the sugars. If you had waited longer, you would have seen the blood sugars return to normal. I've seen this happen when I've tested family members who aren't diabetic.

Another thing is, if some of the testees were diabetic, when was their last shot? If their insulin was kicking in, the blood sugar might have been on the way down, you caught it at a certain level at the first test, but by the second test, the OJ wasn't enough to bring it back up again. I'm a brittle diabetic and have had to explain to nurses time and again when I feel my blood sugars dropping that just because the test was normal doesn't mean I'm ok, if they would wait fifteen minutes it could drop another 50 points. I know the feeling of going hypoglycemic and hate it, so I always keep food in my purse when I go to the hospital just in case some idiot injects me with insulin then waits an hour and a half to bring food. Grrr!! But I digress...hope this helped explain some of the mystery!

Many Blessings,
Lilyth

Answer 5

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Believe it or not, I even danced at my niece's wedding last month, something I have not done in a many years. I've been following the book for six months now and my blood sugar is well within normal range. I feel great!

I recommend you use the Type 2 Diabetes Destroyer to naturally reverse your diabetes.

Answer 6

First, your test methods are far from scientific, hardly even anecdotal.

Is your subject a Type 1 diabetic? If so, and he presently has a normal blood glucose (say 100) and you give him a glass of orange juice it would be likely to spike his level, assuming he hasn't injected a rapid insulin (say Humulin R) in the past hour, or very rapid insulin (say Humalog) in the past 15 minutes. If your "testee" is non-diabetic, no particular conclusion would be obtainable.

Answer 7

There is no way it could have went down. OJ always raises your blood sugar levels thats why diabetics are told to keep it on hand. Something must be wrong with your equipment or your not testing right. By the way Coke and Chocolate will raise blood sugar levels also.

Answer 8

what medication do they take? if they take a fast acting insulin, a sudden introduction of natural sugars can make the BSL drop. can even go as low as 25-40. i have seen this happen first hand. very scary.

Answer 9

Maybe you should retest. The levels should have gone up. How long did you wait after they drank the OJ before you tested? I have Hypoglycemia and I drink OJ to raise my blood sugar levels regularly.

Answer 10

3

Answer 11

In the superstore, fruits are usually chosen much too soon. Some are rocks, many are wrong. Some of the fruit and vegetables are right (zucchini, onions, garlic, lettuce, greens, and a few others) so I'd have to go with vegetables.