Ask the Diabetes Educator Archive

9/23/03

Q:
Will a non diabetic's sugar level go past 140 at any time?

A:
No, "non-diabetes" does not by definition exceed 140 after meals. 120 two hours after meals is a good goal, and one we use with diabetes in pregnancy. Peak time for a moderate sized meal with starches is about 1 hour. Of course, simple sugars, including juice, can peak in 5-15 minutes. An ideal fasting blood sugar is around 80. If you are testing at home and are concerned, you may want to ask for a Glucose Tolerance Test (yucky cola drink) to track how you respond over a 2 hour period. Cutting out the refined "stuff" often is all that is needed to get things under control.