Ask the Diabetes Educator Archive

Q:
Why can I eat a candy bar and my blood sugar level will not increase alot, but if I eat even a small amount of pasta, potato, or bread it will go sky high?

A:
Candy bars generally have fat in them, which may slow down the total conversion time into sugar. Pasta, bagels, white potatoes and white rice are all high on the Glycemic Index; they convert rapidly into blood sugar. They are a refined starch, with nothing to slow down their rate of conversion. The amount of food may play a role in this as well.