Have you noticed that some meals give you a quick surge of energy, but a short time later, leave you feeling tired or hungry? Or that a short walk after eating can help you feel better? These changes relate to how your body manages blood sugar, also called glucose. For the 1.5 million Australians living with diabetes, these everyday choices play an even bigger role in blood sugar control. Let’s break down the types of diabetes and explore how to keep blood glucose levels in the optimal range.
Blood Sugar and Insulin – How It Works
When you eat carbohydrate, your body breaks it down into simple units of carbohydrate called glucose, which is also the body’s preferred energy source.
Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, is needed to move glucose from the blood into cells in muscles and organs to keep them ‘fuelled’ and working. Insulin acts like a ‘key’, unlocking cells to allow glucose to enter and fuel your body. In diabetes, this system is disrupted:
- Type 1 Diabetes: The body stops producing insulin altogether.
- Type 2 Diabetes: The body produces insufficient insulin or becomes resistant to its effects.
As a result, glucose accumulates in the bloodstream, leading to elevated blood sugar levels, which can affect energy, mood, and long-term health.
How Is It Measured?
There are two main ways people monitor their blood sugar levels over the day:
Method | What It Does | Cost Range (AUD) | Best For |
Finger prick test | Snapshot of blood sugar at one moment | $50-65/pack of 100 test strips $30-100 for a blood glucose meter $7-20/pack of 100 lancets (finger prick tools), or ~$20-30 for a device with reusable features. Total cost for someone testing twice daily is ~$20-45/month pending eligibility for subsidisation* | Occasional checks |
Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) | Tracks blood sugar continuously via a sensor | $65–$375/month - this cost may be subsidised* for people with Type 1 Diabetes | People with diabetes |
*Those who join the National Diabetes Services Scheme may be eligible for subsidised blood glucose monitoring products
What Affects Blood Sugar?
Research shows that blood sugar levels are influenced by more than just the type of food:
- Carbohydrate Content: The total amount of carbohydrate in a meal or snack has the biggest impact on blood sugar. A higher amount of carbohydrate releases more glucose into the bloodstream once digested. Foods rich in fibre (like wholegrains, legumes, fruit, and veg) tend to release glucose more slowly and steadily
- Glycaemic Index of Food: High-GI foods (like white bread, sweets, or soft drinks) spike glucose quickly.
- Portion sizes: Larger meals often mean higher glucose responses.
- Physical activity: Even a 10–15 minute walk after eating can lower blood glucose as muscles use it to produce energy which helps clear it from blood.
- Sleep & stress: Poor sleep and high stress raise hormone levels (like cortisol and adrenaline) that increase blood sugar.
Target Blood Glucose Level Ranges for people with diabetes:
- Before meals: ≤ 6.0 mmol/L
- Two hours after meals: ≤ 8.0 mmol/L
These targets are a guide for people with diabetes to help improve health and lower the risk of developing diabetes complications. However, checking your own levels regularly will give you insight into how different foods or activities affect your body. This information also helps your healthcare team review your medical care.
To learn more, check out: Know your numbers: What do your blood sugar levels mean?
Is Monitoring Worth It?
For people with diabetes, regular monitoring is essential. For others, it can provide useful insights into how food and lifestyle affect energy levels, but it isn’t necessary for everyone. If you’re unsure whether you should be testing, it’s best to discuss it with your healthcare team.
Research has found that using a CGM can improve blood glucose control in people with Type 2 diabetes, especially when paired with lifestyle changes. However, there’s limited evidence that CGMs improve outcomes in individuals without diabetes.
If you’re curious, this testing regime will give you information about your blood sugars levels:
- Test before and after a typical meal.
- Keep a record of the meal consumed, and results. You can find a BGL record here: Food and Blood Glucose Level Record
- Use the information to make small changes – like adjusting portion sizes, food choices, or movement.
Want to Learn More?
Listen to the full conversation between Professor Clare Collins, and Allison Roberts, on Nutrition Science Bites: Should you monitor blood sugar levels and why? with Allison Roberts
Try Allison’s Mexican Style Stuffed Capsicums - a colourful, veggie-packed meal, perfect for supporting stable energy.
Download our Food, Cooking and Diabetes eBook for our top tips, tricks, and recipes.
