This ‘healthy’ snack could be silently spiking your blood sugar

We often notice marketing ploys when scrolling through social media, driving down a highway, looking at billboards or watching TV. But registered dietitians warn that it’s vital to recognize the sneaky tactics we come across when shopping at the grocery store.

Many processed foods use buzzy words that make them seem healthier than they are, leading to various health issues, including high blood sugar.

“This ‘health halo’ can give a food a one-note stamp of wellness, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. Take an acai bowl: It may be labeled ‘organic,’ ‘whole,’ or ‘all-natural,’ yet still include ingredients that can spike blood sugar quickly,” explains Kaitlin Hippley, a registered dietitian. “Looking at the full picture is the best way to decide if it truly fits your personal needs and goals.”

Let’s back up for a second: It’s completely normal for blood sugar to rise after meals. “Your blood sugar naturally rises and falls throughout the day, so it’s not like we’re looking for a completely flat line,” registered dietitian Amanda Sauceda says. “Rather, you want to eat food that causes a gentle rise and fall in your blood sugar.”

Lunch can present a challenge. You may be working or on the go, so you want something easy. Unfortunately, convenience foods are more likely to be processed and high in sugar. Still, dietitians say you’ll want to opt for foods that truly nourish your body, and they say there’s one “healthy” lunch staple that consistently spikes blood sugar.

Sneaky snack

“Flavored yogurts often have 20 to 25 grams of added sugar, similar to a candy bar,” says Theresa Link, a registered dietitian at Virta Health. “That added sugar is what drives the spike.”

Hippley echoes these sentiments, sharing that flavored yogurt can rapidly increase blood sugar.

“Yogurt can be a great addition to a meal, snack or ingredient swap, but it can spike blood sugar when it’s high in added sugars or low in protein and fat,” she says. “Flavored and fruit-on-the-bottom options are common culprits, often packing more added sugar than you’d expect.”

Sauceda gets it: Plain yogurt can be boring. “When I first had plain yogurt, I didn’t love it and ended up adding a bunch of strawberry jelly,” she says. “It turned out more jelly than yogurt and more sugar. This is why you also want to look towards your toppings because that may be spiking your blood sugar.”

Yep, even the DIY version of flavored yogurt can send your blood sugar on a roller coaster. For context, the American Heart Association suggests limiting added sugars to 6 to 9 teaspoons daily. Sauceda notes that 4 grams of added sugar is about 1 teaspoon. So, if your flavored yogurt has 20 grams of added sugar, you’re already at 5 teaspoons — in a single serving.

Spikes in blood sugar

Here’s a look at how your body responds to a sugary lunch like flavored yogurt. “After you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose — sugar — to use for energy,” says Mckenzie Dryden, a registered dietitian with HonorHealth. “Glucose circulates in the bloodstream before being sent to the cells for immediate energy or the liver for storage.”

Dryden shares that when you eat a meal with a ton of carbohydrates, especially ones that break down quickly (like the simple sugars in flavored yogurt), your blood glucose levels go up and your pancreas has to work harder to raise insulin levels to bring your blood glucose back down. What goes up must come down — so you’ll soon experience a drop in blood sugars (and may feel more irritable or tired). In the long term, frequent spikes and crashes can pose significant health concerns.

“Chronic spikes and dips can lead to an increased risk of developing insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” Dryden says. “Uncontrolled high blood sugar can also cause nerve and organ damage.”

If you’re living with type 2 diabetes, Link says, regular blood sugar spikes and crashes can make it harder to manage it.

Choosing the right yogurt

Yogurt isn’t off the table if you love eating it for lunch. Dietitians say that the key is to become label-literate so you can choose a blood sugar-friendly alternative to flavored yogurt. Here’s how to shop for yogurt like a dietitian.

1. Start with added sugar

First things first, ignore the jargon on the front of the yogurt container and flip to the nutrition label on the back. Mckenzie Dryden, a registered dietitian with HonorHealth, says you’ll want to focus on “added sugar.”

“Flavored yogurts tend to have higher amounts of added sugar, so I recommend looking for a product with less than 10 grams of added sugar per serving,” she says.

2. Mind the total carbohydrates

Sugar isn’t the only carbohydrate yogurt contains. If you need to count carbs because you have Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, you must look at “total carbohydrates,” rather than just “sugar” or “added sugar.”

“This provides a more complete view of how the yogurt may affect blood sugar as part of your overall meal or snack,” Hippley says.

3. Check the fat content

Dryden shares that your approach to fat will depend on your needs and goals. “A yogurt higher in fat can help you feel full and satisfied, and could help improve the taste if there is no added sugar,” Dryden says. “Low-fat yogurt is typically lower in calories, and the American Heart Association recommends low-fat options for heart health.”

4. Peep the protein

Protein can also make a big difference in how satisfying a yogurt is. The more satisfying a low or no-sugar option is, the less you’ll miss the added sweet stuff. “When I am looking for a satiating snack, I want the yogurt to have at least 15 grams of protein,” Sauceda says.

5. Go with your gut

Research suggests a possible link between imbalances in gut bacteria and increased Type 2 diabetes risk. But some yogurts can really support gut health. “Fermented foods, like yogurt, can be a source of probiotic bacteria which could help your gut,” Sauceda says. “Choose a yogurt that has live and active cultures so you can get those benefits.”

Perking up plain yogurt

Sauceda was once cold on plain yogurt, but now it’s a staple in her fridge. Here’s how she — and other dietitians — say you can warm up to the less-sugary option.

Buy small and sample a few: Sauceda suggests taste testing different yogurts. “Buy a single cup before committing to a pack or a tub of yogurt,” she says. “This way, you don’t waste food or money.”

Jazz it up with fruits, seeds, nuts and spices: Hippley says berries, chia seeds, nuts and nut butters add satisfying fiber, protein and healthy fats to slow glucose absorption. She adds that a sprinkle of cinnamon or a splash of vanilla adds sweetness — not sugar.

Try something savory: If you aren’t hankering for something sweet, you can still enjoy the plain yogurt in your fridge for lunch. “For a savory twist, use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream for the same tangy flavor,” Dryden says. “You can also mix it with savory herbs and spices like lemon, dill, garlic and onion to use as a dip or salad dressing.”