When logging your meals, you might be surprised to see some not-so-healthy foods get a high score, while healthier foods get a lower score. It is important to remember, your DayTwo scores are not about the nutrition content of the food. Instead, the scores are about predicting how your blood sugar will react to the food.
Keeping the blood sugar steady helps your body’s overall processes stay stable. The benefits include having more energy, sleeping better, managing weight easier, and so much more. When the blood sugar is unsteady, this can lead to reactions in the body that can cause various health problems over time.
Your personal blood sugar scores help you learn how sensitive you are to different foods within the food groups. There are three main food groups: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Each of these groups has both healthy and not-so-healthy options.
For example, healthy carbs are fruits and veggies, while less healthy carbs are cookies and cake. The same goes for proteins. Healthy options are fish and plant proteins, while less healthy proteins include fatty meats and cheeses. Healthy fats come from things like avocados, seeds, and nuts, while less healthy fats come from bacon and butter.
Carbohydrates are broken down and absorbed quickly to provide energy to the body. This can make the blood sugar rise quickly. Because of this, they can have lower scores depending on how they are made or the portion size. Carbohydrates are very important in our diet because they provide many nutrients that other food groups do not.
Proteins and fats, however, slow down the digestion. This helps us feel fuller and releases the blood sugar into the bloodstream at a slower rate. Combining carbs with protein or fat can improve the score. The DayTwo app will tell you which combinations work best for you.
Leading a healthy lifestyle has many pieces to it. Eating nutritious foods and keeping your blood sugar balanced are just two pieces of the puzzle. The beauty of DayTwo is that no food is totally off limits. You can still enjoy treats, or less healthy foods, occasionally without seeing a big impact on your blood sugar or health. It’s all about eating in moderation!
If you want to learn helpful strategies to make healthy, high scoring meals check out the below articles.