What happens to blood sugar when you eat ice cream?

Ice cream is a dessert loved by many people, but it also makes many people, especially people with diabetes or pre-diabetes, worry about its effects on blood sugar. According to Verywell Healthice cream can increase blood sugar, but the body’s reaction is different from other high-sugar foods because it contains both fat and protein.

Blood sugar increases after eating

Like other carbohydrate-rich foods, ice cream is broken down into glucose by the body during digestion. When glucose enters the blood, blood sugar begins to increase.

The increase depends mainly on the amount of carbohydrates in the diet. Carbohydrates in ice cream come from added sugars, natural lactose in milk, and ingredients such as cookies, candy, and caramel mixed in. Therefore, the larger the portion, the more carbohydrates you consume, and the more likely it is that blood sugar will rise.

Fat and protein slow down absorption

Unlike soft drinks or candy, ice cream contains a lot of fat and protein. These two ingredients slow down the stomach emptying process, causing carbohydrates to be digested and absorbed more slowly. Thanks to that, glucose enters the blood more slowly, blood sugar does not increase too quickly immediately after eating. However, this does not mean that the amount of sugar absorbed will be less, it only changes the absorption rate.

According to experts, digestion speed also depends on the fat content of ice cream, the amount of ice cream eaten, whether ice cream is eaten alone or with other foods as well as the digestive ability of each person.

Blood sugar may peak later

Because the digestive process is slow, blood sugar can peak later after eating ice cream than with many other desserts. This is also the reason why you should not judge the effects of ice cream solely based on its sweetness. An ice cream may not cause an immediate increase in blood sugar but will still cause a significant increase in blood sugar afterward.

The time when blood sugar reaches its peak is influenced by the amount of fat, protein, added sugar, diet and metabolic characteristics of each person.

Be careful when eating ice cream

Diet is a factor that greatly affects blood sugar. Half a cup of ice cream contains much fewer carbohydrates than a large bowl of ice cream or a restaurant serving. The more ice cream you eat, the more glucose your body absorbs, and the more sugar and calories it takes in, making it easier for blood sugar to rise.

The ingredients of the cream also make a difference. Some are loaded with added sugar or ingredients like cookies, caramel, or candy, while others are fortified with protein, fiber, or use alternative sweeteners. Fiber and protein can help slow glucose absorption, but even low-sugar ice cream can still raise blood sugar if the total carbohydrate intake is high.

In addition, each person’s blood sugar response is different. Age, insulin sensitivity, activity level, sleep quality, stress and metabolic status all affect how the body processes glucose. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately predict blood sugar spikes based on just one serving of ice cream.

Theo Healthlinepeople with diabetes do not have to completely abstain from ice cream but can still enjoy it in moderation if they control their blood sugar well and maintain a balanced diet. You should prioritize ice creams that are low in added sugar, and limit ice cream containing a lot of cookies, caramel, candy or syrup because they often contain more carbohydrates. Eating ice cream after a main meal or combining it with foods rich in protein and fiber can also help slow down the absorption of glucose compared to eating ice cream alone.