Blood Sugar Dropping? Don’t Panic—Here’s How to Raise It!
Not only can high blood sugar levels potentially harm your health, but low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can too. In severe cases, the effects of low blood sugar can lead to organ failure, cardiac arrest, and even coma.
To prevent this, there are ways to raise blood sugar that you can try!
How to Raise Low Blood Sugar?
You may be considered hypoglycemic when your measurement shows that your blood sugar level is below 70 mg/dL. To help bring it back to normal, here are some steps you can take:
1. Eat and Drink

The easiest way to raise your blood glucose level is by consuming food and drinks. Choose foods containing carbohydrates or sugary drinks.
Carbohydrates are broken down by the body into sugar during digestion. The sugar is then absorbed into the bloodstream and distributed throughout the body.[1] Meanwhile, sugary foods or drinks directly increase the body's glucose supply within 15 to 40 minutes of consumption.[2]
To benefit from this method, you can eat and drink using the 15-15 method. What is it?
With this method, you can consume 15 grams of food or drink. Then, after 15 minutes, check your blood sugar again using a glucometer.
If your blood sugar remains below the normal range, you can consume another 15 grams of food until your test result shows a level above 70 mg/dL.
2. Get a Glucagon Injection

Another way to raise a sudden drop in blood sugar is with a glucagon injection. This injection is an emergency treatment for people with diabetes whose blood sugar levels have fallen well below normal.
You can receive this treatment at a nearby clinic or hospital. In addition, some healthcare professionals can teach you how to use the injection device so you can administer it yourself at home in an emergency.
Food Options for Raising Blood Sugar
The easiest way to raise low blood sugar is by consuming food and drinks. Here are some food options you can try:
1. Fruit

As mentioned, carbohydrates are essential in this situation. One option is to eat fruit that contains carbohydrates. Here are some fruits you can eat to get the recommended 15 grams of carbohydrates:
- 15 grapes
- 1 small apple
- 1 large kiwi
- 1 small bowl of melon
- 1 bowl of watermelon
- 1 small pear
- 1 small banana
- ½ mango
- ½ papaya
- ¾ bowl of pineapple
2. Bread and Pastries

Bread is a type of complex carbohydrate that takes longer for the body to digest. Because of this, bread can help raise blood sugar gradually and steadily.
Here are some types of bread and pastries you can eat in the recommended portions:
- 1 small slice of cake
- 1 small croissant
- 1 plain donut
- 1 slice of white bread
- 1 muffin
- 1 pancake
- 1 waffle
- 3 crackers
3. Pasta

All types of pasta can help raise your blood sugar. However, whole-wheat pasta or pasta made from lentil, buckwheat, or pea flour is recommended because it contains more fiber. This fiber helps keep your blood sugar levels stable.
To get 15 grams of carbohydrates from pasta, you can eat about one-third of a bowl of cooked pasta.
4. Vegetables

Carbohydrate-rich vegetables can also be a good choice, especially if you want a healthier and more filling option. Here are some vegetables for raising blood sugar that you can enjoy:
- ½ bowl of sweet potatoes
- ½ bowl of potatoes
- ½ bowl of peas
- ½ bowl of corn
- 1 bowl of pumpkin
In addition to the foods above, in an emergency you can also look for easy-to-consume alternatives. For example, a spoonful of honey or syrup.
If you're away from home, items available at a convenience store can also be a solution.
For example:
- half a cup of ice cream
- half a cup of yogurt
- twelve jelly candies
- five hard candies
- 28 grams of potato chips
To keep your blood sugar stable, it is important to pay attention to things that can trigger a drop in blood sugar. Examples include drinking alcohol, taking too much diabetes medication, and skipping meals.
Start building healthy habits into your daily lifestyle. You surely don't want to keep relying on the ways to raise blood sugar discussed above, do you? By making positive changes to your diet and daily activities, you can achieve better health.
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