7 Surprising Foods That Can Spike Your Blood Sugar

It’s not just cookies, sodas and other sweet treats in the dessert aisle

Kimberly Goad,

Updated January 22, 2026

AARP

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En español

Published March 09, 2023

/ Updated January 22, 2026

bottle of plant-based milk surrounded by almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, oats, and seeds

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Sugar is sneaky. Just when you think you’ve got its whereabouts figured out, you begin taking a closer look at nutrition labels, only to discover the sweet stuff is hiding out in any number of foods and beverages not on the cookie, candy and soda aisles.

The unsavory truth: Sugar is used by all kinds of food manufacturers to enhance flavor and texture. And a study published in 2022 in Public Health Nutrition found that packaged foods are only getting sweeter. That, of course, makes it tricky for anyone watching their sugar consumption, in particular the 38.4 million people in the U.S. with diabetes (about 12 percent of Americans) and the about 98 million more adults with prediabetes who need to keep an eye on all carbohydrate consumption.

“High blood sugar levels in the diabetes and prediabetes ranges can cause serious damage throughout the body,” says Jill Weisenberger, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Virginia and author of Prediabetes: A Complete Guide Second Edition. “We once thought that only people who had diabetes for some length of time had these problems. Now we have data that even people with prediabetes have a number of problems due to high blood sugar.” Around 8 percent of people with prediabetes have eye disease from the high blood sugar, while about 18 percent had chronic kidney disease and some estimates say that more than 10 percent of people with prediabetes have neuropathy, or nerve damage .In a study published in 2021 in Diabetologia, prediabetes was a risk factor for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, cancer and dementia.

Complicating matters: About 80 percent of people with prediabetes don’t realize they have it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Regardless of whether you have prediabetes, diabetes or none of the above, you should aim to limit big spikes in your blood sugar, says Vandana Sheth, a registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists: “Big fluctuations in blood sugar, specifically spikes, can cause damage to the blood vessels, increasing the risk of stroke and heart disease.”

Keep reading to learn more about the surprising foods that can spike your blood sugar.

1. Refined grains

White bread and bagels, white rice, regular pasta and other foods that have been made with white flour have been stripped of the fiber and other key nutrients found in their whole-grain counterparts. Sure, some have been “enriched,” which means essential vitamins and minerals have been added back in during processing, but they still have what’s known as a high glycemic index (GI). High-GI foods are digested quickly and, as a result, they’re more likely to spike blood sugar. In a 2021 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, participants who consumed a low-GI diet had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and death than those who consumed a diet with a high GI.

Instead: The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends subbing with whole grains. Not only do foods like brown rice, barley, bulgur, quinoa and farro (all good substitutes for white rice), whole-grain bread and whole-wheat pasta provide fiber and essential minerals and vitamins like B and E, they’re low-GI foods. Foods that rank low on the glycemic index are digested more slowly and are less likely to cause rapid spikes in blood sugar. What’s more, a 2024 report in Nutrition Journal found that consuming more than 150 grams of whole grains daily (the equivalent of one cup of brown rice) can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes. Not sure if that loaf of bread or package of pasta is a good choice? Look for “whole grain” or “whole wheat” at the top of the list of ingredients.

2. Plant-based milks

If you’ve adopted at least some part of a plant-based diet in the name of better health for both you and the planet, you’re not alone. A 2024 report from the International Food Information Council found that more than 55 percent of consumers cited better health as the motivation for following a plant-based eating plan; 66 percent gave the same reason for limiting their sugar consumption.

If you consume plant-based milks — meaning oat milk, almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, the list goes on — to check both of those “better-for-you” boxes, you may be surprised to know that these non-dairy alternatives to cow’s milk can have a lot of added sugar. In a 2016 study of 17 milk substitutes, published in Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, researchers found that plant-based milks can vary substantially in terms of nutrition. Some were very low in protein and had a high GI. The researchers’ conclusion? Some plant-based milk substitutes shouldn’t be perceived as healthy; they should be considered a treat.

Instead: If you prefer plant-based over cow’s milk (or have an allergy or intolerance), be sure to check the nutrition label first. Whatever your milk of choice, “consider drinking with a meal or a snack that provides more protein and some fat to decrease the spike in blood sugar,” Sheth advises.

3. Sugar-free snacks

As counterintuitive as it may seem, recent research suggests anything containing a sugar substitute — whether it’s “zero-sugar” chocolate, sugar-free protein bars, cookies or candy — may up your risk of developing insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes.

Instead: The ADA gives a partial green light to using artificial sweeteners in place of sugar as a way to combat obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes, with this word of caution: Claims like “sugar-free,” “reduced sugar” or “no sugar added” do not necessarily mean carbohydrate-free or lower in carbs than the original version of the food nor do they automatically mean low-calorie.“We know that sugar alternatives don’t necessarily raise blood glucose levels, but they may raise insulin levels,” says Dr. Revital Gorodeski Baskin, an endocrinologist and assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine. “There remains a lot that we don’t know with these alternatives.” Not sure whether to reach for that “zero sugar” protein bar? “It’s a good idea to meet with a registered dietitian at least once to get a good understanding of these foods,” Baskin says.

4. Dried fruit

Dried fruit can be a healthy and convenient snack choice, but beware: Some food makers add sugar in the drying process. It’s also easy to eat a lot in one sitting, so the calories will add up.

Instead: While fresh fruit is the preferred choice, keep in mind some are better choices than others. “Fruit such as watermelon, grapes and bananas contain very high quantities of simple sugar,” Baskin says. “Focus more on the berries family — strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries. They tend to have lower sugar levels.” Indeed, the ADA includes berries on its list of “superstar foods.”

5. Diet soda

Although diet soda is obviously free of sugar, new research suggests it may still play a role in altering blood sugar levels. In a study published in 2022 in the journal Cell, researchers looked at four sugar substitutes and found that they don’t travel through the body without consequence. Two of the artificial sweeteners — saccharin and sucralose — altered gut bacteria in a way that, at times, may change blood sugar levels. The researchers noted that it’s too soon to recommend permanently canning that can of diet soda. Indeed, other research, including a review of studies published in 2023 in the journal Nutrients , suggests that beverages sweetened with sugar substitutes may not be so bad after all.

“We know for certain that too much added sugar spikes blood sugar and can lead to other health problems,” Weisenberger says. “If the choice is regular or diet soda, I recommend diet soda. A diet soda every now and then — I drink one or so a month — is unlikely to hurt you.”

Consistently replacing diet drinks including soda with water raised the chances of long-term diabetes remission in women with type 2 diabetes, according to 2025 research.

Instead: Err on the side of caution. Substitute diet soda with seltzer or sparkling water flavored with a squeeze of lemon, lime or orange juice. “They are the best choices,” Weisenberger says.

6. Fruit-flavored yogurt

If you’ve been satisfying your sweet tooth with fruit-flavored yogurt to avoid the spike in blood sugar that accompanies gooey treats, consider this: Many are loaded with sugar. Research suggests flavored yogurts contain almost double the sugar of unflavored yogurts. In 2024, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration issued a qualified health claim that allows yogurt manufacturers to say that eating yogurt (at least three servings per week) is associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. That goes for all dairy yogurt, says Weisenberger, “however, I strongly advise clients to choose yogurt with no or little added sugars.”

Instead: Can’t stomach unsweetened yogurt? Choose plain yogurt — ideally Greek or Icelandic varieties, which are typically higher in protein — and add fresh fruit and nuts or seeds. “Strained yogurts are a little lower in carbohydrates and a little higher in protein, making them a good choice for people with prediabetes or diabetes,” says Weisenberger. “Opt for nonfat or low-fat yogurts to save calories and reduce saturated fats.”

7. Rice cakes

Read the ingredients list of this light-as-air snack — rice, water, salt, assorted flavorings — and you might wonder how it could possibly land on this list. Here’s how: Although plain rice cakes have a devoted following among people who see them as a healthier alternative to bread and other snack crackers, they can spike your blood sugar levels pretty quickly. There is, however, a way to have your rice cakes and eat them, too.

Instead: Top them with a low-GI food like cheese, cottage cheese or peanut butter, suggests Weisenberger. “When it comes to blood sugar control, the amount of carbohydrate you eat is more important than the source of carbohydrate,” she says. “So, if you like the taste and crunch of rice cakes, enjoy one. It’s the entire meal or snack — not just a single food — that affects the blood sugar response.”

7 Unsuspecting Things That Spike Blood Sugar

According to the CDC, these seven things can also raise your blood sugar:

Sunburn: Blame the pain and stress, which increases blood sugar.
Dehydration: Your blood sugar is more concentrated when there’s less water in the body.
Losing sleep: Even just one bad night can affect how well your body uses insulin.
Coffee: Yes, even if you skip sweetener. “Some people’s blood sugar is extra-sensitive to caffeine,” the CDC says.
Time of day: The later it gets, the harder it is to control blood sugar. People also experience a hormone surge upon waking, whether or not they have diabetes.
Passing on breakfast: This can raise blood sugar after lunch and dinner.
Nasal spray: Some decongestants can spike blood sugar.

Editor’s note: This story, first published March 9, 2023, has been updated to include new information.

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Kimberly Goad is a New York-based journalist who has covered health for some of the nation’s top consumer publications. Her work has appeared in Women’s Health, Prevention, Health and Reader's Digest.