Many people, once they discover abnormal blood sugar, dare not eat or touch it. Actually, controlling blood sugar does not mean rejecting all delicious foods, nor is it simply eating less. Blood sugar fluctuations not only depend on what you eat, but also on how you eat it. The dietary details that many people overlook are often the key to blood sugar fluctuations. More and more studies have shown that behavioral factors such as dietary structure, meal order, and eating time can significantly affect postprandial blood glucose response. Sometimes, just adjusting some inconspicuous habits can make blood sugar more stable. Staple food is the main source of carbohydrates in the diet and also the "main force" of postprandial blood sugar fluctuations. By adjusting the structure, texture, and processing level of staple foods, blood glucose response can be significantly improved. Habit 1: Eat rougher. Habit points: Whole grains and miscellaneous beans should account for one-third of the total staple food intake in the daily diet. According to the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022), adults should ingest 250~400g of cereal and potato food every day, including 50~150g of whole grains and beans. A study published in Nutrition in 2024 pointed out that the daily intake of more than 50g of whole grains was significantly negatively related to the risk of diabetes. Whole grains retain bran and germ, with higher dietary fiber content, which can slow down gastric emptying and sugar absorption. A meta-analysis in 2022 showed that long-term increase in whole grain intake can significantly improve fasting blood glucose levels and insulin sensitivity. Replacing one-third of the staple food with whole grains and legumes (such as brown rice, oats, buckwheat, etc.) usually helps reduce postprandial blood sugar fluctuations. Habit 2: Eat "hard". Some habits include: rice should not be too soft, noodles should not be too rotten, and maintain a certain chewiness. The physical state of food has a direct impact on its glycemic index (GI) value. The longer the cooking time, the softer and more rotten the food, the higher the degree of gelatinization of starch particles, and the easier it is for amylase to break them down into glucose, thereby increasing the glycemic index of the food and having a greater impact on blood sugar. After extending the boiling time, the GI values of different varieties of rice have all increased. In daily life, it is recommended to reduce the amount of water or shorten the cooking time when cooking. Habit Three: Eat Whole Foods. Habit Points: Prioritize whole grains and eat less powdered or pasty staple foods. The more complete the food, the slower the digestion speed. In 2020, a clinical study in diabetes Care, a journal of the American diabetes Association, found that even with the same nutritional composition, complete grains produced lower postprandial blood glucose response than crushed grains. When grains are ground into powder, their surface area increases significantly, and amylase can quickly attack from various angles, leading to a rapid increase in blood sugar. For example, the blood glucose response of whole oats is usually lower than that of ready to eat oatmeal; Whole grain cereal rice is also superior to various types of cereal powder mixed with paste. Simply put, for the same grain, "whole grain eating" is usually more beneficial for controlling blood sugar than "ground eating". In daily life, this means that we should eat more whole grain meals and eat less processed staple foods in powder or paste form. Fruits are rich in vitamins and antioxidants, but their sugar content often discourages people with blood sugar sensitivity. Eating like this will help stabilize your blood sugar. Habit 4: Eat fruits half an hour before meals. Key points: Arrange fruits to be consumed about 30 minutes before meals, rather than as desserts. A study published in Nutrients in 2021 found that eating a portion of fruit (such as an apple) 30 minutes before eating rice can significantly reduce postprandial blood sugar peaks for subsequent meals. It may be related to the delayed gastric emptying caused by dietary fiber and organic acids in fruits. Eating fruits before meals can increase satiety and naturally reduce the intake of staple foods during meals, achieving "dual sugar control". Habit 5: Eating fruits in portions. Key points: Choose low calorie fruits and it is recommended to eat them in 2-3 portions to avoid overeating at once. The fluctuation of blood sugar depends on the total amount of glucose entering the bloodstream per unit time. According to the Chinese Dietary Guidelines for Type 2 diabetes issued by the Chinese Nutrition Society, eat two medium sized low calorie fruits every day, and pay attention to controlling the amount of fruit consumed each time. If you eat too much at once, the amount of sugar entering the bloodstream increases in a short period of time, which can easily cause blood sugar fluctuations. So the amount of food should not be too much each time. Eating in portions can make blood sugar levels rise more smoothly while keeping the total amount constant throughout the day. For example, you can eat one medium-sized kiwi fruit in the morning and three or four strawberries in the afternoon, which is more stable in blood sugar than eating them all at once. In addition to what to eat, the details, order, and timing of meals also determine the fate of blood sugar. Habit 6: Eat vegetables first, then main food. Habits and key points: The order of meals should follow: vegetables (fiber)>meat, eggs, milk (protein/fat)>grains, potatoes (carbohydrates). A study published in Nutrients in 2023 showed that consuming the same food, starting with vegetables before the main course, can improve postprandial blood sugar and insulin levels. Simply put, eating the same meal in a different order may result in completely different blood sugar levels. Habit 7: Fine staple food with vinegar. Habit points: When consuming refined carbohydrates such as white rice and white noodles, add an appropriate amount of aged vinegar, apple cider vinegar, etc. (about 15-30ml). If there are many refined staple foods in a meal, such as white rice or noodles, you can pair them with a little vinegar in moderation, which can help stabilize blood sugar to a certain extent. Acetic acid in vinegar can reduce disaccharide enzyme activity, slow down the rate of starch breakdown into glucose, and thus slow down postprandial blood glucose rise. A randomized crossover trial published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition included 16 patients with type 2 diabetes. It was found that after vinegar was added to high glycemic index meals (such as mashed potatoes), postprandial blood glucose was significantly lower than that without vinegar; But in low GI diets, there is no significant difference between adding vinegar and not. If there are more refined staple foods, adding a moderate amount of vinegar may be more beneficial for blood sugar stability. Habit 8: Chew slowly. Key points: Chew each bite of food 20-30 times, and have a minimum meal time of 20 minutes. Eating too quickly can easily lead to a rapid increase in blood sugar and make it easier to overeat. A classic study in 2016 found that for individuals with normal blood sugar levels, the 2-hour postprandial blood sugar levels in the group who chewed 40 times were significantly lower than those in the group who chewed 15 times. Adequate chewing gives the brain and intestines ample time to produce signals of "satiety" and "insulin secretion". Chewing slowly can also slow down eating speed, thereby reducing overall energy intake. For many people, simply slowing down their eating pace may improve their blood sugar levels. However, research has found that for individuals who already have abnormal blood sugar levels, simply increasing chewing frequency may have limited effects. Habit 9: Eat dinner early. Tip: It is recommended to finish dinner before 7pm and avoid eating late at night. The human body has a significant circadian rhythm in its ability to metabolize glucose. A study published in the journal Nutrients in 2021 compared the effects of eating at 6pm and 9pm, and the results showed that even if the same food was eaten, the average blood sugar levels in the late meal group were significantly higher. As night falls, melatonin secretion increases, which reduces insulin secretion and glucose tolerance. If a large amount of carbohydrates are consumed at this time, blood sugar will be difficult to effectively control. Habit 10: separate dry and wet, and drink less Congee. Habit points: try to drink less Congee or drink a lot of water when eating, mainly dry rice, and avoid "eating with water". Excessive moisture in food may cause carbohydrates to pass through the stomach faster, leading to a faster rise in blood sugar. Research has shown that consuming liquid foods or liquids in combination with staple foods is generally more likely to cause higher postprandial blood glucose responses than consuming solid foods alone. A randomized crossover trial in 2025 found that compared to eating only rice, drinking tea or soaking rice while eating rice can lead to faster gastric emptying and significantly higher postprandial blood sugar. This is because liquids accelerate the entry of food from the stomach into the small intestine, leading to an increased rate of glucose absorption and resulting in more pronounced blood sugar fluctuations. If you are used to drinking Congee or soup, you can reduce the amount properly, or drink a small amount after meals instead of taking it with the staple food. Conclusion: Blood sugar management is never an overnight task, but the result of countless small habits accumulated. You don't need to change all your habits at once. You can start with the easiest one or two, such as adjusting the order of meals first or replacing a portion of white rice with coarse grains. As these behaviors gradually become daily habits, you will find that stabilizing blood sugar is not as difficult as you imagine. (New Society)