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Blood sugar, also called blood glucose, rises after eating. Seeing that rise on a wearable monitor can make an ordinary meal look worrying. But a higher reading after lunch does not, by itself, mean that something has gone wrong.

The body uses glucose for energy. After a meal containing carbohydrates, glucose enters the bloodstream. In response, the pancreas, an organ behind the stomach, releases insulin. This hormone helps the body use glucose and store some for later.

For people with diabetes, managing blood glucose is essential. For people without diabetes, however, the benefits of tracking every rise and trying to flatten it are much less certain. A recent review found important gaps between claims about harmful "glucose spikes" and the available research.

So what can everyday habits do, and how much should we expect from them?

The type and amount of carbohydrate you eat affect how much your blood glucose rises after eating. Choosing fiber-rich foods, such as beans and whole grains, is a good place to start. A review of clinical trials found that increasing fiber improved measures of blood glucose control in people with diabetes or prediabetes, in which glucose levels are above the usual range but below the threshold for diabetes.

Another way of comparing foods that contain carbohydrates is the glycemic index , or GI. It compares how much they raise blood glucose when portions containing the same amount of carbohydrate are eaten.

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