By: Ginger Vieira
Low blood sugars might be one of the hardest parts of living with type 1 diabetes. Lows can be scary, stressful, and difficult to manage. How you treat the low is just as important as trying to prevent and avoid them in the first place.
What you choose to eat during your next low blood sugar can also have a big impact on how long the low lasts. Seriously! What you choose matters because different foods and different types of sugar break down at different speeds.
But have you ever noticed that some low treatments work faster than others? That’s because not all sugars are created equal!
Yes, there’s a big difference in using a banana or a chocolate bar to treat a low versus using a product containing dextrose specifically designed to treat lows quickly — without overtreating the low.
Here’s a closer look at the science behind carbohydrates and hypoglycemia.
The Right Sugar for the Right Job
When you’re in the middle of a low — sweating and panicking — every minute counts. The key is choosing a fast-acting glucose source that gets absorbed quickly into your bloodstream. One way to measure how fast different sugars work is by their Glycemic Index (GI) — a scale from 0 to 100 that ranks how quickly a carbohydrate raises blood sugar. Higher GI = faster action. Here's how different sugars compare:
- Glucose/Dextrose (GI = 100): The fastest-acting sugar, instantly raising blood sugar without needing to be processed by the liver. This type of sugar is identical to the sugar in your bloodstream!
- Fructose (GI = 25): Found in fruit, but much slower to absorb because your liver has to process it first. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a heavily processed form of fructose found in many candies, soda, and sugary products. HFCS takes even longer than fructose to reach your bloodstream.
- Sucrose (GI = 65): A mix of glucose and fructose, this type of sugar includes regular ol’ white sugar. It is slower than products containing pure glucose/dextrose because the fructose must first be managed by your liver.
This is why glucose-based treatments are the gold standard for managing hypoglycemia effectively — because speed matters when you’re low!
Finding the Right Snacks for Lows
When choosing a hypo treatment, keep these tips in mind:
✅ Look for “dextrose” as the FIRST ingredient for the fastest absorption. The order of ingredients on a nutrition label matters—make sure dextrose (or “D-glucose”) is listed first. Products like Glow Gummies use dextrose as the primary source of sugar, making them ideal for treating hypoglycemia. Glow Gummies are designed to help you recover quickly and efficiently so you feel better sooner — helping to prevent the urge to overeat and avoid those infamous rebound highs.
✅ Eat less, feel better faster. Dextrose-based carbs peak higher and faster than other sugars, allowing you to use less while recovering more quickly. This is a game-changer for people concerned about weight management. On average, people with T1D gain 10 lbs over their lifetime just from treating lows—as if going low wasn’t frustrating enough! When comparing Glow Gummies to candy or juice, not only do they contain pure dextrose, but they also win out nutritionally. Glow Gummies are lower in calories than other options and are gluten-free, fat-free, sodium-free, caffeine-free and GMO-free—making them a smarter choice for both fast recovery and long-term health.
✅ Avoid foods and products that contain fat and fiber when treating a low! Your non-diabetic friends might ask why you don’t use “something healthy, like a banana” but that banana will take significantly longer to digest — which means you’re enduring hypoglycemia longer, too. Chocolate bars, protein bars, ice cream, sandwiches, etc. will all take significantly longer to digest and treat your hypoglycemia compared to a fat-free, fiber-free, dextrose-based product like Glow Gummies!
✅ A lighter load on your liver. Unlike fructose, which must be processed by the liver before raising blood sugar, dextrose is absorbed directly into the bloodstream—meaning Glow Gummies work faster and more efficiently while putting less strain on your liver.
Meet Glow Gummies: A Game-Changer for Low Blood Sugars
Glow Gummies are designed by someone with type 1 diabetes! They know what those lows truly feel like.
Here’s why they’re a better option:
- Works Fast: Made with pure dextrose for fast blood sugar recovery.
- Precise Dosing: Just 4 gummies = 15g of carbs, making it quick and easy to manage lows without overcorrecting.
- Health-Conscious Formula: Vegan, gluten-free, fat-free, caffeine-free, sodium-free, GMO-free, allergy-friendly and made with natural flavoring and coloring (no red dye!).
- Delicious Taste & Texture: Soft, easy-to-chew gummies in yummy strawberry, orange, and mixed berry flavors.
- Portable & Discreet: Multiple packaging options, including 60-count bottles as well as small, resealable bags that fit easily in your pocket, purse, or diabetes kit.
- Affordable & Accessible: HSA & FSA eligible with additional Subscribe & Save discounts, making it easier to manage T1D costs.
Treat Your Lows Smarter
Glow Gummies aren’t just another glucose option — they’re a better glucose option. Fast-acting, delicious, and thoughtfully designed, they help you treat lows efficiently so you can get back to living your life.
Change how you treat lows. Get 10% off your first order and try Glow Gummies today!
This article is brought to you in partnership with Glow and originally appeared in the Risely Newsletter.
