Can Hypoglycemia Cause Anxiety And Panic Attacks? [1c6c21]

2025-07-18

Post Time: 2025-07-18

For individuals managing diabetes, dietary choices play a crucial role in maintaining stable blood sugar levels. While it's often assumed that fruits are off-limits due to their natural sugar content, the World Health Organization (WHO) actually acknowledges that certain fruits can be beneficial as part of a balanced diet. In this article, we’ll explore five WHO-approved, diabetes-friendly fruits that can not only satisfy your sweet tooth but also contribute to better blood sugar control. The key lies in understanding the glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) of fruits, as well as their overall nutritional profile.

It's important to recognize that not all fruits are created equal. Some are high in sugars and can cause rapid spikes in blood glucose, while others have a more moderate impact. This is where understanding concepts like the glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) comes into play. The GI measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar levels on a scale of 0 to 100, while the GL takes into account the amount of carbohydrates in a serving. Opting for fruits with a low to medium GI and GL is often recommended for people with diabetes. Choosing the right type and portion size are also very important when considering fruits as part of a diabetic-friendly meal plan. Remember to consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalized advice tailored to your needs.

The 5 W.H.O Approved Fruits: Why They're Good For Diabetics

The WHO endorses a variety of nutrient-rich food for a healthy diet, and several fruits are part of this list due to their blood sugar management benefits. Here are 5 such fruits you should know about:

  1. Berries (Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries):
    • Nutritional Profile: Berries are packed with antioxidants, vitamins (such as Vitamin C), and fiber. The fiber content is particularly beneficial for diabetics, as it slows down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.
    • GI & GL: Berries generally have a low Glycemic Index (GI), typically ranging between 20-40 and a low Glycemic Load (GL) making them suitable for people with diabetes.
    • Practical Tip: Add a handful of mixed berries to your morning oatmeal or yogurt, or enjoy as a snack between meals. This not only provides a burst of flavor but also keeps you feeling full for longer periods. For instance, a cup of sliced strawberries contains about 7 grams of sugar compared to a cup of grapes which contain about 23 grams of sugar.
  2. Apples:
    • Nutritional Profile: Apples are rich in fiber (both soluble and insoluble), which helps control blood sugar and cholesterol levels. They also provide essential vitamins and minerals.
    • GI & GL: Apples have a moderate GI, usually between 30-50, and their low GL is what makes them suitable. The soluble fiber content also helps in preventing sharp spikes in blood glucose.
    • Practical Tip: Eating a small to medium apple with the skin on, as a snack is a great option, you could pair it with some low-fat cheese or a handful of almonds. This enhances its nutritional value and the overall satiety it offers. The skin of the apple is packed with soluble fibre so never throw that away.
    • Scientific Data: A study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that regular apple consumption was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
  3. Pears:
    • Nutritional Profile: Pears are an excellent source of both fiber and essential nutrients. They offer good quantities of vitamin K and vitamin C as well.
    • GI & GL: Similar to apples, pears have a low to moderate GI around 30-40 and low GL, which make them a safe and healthy option.
    • Practical Tip: Enjoy a pear as a standalone snack or include it in salads for added sweetness and crunch. For a more satisfying and filling meal, pair slices of pear with low-fat Greek yogurt. The fiber will promote satiety, and the protein will keep you feeling full.
  4. Oranges:
    • Nutritional Profile: Oranges are famous for their high vitamin C content but they also have a fair amount of fiber.
    • GI & GL: Oranges have a low Glycemic Index, usually around 40, and low Glycemic Load, which is primarily due to their fiber and fructose content, making them diabetic friendly. While some may worry about the sugar in oranges, the fructose it contains is less prone to causing rapid rises in glucose.
    • Practical Tip: It's better to eat the whole orange rather than drinking its juice, as juices may have added sugars and lack fibre. Incorporate orange segments into salads or snack on them, the fibre content of whole oranges helps in slowing the rate at which the sugar from the orange reaches the bloodstream.
  5. Cherries:
    • Nutritional Profile: Cherries are rich in antioxidants as well as potassium and Vitamin C and fibre which help in overall good health.
    • GI & GL: Cherries have a low Glycemic Index in the range of 20-30 with a low Glycemic Load, which makes them suitable for diabetes. The high fibre also ensures the sugar gets absorbed slowly in the bloodstream.
    • Practical Tip: A cup of fresh cherries is great as a stand-alone snack and they can be mixed into yogurt or cottage cheese for an extra nutrient punch. Make sure to eat them in moderation as portion control is important when managing diabetes.

Incorporating Fruits into Your Diet: A Balanced Approach

While these fruits are beneficial for blood sugar control, it's important to approach their consumption strategically. Here's a step-by-step guide:

  1. Portion Control:

    • Rule of Thumb: Be mindful of portion sizes to keep your carbohydrate intake in check. Usually, one medium-sized fruit or 1 cup of berries is a suitable serving size for a snack. Avoid going overboard, even with these good fruits, as excessive amounts could impact blood glucose levels.
    • Example: If your plan is to have an apple as a snack, don't consume 2 or 3 at a go. Limit it to just one medium-sized apple per portion.

  2. Pairing With Protein/Fat:

    • The Concept: Consuming fruits with a protein source or healthy fat can help to mitigate any potential blood sugar spikes. Protein and fats slow down the digestion and absorption of sugar, which promotes gradual and steady release of glucose.
    • Examples: Add almonds with your apple slices, mix berries in plain Greek yogurt, or have low-fat cottage cheese with pear slices. These combinations are not just healthy, they’re tasty too!

  3. Timing Matters:

    • Recommendation: Opt to eat fruits as snacks between meals or alongside a meal, rather than eating them alone or before meals. Spacing the fruits through the day helps prevent blood sugar spikes and it maintains even levels of sugar through the day.
    • Strategy: For instance, instead of eating a fruit right before your lunch, try having it in the mid-morning between breakfast and lunch.

  4. Monitor Blood Sugar Levels:

    • Importance: Keep an eye on how your body responds to different fruits. Check your blood sugar levels before and after consuming fruits. Monitoring will help you understand which fruits work best for you, and which you may need to consume in smaller portions.
    • Use a Log: Create a small log to monitor different fruits, this will provide you with an idea of how each fruit affects your blood sugar levels.
    • Note: Every individual is different, hence it’s a good idea to individualize your plan based on blood sugar responses.

  5. Diversify Your Choices:

    • Why It’s Important: Eating a diverse variety of fruits ensures that you get a broad spectrum of nutrients and health benefits. Sticking with the same set of fruits can limit your overall nutrient intake.
    • Examples: In addition to the ones mentioned, you can try fruits like grapefruit and plums occasionally and see how you react. However, keep the serving size under check.

  6. Talk to a Healthcare Professional:

    • Recommendation: Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian for personalized recommendations. These experts can guide you on which foods are best for you, and your specific needs when managing diabetes.
    • Key Questions: During consultations, ask specific questions about which portion size works best for you, and the timings when it’s best to take the fruits.

Conclusion

Managing diabetes through diet is not about deprivation but about making informed choices. The five fruits outlined by WHO – berries, apples, pears, oranges, and cherries – are all excellent additions to your diet due to their low to medium glycemic index and load, coupled with a plethora of vital nutrients. By applying the correct principles to fruit consumption which involve portion control, the right timing, and the right food pairing techniques, individuals with diabetes can enjoy the delicious taste and nutritional benefits of fruits without compromising on blood sugar control. Always prioritize balance, keep tabs on your sugar levels, and follow guidance from healthcare experts to manage your diet effectively. With these strategies, these WHO approved fruits will be your allies in maintaining good health and stable blood sugar levels.

Can hypoglycemia cause anxiety or panic attacks?  What is the role of blood glucose in triggering panic and anxiety?  Is there a theoretical role or is there actually a role?  Is there any clinical data or research to support this.  In this article we look at the relationship between anxiety and hypoglycemia,  how those two are interrelated, and what you might do about it.   The question we want to look at today is can hypoglycemia or blood sugar issues lead to anxiety and panic attacks.   My clinical experience with this is it absolutely can.  It makes a lot of theoretical sense why it would too.  Before you assume this is going on with you, you do have to figure out if you are actually having hypoglycemia. First of all, what is hypoglycemia?  Hypoglycemia is when you have an acute drop in your blood sugar below what the body senses as normal.  Typically that's going to be below 60 milligrams per deciliter.  However, your threshold may be lower than that or slightly higher than that. This is based on what your body is used to what your pancreas and other tissues in your body are used to.  Generally hypoglycemia comes from an excess of insulin that drives your glucose down very quickly.  Then within 30 minutes to 3 hrs after, your blood sugar drops below that critical threshold.  How quickly the drop occurs is different for different people.  For most it occurs bread blood sugar within the first hour.  Once your blood sugar drops, your body starts producing more epinephrine  and cortisol.  Epinephrine and cortisol are there to help release some of the stored glucose and the stored sugar that's in your muscles and in your liver.   What that epinephrine also does is active the fight-or-flight chemicals in your body. That chemical, epinephrine is designed to make you feel anxious.  It is designed to make you fight or flight the area.  It is a danger response.  Naturally when you have more epinephrine flowing through your system, you will be a little bit more on edge and see the things around you in a panicked way or stressed way.  That panicked feeling will cause you to look for what's wrong.  You may not understand that it is your blood sugar that's causing this in the moment.  Keep in mind that not everyone has hypoglycemia and even those that do may have anxiety in addition to hypoglycemia.  Still there are certain cases where this could be the main thing going on.  Hypoglycemia is not that hard to  fix for people.   The trick is identification of the problem.  First a little more on the epinephrine blood sugar level 235 after eating story.   When that epinephrine is released it's going to bring exercise affect blood sugar your blood glucose back up but it doesn't happen immediately.   You may be in an anxious state for some time before things even out and you may not really understand why that is happening. The other thing is not everyone that has hypoglycemia is going to feel anxious.  Some people may actually like the feeling.  It really depends on how you're wired, how much epinephrine is being produced and what your normal baseline is.  That's the reasoning or the theory behind why hypoglycemia and low blood sugar can lead to panic attacks and generalized anxiety for some people.   That's not to say that everyone that has this is going to have anxiety or panic attacks.  When you do have hypoglycemia, you're going to have a relatively higher anxiety level, and relatively higher stress level than if you're not hypoglycemic.  That is just by the nature of what epinephrine does to human body and psychology.  Just because this makes a lot of theoretical sense, doesn't mean it is necessarily valid.  Research Behind Can Hypoglycemia Cause Anxiety? I have seen this in my practice and there are case reports about this. However, let's see what kind of actual research there is about this.  A relatively older study looked at this question in healthy (non-diabetic) participants.   With diabetics you will definitely have more hypoglycemic events compared to the regular population.  What the researchers found was there was a significant increase in things like hedonic tone, tense arousal, and a decline in energetic arousal compared to the normal glycemic control group.  They also found that there were substantial changes in mood observed in the healthy participants with acute hypoglycemia.  The participants described it generally as a tense tired state that persisted for thirty minutes after normal glucose was restored.  That's where that feeling can linger even after your blood sugar normalizes. You may start having hypoglycemia and think, I better do something about it.  Yet it may linger for for a while afterwards and that's normal.  Some people experience things like heart palpitations, sweating, anxiety and things like that.  This is what epinephrine and some of the other chemicals that kick in do when you are hypoglycemic.
Can Hypoglycemia Cause Anxiety and Panic Attacks?
Can Hypoglycemia Cause Anxiety And Panic Attacks? [1c6c21]