There is no question that sugar continues to both allude and allure. We know it’s the culprit of so many health issues, and we know how it’s hidden (and not so hidden) in endless foods. Yet sugar and its metabolic impact are still widely misunderstood.

Margaret Floyd Barry is working to change this. A functional nutritionist, Barry has an accessible way of breaking down the convoluted-but-critical topic of sugar and how it affects blood sugar. We say “accessible” for good reason: Before she discovered the power of whole clean foods, Barry was a self-described “total mess” who was on a constant “energy roller coaster.” She was a vegetarian who thought she was healthy, yet she was eating starches—aka sugar—that impacted her moods, energy levels, and overall well-being. “I had migraines all the time,” she tells us. “I had severe digestive issues.”

When she began to study nutrition, Barry learned about how sneaky and invasive sugar is. She overhauled her diet and discovered an entirely new world of eating unprocessed foods that didn’t contain all the starches and hidden sugars and left her feeling good. As she says, “Life on the other side of sugar feels better than you probably even know possible.” Today, as the founder of Eat Naked Kitchen, she educates about the metabolic and life-changing impacts of clearing out sugar and leaning into whole foods, which she recently discussed with Nichole. Here we break down the main facts about sugar that Barry wants everyone to know.

Why Sugar Has Us Held Captive

Sugar has the same qualities as any addictive substance, says Barry. “It is embedded into our social fabric,” from having a presence in celebrations, treats, and other ubiquitous offerings. Because of these facts, sugar is challenging to step away from. “It’s woven into what we do on a day-to-day basis in our society.”

Blood Sugar 101

The glucose in your blood is what constitutes blood sugar. “If you've ever had blood work that your doctor has run, you will see glucose is typically one of the first markers on the panel,” says Barry. “That's telling you about your blood sugar.” Since sugar is one of the primary sources of fuel in our body, it is critical for us to maintain proper blood sugar levels, or what Margaret calls “our blood sugar happy zone.” But what often happens is our blood sugar starts to get too high (or spikes) or too low depending on the foods we eat.

Here's the ideal blood sugar scenario: When we wake up in the morning, our blood sugar ideally will be on the lower end of that “happy range,” says Floyd. Then after a balanced breakfast that doesn’t have too much starch, blood sugar levels will gently start to push up. As the blood sugar starts to reach that upper threshold, your pancreas secretes the hormone insulin. What insulin's job is, explains Barry, is to take any excess sugar from the blood and shuttle it into your liver cells and muscle cells and it stores it as glycogen, which is basically stored sugar for later energy use. From there, blood sugar levels start to dip down into the lower threshold where another hormone called glucagon is secreted by your pancreas. Glucagon's job “is basically the exact opposite of insulin,” says Barry. Glucagon takes the stored glycogen and mobilizes it back into the blood to use as fuel. Overall, you have a “nice gentle ebb and flow” of your blood sugar going up and down but staying within the “happy range.” This is called “metabolic flexibility,” which is where the body uses sugar or fat, whatever fuel source is available, effectively. This is the ideal scenario in terms of energy management, add Barry. “It's just feeling good.”

Where We Go Wrong with Our Blood Sugar

While the above is ideal, it’s not the norm for most people today. What often happens is instead of eating a nice balanced breakfast, we eat foods that are filled with sugar or things that convert quickly to sugar. This includes a variety of foods, from cereals to whole wheat toast to oatmeal to smoothies. “Some of these things that we think of as healthy foods, and there might be aspects of them that are healthy, but if they convert really quickly in your bloodstream to sugar, what happens?” Instead of that nice ebb and flow that Barry describes above, our blood sugar will spike up and past that upper threshold. This causes the body to pump out insulin in a state of emergency type response, which causes the body to store extra sugar in the muscle and liver cells, and as fat. Ultimately, our blood sugar crashes down. “Think about when you do eat something that's overly sugary like a sundae,” Barry adds. “You get the manic high and then you get a crash. And so that kind of high and low is happening even with something like having oatmeal for breakfast.”

The Physiological Effects of Spiked Blood Sugar

It’s amazing how the sugar we eat impacts our day-to-day life. Barry explains that blood sugar spikes and crashes can cause the following:

· Irritability

· mood swings

· headaches

· energy fluctuations

· fatigue

· poor sleep

· weight gain

“Your body is trying so hard to bring those blood sugar levels back.” Physiologically, this is extremely stressful on the body as it causes the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline to kick in, as well.

What Is Sugar?

When we think of sugar, we tend to think of chocolate bars and ice cream, says Barry. While these foods do contain massive amounts of sugar, they’re not the entire picture. “You need to expand your definition of sugar to anything that causes a spike.” Therefore Barry thinks of sugar more as starches—which quickly convert into sugar once consumed—more than anything else.

Now, it’s important to note: Everyone responds to food differently. A banana may spike one person’s blood sugar and not others. With this considered, the following foods are some of the highest sugar culprits:

· grains or products from grains, such as pasta, crackers, pizza dough, and more

· fruits

· juices

· dairy

· alcohols

· condiments, dressings, and sauces

· sodas

· commercially made dips, hummus, salsas

What to Eat

First and foremost, what you first put into your body is critical, says Barry. “What you eat for breakfast sets the tone.” You want to aim for foods that encourage that slow, gradual increase in blood sugar so you don’t have a crash. This includes healthy fats and proteins, such as eggs and vegetables with some avocado for healthy fat. If you love oatmeal, says Barry, be sure to add some coconut milk, butter, or nuts for fats.

Overall, be wary of ingredients. In considering the above list, always opt for things with the shortest ingredient lists that include whole foods that you understand. Fructose and things that end in “ose,” fruit extracts, and syrups are all common code names for sugar.

Blood Sugar Tools

Blood Sugar Glucose Monitor

Barry swears by a continuous glucose monitor, which is a device typically worn around the arm that monitors glucose levels in real-time. Originally made for those with diabetes, “this is now commercially available for people to know their dietary triggers, exercise, and sleep that are impacted,” she says. “You can see in real-time the impacts of every dietary choice you make.”

Real Food Reboot Program

Barry and her husband James, a whole foods chef, have designed this program for people who are seeking to revamp and invigorate their relationship to clean, whole foods. A self-guided 21-day program is designed to restore blood sugar levels and ignite new eating habits.

Margaret Floyd Barry is a functional nutritionist and author, and the founder of Eat Naked Kitchen. She’s been working with clients to transform their health—and lives—since 2008. Learn more and get the Real Food Reboot at eatnakedkitchen.com.