BLOOD GLUCOSE
AND HbA1c CORRELATIONS
If your lab is using methods certified by the National Glycohemoglobin Standardization
Program, you can convert your glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) result into your average plasma glucose levels over the past 2–3 months. (Laboratories and most blood glucose meters give plasma glucose levels; however, we included whole blood glucose
values here as well for people with older meters.)
HbA1c (%)
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
PLASMA GLUCOSE
LEVEL (mg/dl)
135
170
205
240
275
310
345
WHOLE BLOOD
GLUCOSE LEVEL (mg/dl)
121
152
183
214
246
277
308
POSTPRANDIAL
BLOOD GLUCOSE GOALS
Ideally, your plasma glucose level about an hour after finishing a meal
or snack should be in the range specified here and less than 80 mg/dl higher than it was
before the meal or snack. Goals are somewhat more
liberal for children than for adults.
AGE
Adult (older than 18)
Teen (12–18)
School age (6–11)
Preschool (up to age 5)
POSTPRANDIAL GOAL
less than 180 mg/dl
less than 200 mg/dl
less than 225 mg/dl
less than 250 mg/dl
GLYCEMIC INDEX OF COMMON FOODS
The glycemic index of a food is a measure of how quickly it raises blood glucose
after eating. The higher the number, the faster it raises blood glucose.
BREAD/CRACKERS
Bagel
Crispbread
Croissant
French baguette
Graham crackers
Kaiser roll
Pita bread
Pumpernickel
Rye, dark
Saltines
Sourdough bread
Stoned Wheat Thins
White bread
Whole wheat bread, high-fiber
72
81
67
95
74
73
57
51
76
74
52
67
71
68
CAKES/COOKIES/MUFFINS
Banana bread
47
Blueberry muffin
59
Chocolate cake
38
Corn muffin
102
Cupcake with icing
73
Doughnut
76
Oat bran muffin
60
Oatmeal cookie
55
Pound cake
54
Shortbread cookie
64
Chocolate bar
Jelly beans
LifeSavers
M&M, peanut
Skittles
Snickers bar
Twix bar
CANDY
CEREALS/BREAKFAST FOODS
All-Bran
Bran Chex
Cheerios
Cornflakes
Cream of Wheat
Grape-Nuts
Oatmeal
Pancakes
Pop-Tarts
Raisin Bran
Rice Krispies
Shredded Wheat
May/June 2005
49
80
70
33
69
40
43
42
58
74
83
70
67
49
67
70
73
82
69
Special K
Total
Waffles
66
76
76
COMBINATION FOODS
Chicken nuggets
Fish fingers
Macaroni and cheese
Pizza (cheese)
Sausages
Stuffing
Taco shells
46
38
64
60
28
74
68
Chocolate milk
Ice cream
Milk, skim
Milk, whole
Pudding
Yogurt, low-fat
34
62
32
27
43
33
DAIRY
FRUITS & JUICES
Apple
Apple juice
Banana
Cantaloupe
Cherries
Cranberry juice
Fruit cocktail
Grapefruit
Grapefruit juice
Grapes
Orange
Orange juice
Peach
Pear
Plum
Raisins
Watermelon
LEGUMES
38
41
55
65
22
68
55
25
48
46
44
52
42
37
39
64
72
Baked beans
Black beans
Black-eyed peas
Chickpeas
Lentils
Pinto beans
Red kidney beans
48
30
42
33
25
45
19
Couscous
Fettuccini
65
32
PASTA
Macaroni
Spaghetti
Spaghetti, whole wheat
Tortellini
45
41
37
50
Brown rice
Instant rice
Long grain rice
Risotto
55
87
56
69
RICE
SNACK FOODS
Corn chips
Granola bars
Nutri-Grain bars
Peanuts
Popcorn
Potato chips
Pretzels
Rice cakes
74
61
66
15
55
54
81
77
Black bean
Lentil
Minestrone
Split pea
Tomato
64
44
39
60
38
SOUPS
SPORTS BARS/DRINKS
Gatorade
PowerBar
78
58
VEGETABLES
Carrots, boiled
Carrots, raw
Corn
French fries
Potato, baked
Potato, boiled
Potato, instant
Potato, mashed
Sweet potato
Tomato
49
16
46
75
85
88
83
91
44
38
SUGARS & SPREADS
Glucose tablets
102
High-fructose corn syrup (found in most
regular sodas)
62
Honey
58
Pancake syrup
66
Strawberry jam
51
Table sugar (sucrose)
64
15
HOW BOLUS TIMING
AFFECTS AFTER-MEAL SPIKES
When Gary took his mealtime insulin boluses as he sat down to eat,
the result was after-meal spikes as shown in Graph 1. When he took boluses 15 minutes before meals and snacks, the spikes flattened out,
as shown in Graph 2.
GARY’S 1st CGMS
GARY’S 2nd CGMS
BOLUS TIMING IN RELATION TO MEALS
Both your premeal blood glucose level and the glycemic index of the foods you are
planning to eat should be taken into consideration when deciding when to take a
mealtime insulin dose. The timing shown here assumes you use lispro (Humalog) or
aspart (NovoLog) to “cover” meals. If you use Regular, by itself or in a premixed
preparation, back up the timing by 20–30 minutes.
Blood glucose above
target range
Blood glucose within
target range
Blood glucose below
target range
FOR HIGH-GI
FOODS
30–40 minutes
before eating
15–20 minutes
before eating
0–5 minutes
before eating
FOR MODERATE-GI
FOODS
15–20 minutes
before eating
0–5 minutes
before eating
15–20 minutes
after eating
FOR LOW-GI
FOODS
0–5 minutes
before eating
10–15 minutes
after eating
30–40 minutes
after eating
HOW THE GLYCEMIC INDEX
AFFECTS BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVEL
Carbohydrates that break down quickly, and therefore have a high glycemic index value,
cause a fast and high blood-glucose rise after meals. Carbohydrates that break down slowly
and have a low glycemic index value release glucose into the bloodstream more gradually.
MAKING LOWER GLYCEMIC
INDEX FOOD CHOICES
Substituting foods with a lower glycemic index for those with a higher glycemic index may
help keep your after-meal blood glucose levels
closer to target range. Here are some ideas for food substitutions.
MEAL
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Snacks
HIGH-GI CHOICES
Typical cold cereal, bagel,
toast, waffle, pancake, corn
muffin
Sandwich made with white or
whole wheat bread, French
fries, tortillas, canned pasta
Rice, rolls, white potato,
canned vegetables
Pretzels, chips, crackers,
cake, doughnut
LOWER-GI CHOICES
High-fiber cereal, oatmeal,
yogurt, whole fruit, milk,
bran muffin
Chili, pumpernickel
bread, corn, carrots, salad
vegetables
Sweet potato, pasta, beans,
fresh or steamed vegetables
Popcorn, fruit, chocolate,
ice cream, nuts