Get off the sugar rollercoasterCravings, blemished skin and low moods

BIKE Magazin

 · 22.02.2026

Get off the sugar rollercoaster: cravings, blemished skin and low moodsPhoto: Storychief/D. Lehner
The cause of all evil? So-called blood sugar spikes are said to make us ill, age faster, become fat and unfit.

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Cravings, blemished skin and low moods often have less to do with "sugar" itself than with the strong fluctuations in blood sugar levels - this is the view of many experts. In their book "The glucose trick" biochemist Jessie Inchauspé shows how glucose peaks can be reduced in everyday life. With simple, everyday rules, you can stabilise your blood sugar and support your well-being and health in the long term.

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The invisible rollercoaster in your blood

Every cell in our body lives on glucose. But too much of it at once is problematic. When blood sugar rises sharply - a so-called glucose spike - a crash inevitably follows. The result: tiredness, cravings, irritability.

The long-term consequences are even more serious. Excess glucose promotes glycation - a process in which sugar molecules permanently damage proteins and other structures in the body. Fructose is even ten times more aggressive than glucose. The higher and more frequent the spikes, the greater the damage.

Insulin therefore only has one task: to transport excess glucose from the blood into storage as quickly as possible. Constant stress for the body.



The right order decides

Perhaps Inchauspé's simplest - and most effective - tip is to eat your meals in the right order.

  1. Vegetables and fibre first.
  2. Then proteins and fats.
  3. Finally, starch and sugar.

A salad before the main course acts like a protective shield. Fibre slows down the absorption of glucose, keeping the curve flatter. Fruit should also be placed at the end of a meal - not as a snack on an empty stomach.

Breakfast: The underestimated mistake

Our bodies are particularly sensitive to sugar in the morning. A sweet breakfast of cornflakes, muesli or juice causes an early spike - and an energy slump before midday.

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The better choice: protein, healthy fats, fibre. So eggs, yoghurt, nuts, vegetables. This keeps you full for longer and stabilises your energy levels.

Orange juice? Better think of it as a dessert. Just one glass can exceed the recommended daily sugar intake. Whole fruit remains the best way to eat sugar. It contains fibre and fills you up faster.

Three apples in one go? Hardly anyone can manage that. Three glasses of apple juice? No problem. As soon as fruit is pressed, dried or sugared, it loses its protective effect. Dried dates are real glucose bombs. Strawberries are cheaper than grapes. And agave syrup, often marketed as "healthy", contains even more fructose than household sugar.

Even better: combine fruit with fat or protein - such as pears with nut butter.

The good news is that you don't need a radical diet.

  • Ten minutes of exercise after eating significantly reduces the glucose peak.
  • A tablespoon of vinegar in water before a sugary meal can flatten the curve.
  • It is better to eat sweets directly after a meal - not in isolation in the afternoon.

The formula is: vinegar before, exercise after.

Science agrees that the all-purpose weapon of exercise is always the right choice.Photo: Storychief/D.LehnerScience agrees that the all-purpose weapon of exercise is always the right choice.

Sugar and the dopamine problem

Sweets activate our reward system. Dopamine is released - the same substance as with social media, alcohol or sex. That's why we reach for it again and again. Not out of hunger, but out of habit.

Inchauspé is not advocating abstinence, but control. The goal is not a sugar-free world, but a flatter glucose curve.


Conclusion: live flatter, live longer

A stable blood sugar curve - in addition to exercise and stress reduction - acts like an anti-ageing programme. Less inflammation, less cell damage, more constant energy.

The "Glucose trick" is not a dogma, but a collection of pragmatic levers. Small changes, big impact. No bans - just a new order.

The bestseller: exciting theories about blood sugarPhoto: D. LehnerThe bestseller: exciting theories about blood sugar

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