09/04/2026
You gave up soda and stopped buying candy.
Maybe you've even cut back on dessert.
So why are you still hungry and craving carbs?
Because reducing added sugar doesn't necessarily mean you've reduced your overall carbohydrate load.
Bread, cereal, crackers, pasta, rice, juice, and many packaged snacks can be significant sources of carbohydrates. Even if a food doesn't taste particularly sweet, it can still be high in sugar and excess carbohydrates.
And "healthy" on the front of a package doesn't tell you how a food will affect your blood glucose, hunger, or insulin response.
For people with insulin resistance, reducing refined carbohydrates and ultra-processed foods can be a useful strategy for improving blood glucose and making meals more satisfying.
And you don't have to change everything overnight.
Start by noticing.
Read the label.
Look beyond the added sugar line.
Pay attention to how you feel after eating.
Notice what happens to your blood glucose if you're monitoring it.
The goal isn't perfection but to learn to understand what works for your metabolism.
What's one food you were surprised to learn was much higher in carbohydrates than you expected?