When thinking about blood sugar spikes, sugary desserts like chocolate cake often take most of the blame. Surprisingly, experts say some everyday dinner staples are more harmful to glucose levels than a slice of cake itself.
New Jersey-based endocrinologist Dr. Alessia Roehnelt explains that foods we often rely on as the base of our meals may secretly cause rapid sugar spikes. While chocolate cake rates around 55 on the glycemic index (GI) — considered low — some popular starchy dinner carbs score 70 or higher, meaning they drive blood sugar up much faster.
“Blood sugar control isn’t just about cutting out sweets,” she emphasizes. “It’s about managing starchy foods at every meal.”
The glycemic index, a scale from 0 to 100, measures how quickly foods raise blood glucose. And according to Dr. Roehnelt, the biggest offenders may already be on your dinner plate:
1️⃣ Instant White Rice
Instant rice is convenient, but highly processed. Since it is precooked and dried, its structure breaks down — making it rapidly absorbed like pure glucose.
GI score: 85–90
Regular white rice also spikes sugar quickly, but this instant version is even worse. For a healthier alternative, Dr. Roehnelt recommends jasmine rice or quinoa, which offer more resistant starch and plant-based protein.
2️⃣ Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes may feel like comfort food, but once boiled and mashed, they digest extremely fast.
GI score: 80–90
Because the surface area increases during mashing, the body converts starch into sugar more rapidly. The doctor suggests choosing roasted potatoes with the skin on — offering more fiber and resistant starch to help stabilize glucose.
3️⃣ White Bread
Even if you fill your sandwich with healthy ingredients, the choice of bread matters most.
GI score: 70–75
White bread made from refined flour breaks down into glucose almost instantly. Instead, she advises choosing sourdough or sprouted grain bread, both higher in fiber and easier on blood sugar.
Dr. Roehnelt reminds that improving dinner choices can significantly benefit long-term blood sugar control, especially for people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.
This article is intended for educational purposes only. Patients should seek medical advice from their healthcare professionals before making dietary changes.