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Nutrition & Dietetics vocabulary · Digestion and Metabolism

Blood sugar

Meaning in nutrition & dietetics, with examples

nounCore term

In nutrition & dietetics, blood sugar means: The amount of glucose in the blood at a given time. The body keeps it within a narrow range using hormones such as insulin and glucagon.

In Turkish: kan şekeri, kan glikozu

How it is used

The everyday name for 'blood glucose', the more technical term used in medical notes and research. People say blood sugar 'rises', 'spikes', 'drops' or 'is under control'. Related terms are high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).

Example sentences

  1. Her blood sugar levels have been more stable since she started eating regular meals.

  2. Low blood sugar can cause shaking, sweating and confusion.

Common collocations

  • blood sugar levels
  • high blood sugar
  • low blood sugar
  • blood sugar control
  • blood sugar spike
  • insulinA hormone made by the pancreas that helps glucose move from the blood into cells, which lowers blood sugar. It also helps the body store energy as glycogen and fat.
  • glycemic indexA scale from 0 to 100 that ranks carbohydrate foods by how quickly they raise blood sugar compared with pure glucose, which has a value of 100.
  • type 2 diabetesA long-term condition in which the body does not respond well to insulin or does not make enough of it, so blood sugar stays higher than normal. It is the most common type of diabetes.
  • carbohydrateA macronutrient found in foods such as bread, rice, fruit, legumes and milk. The body breaks it down mainly into glucose, its main source of energy; it gives about 4 kcal per gram.

More terms: Digestion and Metabolism

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.