Watching your diet is one of the best ways to manage blood sugar levels and get back on a healthy track. Avoiding these common culprits will take much of the guesswork out of what you can and can’t eat.

Breakfast

We’ll start off with the most important meal of the day, which is often the most sugary meal of the day as well. Common breakfast foods like pancakes and waffles are made with a good amount of sugar to begin with, yet we proceed to douse them with ultra-sweet maple syrup, powdered sugar, and candied fruits. Instead of satisfying your sweet tooth first thing in the morning, try basing your breakfast around a protein rich source like egg whites. This will provide steadier energy levels that will last longer into the day.

Fruit Juice

Despite the recent popularity of “juicing” fresh fruits and vegetables, fruit juice is essentially a dense concentration of sugar. Guzzling down a glass of OJ will send your blood sugar levels flying. Try flavoring a glass of regular or sparkling water with a bit of lemon or lime juice. It might take some getting used to, but you’d be surprised at how refreshing and enjoyable it can be. Sports drinks are another culprit that are sometimes mistakenly considered a healthier option than sodas.

Candy

This one should go without saying. Most candy is made of almost pure sugar and contains no nutritional value whatsoever. If you need to eat something sweet, make it a natural choice like a fresh piece of fruit.

Starchy Vegetables

Vegetables are normally a very healthy choice, but some are better than others are. Potatoes, yams, and corn are all starchy vegetables that will spike your blood sugar, especially if you eat a large quantity. You’re much better off eating a salad of greens or a crown of broccoli.

White Bread

White bread may not taste overly sweet, but digestion quickly turns it into an abundant source of sugar. Put a small piece of white bread in your mouth and let it dissolve for a while. It will begin to taste sweet just like other sources of sugar. The same is true for white rice and pasta. Choose whole grain bread options and brown rice whenever possible. They’ll still raise your blood sugar, but much more slowly.

“Hidden” Sources

Many sneaky foods don’t seem to have much sugar even though they are full of it. Ketchup and barbeque sauce are loaded with sugar. Even “health” foods like energy bars and low-fat yogurt have much more sugar than you might expect. Think carefully about what you eat and try to read the ingredients on a product whenever possible.