Where Blood Sugar Comes From

Glucose is the main fuel for your body's cells. It is a sugar that travels in your blood. Doctors call it blood sugar.

Your cells take glucose from your blood. They use it to make energy, like a car burns fuel to run.

Food is one source of glucose in your blood. Digestion is how your body breaks food down.

Carbohydrates, like bread, rice and potatoes, break down into glucose. That glucose enters your blood and raises blood sugar. Many other foods with carbs work the same way.

Your liver adds glucose too. Think of it as a pantry shelf. After you eat, it stocks away the extra glucose.

Between meals and overnight, it hands some back out slowly. So even after hours without food, glucose keeps reaching your blood. This keeps your brain fueled.

Key takeaways

• Glucose is the main fuel for your cells, carried by your blood.
• Carbohydrates in food, like bread, rice and potatoes, break down into glucose.
• Your liver stores glucose after meals and releases it between meals and overnight.

Try it

At your next meal, find every carb food on the plate, like bread, rice or potatoes. Notice which ones you did not expect.