If your blood sugar is low, you need 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates right away. A half cup of juice, a tablespoon of honey, or 3 to 4 glucose tablets will bring your levels back up within about 15 minutes. The key is choosing simple sugars that your body can absorb quickly, then following up with a balanced snack so your blood sugar doesn’t crash again.
How to Know Your Blood Sugar Is Too Low
Blood sugar below 70 mg/dL is considered low. At that level, your body starts sending warning signals you can learn to recognize. The earliest signs are physical: shakiness, sweating, a pounding heartbeat, sudden hunger, and tingling in your fingers or lips. You might also feel anxious or nervous for no clear reason.
If your blood sugar keeps dropping below 54 mg/dL, the symptoms shift from physical to mental. Your brain is running short on fuel, so you may feel confused, unusually tired, weak, or have trouble thinking clearly. This is a more urgent situation. At its most severe, low blood sugar can cause seizures or loss of consciousness, which is why catching it early and eating something matters.
The 15-15 Rule
The standard approach to raising low blood sugar is simple: eat 15 grams of fast-acting carbs, wait 15 minutes, then check your blood sugar again. If it’s still below 70 mg/dL, eat another 15 grams and repeat. Keep going until your levels are back in your target range.
The reason for the structured approach is that it prevents overcorrecting. When you feel shaky and hungry, the instinct is to eat everything in sight. But consuming too many carbs at once can send your blood sugar swinging too high, which creates its own problems. Fifteen grams is enough to raise your levels meaningfully without overshooting.
Best Foods to Raise Blood Sugar Fast
You want pure, simple carbohydrates with little or no fat, protein, or fiber. Fat slows down how quickly food leaves your stomach, which delays glucose absorption by hours. Protein has a similar effect. That means a peanut butter sandwich or a handful of nuts, while healthy in other contexts, is the wrong choice when you need your blood sugar up now.
Here are specific foods and portions that each provide about 15 grams of carbs:
Drinks
- Half a cup of apple, orange, or pineapple juice
- One-third cup of grape or cranberry juice (these are more concentrated)
- Half a cup of regular soda (not diet)
- One cup of fat-free milk
Candy and Sweets
- 15 Skittles
- 12 gummy bears
- 6 large jelly beans
- 5 Life Savers
- 4 Starburst
- 1 tablespoon of honey, sugar, or syrup
Fruit
- Half a banana
- 1 small apple or orange
- 15 grapes
- 2 tablespoons of raisins
- Half a cup of applesauce
Glucose Products
- 3 to 4 glucose tablets
- 1 tube of glucose gel
Glucose tablets and gel are worth keeping on hand because they’re pre-measured, portable, and designed specifically for this situation. You don’t have to count out jelly beans or measure juice when you’re shaky and struggling to think clearly.
Why Liquids and Solids Work Similarly
You might assume that juice would raise your blood sugar faster than a solid food like glucose tablets or candy. Research comparing liquid and solid carbohydrate sources with equal carb content has found they produce similar blood glucose responses. What matters most is the type and amount of carbohydrate, not whether it’s a liquid or solid. That said, if you’re feeling nauseous or lightheaded, juice or soda may be easier to get down.
What to Eat After Your Levels Stabilize
Once your blood sugar is back above 70 mg/dL, you’re not done. The fast-acting carbs you just ate will burn through quickly, and without a follow-up, your blood sugar can drop again. Eat a balanced snack or small meal that combines protein and complex carbohydrates. Think cheese and crackers, a slice of toast with peanut butter, yogurt with granola, or half a turkey sandwich.
This is where fat and protein become helpful rather than harmful. They slow digestion and provide a steady release of energy that keeps your blood sugar from dipping back down. The combination of a quick fix followed by a sustaining snack is what prevents the cycle of repeated lows.
What to Keep on Hand
Low blood sugar doesn’t always happen at home near a stocked kitchen. Keep a treatment option wherever you spend time: your car, your desk, your gym bag, your nightstand. Glucose tablets are the most practical choice because they don’t melt, spill, or expire quickly. Small juice boxes or packets of honey also work well. The goal is to never be caught without something that can deliver 15 grams of carbs within arm’s reach.
When Food Isn’t Enough
If blood sugar drops below 54 mg/dL and especially below 40 mg/dL, the situation can become dangerous. At this level, a person may be too confused or drowsy to safely chew and swallow food. Trying to feed someone who can’t swallow properly risks choking. This is when glucagon, an emergency medication that raises blood sugar without requiring the person to eat, becomes necessary. If you take insulin or medications that can cause low blood sugar, talk to your prescriber about having glucagon available and make sure someone close to you knows how to use it.