You Can Guess How Food Affects Your Energy Levels—or You Can Get a Continuous Glucose Monitor

People with diabetes have controlled their blood sugar levels with continuous glucose monitors since the devices first hit the market in 1999 (1). Now, non-diabetics have discovered the potential benefits of tracking blood sugar. And many companies offer continuous glucose monitoring programs for people without diabetes.

The idea behind a continuous glucose monitor is simple: Instead of guessing where your blood sugar levels are, a tiny sensor under the skin measures your glucose every few minutes and sends the info directly to the device. Many models even connect to your smartphone, so you can scope out trends and check your blood sugar anytime (1).

For people with diabetes, continuous glucose monitors offer clear benefits for minimizing blood sugar emergencies and health complications. But what if you’re diabetes-free?

CGMs for Non-Diabetics

Strapping on a continuous glucose monitor may help determine how foods affect your blood sugar (read: energy) levels. Concrete info can give you the motivation to optimize your diet for health and mental and physical performance. Who knows, it may even help you avoid the diet and blood sugar patterns that lead to diabetes—an essential step if you’ve already been diagnosed with prediabetes (1, 2).

A study published in Clinical Diabetes found that 87 percent of continuous glucose monitor users tweaked their food choices based on the data from the device (1). However, we should note that the research on the perks of using a continuous glucose monitor without diabetes is pretty sparse. So, only time will tell if and how these devices offer any health benefits.

But if you want to learn more about your blood sugar levels, we’ve got you covered. There are many glucose monitor programs that can clue you into what effect your diet and lifestyle have on your blood sugar levels. Here are three of the best.