The Cabral Concept 3700: Do Blood Sugar Spikes After Eating Really Matter? (TWT)
Mar 24, 2026
They explore whether post-meal blood sugar surges actually affect long-term health. The difference between short-term spikes and average glucose control is unpacked. Two different glucose patterns with the same average are compared. Practical ways to blunt spikes like adding protein and fiber are discussed. Other metabolic markers such as triglycerides, fasting insulin, HDL and inflammation are highlighted.
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A1c Measures Average Not Meal Spikes
- Hemoglobin A1c reflects average glucose over red blood cells' lifespan, not short post-meal spikes.
- Dr. Stephen Cabral contrasts two people with identical average glucose but different spike patterns and resulting A1c differences.
Clients With Low A1c But Big CGM Spikes
- Dr. Stephen Cabral describes clients with very low HbA1c (4.2–4.8) yet post-meal spikes to 140–190 on CGMs.
- He uses these cases to question whether spikes alone predict diabetes risk.
Same Average Glucose Can Yield Different A1c
- Two people can have the same estimated average glucose yet different HbA1c due to spike duration and glycation rates.
- One person with quick high spikes can have a 0.3–0.5 lower A1c because sugar sticks less to hemoglobin.
