The Hemoglobin A1c test sounds like something you would have had to take back in AP bio class, but it’s actually a fairly common blood test. Your doctor may even have suggested you take one in the past.
The A1c shows what your average blood sugars have been for the past 3 or 4 months. This is a simple way to determine whether or not a person is pre-diabetic or diabetic. If they’ve already been diagnosed with diabetes, this test also allows their doctor to determine whether or not they’ve been managing their blood glucose effectively.
How the A1c Test Works
The carbohydrates we eat get converted into glucose to power our body. Any extra glucose that does not get used or stored stays in the blood and attaches to red blood cells. These cells live in the bloodstream for about three to four months.
The amount of glucose lingering in your bloodstream is shown in your A1c test results as a percentage. The test results will also show what is …show more content…
Food Sources of AGEs
Besides being formed in the body, AGEs are also found in the foods we eat. And some of these foods may surprise you.
For instance, do you love a good BBQ? BBQ meat that has been cooked just right so it’s crispy and caramelized is found by many people to be delectable. Not many will argue that heating meat and adding some form of sugar and fat to caramelize it adds flavor, but the result is the formation of AGEs.
Knowing how much we love these kinds of flavors, food manufacturers have developed synthetic AGEs and added them into more and more of our packaged foods. These manmade AGEs give many of the foods we eat an extra dose of deliciousness and a pleasing brown color.
Foods that include these synthetic AGEs include brown breads, crackers, brown, crispy cookies, donuts, bacon, dark roasted coffee and dark sodas, to name just a few. But it doesn’t stop with just brown
The A1c shows what your average blood sugars have been for the past 3 or 4 months. This is a simple way to determine whether or not a person is pre-diabetic or diabetic. If they’ve already been diagnosed with diabetes, this test also allows their doctor to determine whether or not they’ve been managing their blood glucose effectively.
How the A1c Test Works
The carbohydrates we eat get converted into glucose to power our body. Any extra glucose that does not get used or stored stays in the blood and attaches to red blood cells. These cells live in the bloodstream for about three to four months.
The amount of glucose lingering in your bloodstream is shown in your A1c test results as a percentage. The test results will also show what is …show more content…
Food Sources of AGEs
Besides being formed in the body, AGEs are also found in the foods we eat. And some of these foods may surprise you.
For instance, do you love a good BBQ? BBQ meat that has been cooked just right so it’s crispy and caramelized is found by many people to be delectable. Not many will argue that heating meat and adding some form of sugar and fat to caramelize it adds flavor, but the result is the formation of AGEs.
Knowing how much we love these kinds of flavors, food manufacturers have developed synthetic AGEs and added them into more and more of our packaged foods. These manmade AGEs give many of the foods we eat an extra dose of deliciousness and a pleasing brown color.
Foods that include these synthetic AGEs include brown breads, crackers, brown, crispy cookies, donuts, bacon, dark roasted coffee and dark sodas, to name just a few. But it doesn’t stop with just brown