Brain function and efficiency are affected by glucose levels in blood. The brain needs glucose as its source of energy. It constantly needs a sufficient flow of brain sugar to keep it going in as much as it cannot store glucose for future use. However, too much or too little supply of glucose in the brain is not beneficial and can really be harmful to an individual’s well-being. The brain needs about 125-150 grams of blood sugar every day for it to function. The neurons make use of at least half of the brain’s energy especially in sending bioelectric signals all throughout the body.

During mental activities or exercises like thinking and learning, the brain uses a lot of energy that comes from glucose. This glucose comes from the food eaten and digested. Carbohydrates and starch are the most common sources of sugar which are broken down into simpler forms that can be lodged into the bloodstream and absorbed by the cells through the help of insulin. Sufficient and steady blood sugar levels keep the brain doing its work well. When spikes in the glucose levels in blood happen, hyperactivity may likely be experienced but may be followed by sugar crashes. Aside from these conditions, diabetes may be developed as well as some other forms of mental diseases.

Normal glucose levels though are not only affected by the amount of food eaten but also by the kind of sugar from which glucose has been broken down. Some forms of sugar may be harmful for the body. Fruits are excellent sources of sugar for the brain and gets into the bloodstream at a steady rate as it is digested. Complex carbohydrates like starch also take time from being broken down so it does not flood the bloodstream right away with glucose. Refined sugar may be the worst that can be taken in like soda, pastries and cookies or desserts. These foods bring a sugar rush into the bloodstream that may result to unhealthy conditions. The best forms of sugar are from natural foods that digest slowly for a steady supply of energy for the brain as well as for the body.