For the last few years, I’ve been using my Oura Ring daily to monitor my sleep, recovery, and stress levels. Recently, it revealed a new piece of information that caught my attention: my blood sugar levels. Given my interest in health tech, I was curious to learn that Oura had teamed up with Dexcom’s Stelo, a continuous glucose monitor aimed at people without diabetes. This collaboration aims to help everyday folks like me understand how our food choices and eating habits affect our blood sugar and overall well-being.
“By merging Stelo data with Oura’s existing insights, we’re empowering users to grasp the cause-and-effect relationships between what they eat, their energy, mood, and recovery—ultimately enabling lasting, science-based lifestyle adjustments,” said Maz Brumand, Oura’s vice president of product.
I tested the Stelo CGM alongside my Oura Ring for two weeks, and I have to say, it changed how I eat and exercise. I believe this kind of biofeedback could benefit anyone, even if they aren’t diabetic.
Understanding Continuous Glucose Monitoring
Your blood sugar, or glucose, is essentially the sugar level in your bloodstream. According to the Cleveland Clinic, glucose is our body’s primary energy source—it fuels everything from muscles to the brain. Eating certain foods, especially carbs, causes your glucose to rise, prompting your body to release insulin to deliver that sugar into cells for energy or storage. However, frequent spikes or drops, even for those without diabetes, can affect energy, sleep, mood, and long-term metabolic health. When your body doesn’t immediately need glucose, it stores it as glycogen in the muscles and liver.
For those with diabetes, monitoring glucose levels is vital. But should everyone else be doing the same? I think there’s a case for it. Tracking blood sugar throughout the day and noting how your body responds to different foods can be incredibly insightful regarding cravings, sleep, and metabolic wellness. “Glucose serves as a real-time indicator of metabolic health, which influences daily feelings like energy, focus, mood, and sleep,” Brumand explains.
With wearable glucose sensors like Stelo, individuals without diabetes can gain insights into how their dietary choices affect their bodies without the need for finger pricks or prescriptions.
What’s a Normal Glucose Range?
Before using a CGM, I thought blood sugar levels were either stable or erratic, with no middle ground. After I began tracking daily, I realized that spikes are pretty typical, especially after meals or snacks.
Most people will see their glucose levels fluctuate throughout the day. The American Diabetes Association suggests a general target range for adults who are not diagnosed with pre-diabetes or diabetes to be between 70 and 140 mg/dL. Interestingly, Oura reflects this range in its graphs too. Notably, 70 to 100 mg/dL is considered normal when fasting, particularly in the morning before meals, while levels under 140 mg/dL are common post-meal.
“Clinical studies indicate that even healthy individuals can experience moderate glucose spikes regularly, with research suggesting that healthy adults may stay above 140 mg/dL for up to two hours a day,” states Renee Fitton, a registered dietitian.
She further elaborates that the frequency and extent of glucose spikes depend on several factors, chiefly what and when you eat, as well as stress, exercise, dehydration, and even conditions like sunburn.
Many glucose monitors adapt their ranges based on individual baseline patterns over time. When reviewing your data, it’s essential to focus on context and trends over isolated spikes. For instance, witnessing a spike after dessert isn’t necessarily a red flag—it’s just your body functioning as it should. What really matters is how quickly your glucose returns to a baseline level.
“Occasional moderate spikes (one to three times daily) that resolve within about 30 minutes typically don’t signal concern. However, if there are more frequent or higher spikes (like above 180 mg/dL) that take longer to settle (over 60 minutes), that could raise metabolic health concerns,” Fitton points out. “We don’t aim for a completely flat glucose curve; gentle fluctuations suggest healthy metabolic flexibility.”
My Experience Setting Up the Stelo Monitor
You can order the Stelo sensor via their website for $99, which includes two sensors. I received a compact box with easy-to-follow instructions. Applying it to the back of my upper arm was quick—took under two minutes and surprisingly didn’t hurt much. Although there is a small needle, I was actually prepared for a more painful experience than what I had; I barely felt a thing. It might have helped that the sound of the injector took my mind off it. Once positioned, I paired it with the Stelo app, and it synchronized with the Oura app automatically, tracking my glucose 24/7 for up to 15 days.
From the Oura app, I could easily view how my glucose levels changed throughout the day, alongside other metrics like sleep, heart rate, and my personalized readiness score, which gives a snapshot of how well I’ve recovered from the previous day.
My ‘Healthy’ Choices and Glucose Spikes
A genuine revelation during my testing was how some healthy foods influenced my glucose readings. For example, one morning, I had a pressed juice consisting of pineapple, beets, carrots, ginger, cucumber, and lemon. Packed with nutrients, it still caused my glucose to spike above what I deemed a healthy range—albeit briefly. This made me reconsider how I consume fruit-heavy drinks.
The following day, I opted for a fruit smoothie instead. Using berries, banana, plant-based protein powder, peanut butter, soy milk, and oats kept my glucose levels stable, with no minutes over my threshold. The added protein and fiber from the ingredients slowed the sugar absorption into my bloodstream.
What became clear was that even natural fruit juices could cause glucose spikes, especially when consumed on an empty stomach. Smoothies that incorporate protein, fat, and fiber seem to help stabilize energy by keeping spikes at bay.
Balancing Meals with Nutrients
Later that week, I tried having sushi rolls with edamame for dinner. Much to my delight, my glucose levels remained stable throughout the meal. Oura’s AI coach even highlighted that this combination of food provided adequate protein and fiber, likely contributing to my balanced glucose response. This realization was uplifting; it showed me that I didn’t have to overhaul my diet entirely. Simply being mindful about how I pair my foods could significantly influence my blood glucose levels.
Fitton mentioned that the digestion process plays a key role in this. Protein, fiber, and healthy fats slow the absorption of simple carbohydrates, leading to a gradual release of sugars into the bloodstream. This transformation from potential spikes to a steady rise is manageable for the body.
“The main concern with blood sugar management is minimizing refined carbohydrates. If you do choose these, try combining them with protein or healthy fats to help mitigate the glucose rise, and opt for higher-fiber carb sources whenever feasible,” Fitton advises.
Exercise After Eating
I discovered that blood sugar stability isn’t solely contingent on food intake; it also relates to what you do after eating. One afternoon, I indulged in a slice of cake without adding any fiber or protein, having skipped a substantial lunch beforehand. Surprisingly, my glucose remained stable rather than spiking. The reason? I took a brisk 15-minute walk around my neighborhood afterward, which helped my body efficiently utilize the glucose.
“When we exercise, our bodies recognize the need for more energy, which signals our cells to absorb sugar from the bloodstream. A brief walk can burn about 30 to 40 calories, drawing energy from circulating glucose or stored glycogen,” Fitton explained.
Experts have long recommended post-meal walks for metabolic health, but witnessing the effect firsthand was enlightening. I also think that having the cake after a balanced meal with protein and fiber played a role in stabilizing my blood sugar.
Sometimes, it’s not about completely avoiding treats, but more about timing, food combinations, and physical activity.
Strategies to Keep Glucose Levels Steady
Before integrating the glucose sensor with Oura into my routine, I assumed blood sugar spikes were largely influenced by food alone and that drastic dietary changes were the only way to manage them. However, in these two weeks, I realized how much my eating and movement patterns also contribute. I identified three strategies that were effective in keeping my glucose levels in check:
Combine Carbs with Protein, Fiber, and Healthy Fats
During my berry smoothie experiment with protein powder and soy milk, my glucose remained stable. In contrast, earlier fruit smoothie attempts prompted more significant spikes and faster crashes.
Takeaway: Carbs can raise blood sugar swiftly, especially refined ones, but incorporating protein or fat helps slow digestion, resulting in gentler spikes.
Food pairing suggestions: Apples with peanut butter, toast topped with avocado, rice served with beans or similar protein sources.
Get Moving (Especially Post-Treats)
While snacking on cake, I expected my glucose graph to shoot up dramatically, yet it didn’t—thanks to my walk and a balanced meal beforehand.
A simple 10-15 minute walk can significantly help manage blood sugar spikes, enabling me to savor treats without a noticeable crash afterwards.
Timing Matters
I also learned that consuming higher-carb foods earlier in the day facilitated better processing than having them closer to bedtime. Smoothie breakfasts maintained stable levels while the same smoothie consumed post-9 p.m. caused notable spikes.
“In the morning, cortisol levels rise, helping the body manage sugar intake more efficiently. Eating breakfast reduces this stress response. Delaying meals can lead to elevated cortisol and inflammation, resulting in larger glucose spikes when you do eat,” Fitton explained.
She added that, conversely, our glucose management abilities decline in the evening. Therefore, aim to avoid late-night eating, as it can lead to prolonged higher blood sugar. That doesn’t mean you have to eliminate carbs or treats at night, but having them earlier can significantly benefit how your body processes them.
