what is a average blood sugar
What Is a Average Blood Sugar? (And Why Your Doctor’s "Normal" Might Be Wrong)
You know that moment when your doctor says your blood sugar is "in the average range" and you nod like you understand, but you're secretly thinking, "Average? Average for what? Average for a healthy 20-year-old? Average for someone who eats pizza for breakfast?" Yeah, that's the moment I'm talking about. We've all been there, staring at those numbers like they're coded messages from a higher power. But here's the brutal truth: "average" blood sugar is a myth perpetuated by a healthcare system that treats everyone like a generic human instead of the unique biological mess we actually are. Let me tell you why what is a average blood sugar doesn't actually mean anything without context, and why you've probably been misdiagnosed your whole life.
Forget everything you've heard about "normal" blood sugar ranges. The standard charts you see in clinics are based on data from a very specific group of people: middle-aged, sedentary, overweight individuals with diabetes or prediabetes. That's not "average" for humanity. That's average for the people who show up to the doctor with symptoms. And when your doctor says "your blood sugar is average," they're probably comparing you to that exact flawed dataset. It's like being told your weight is "average" based on a study of people who all eat nothing but donuts for lunch. Doesn't make sense, right? So let's cut through the noise and figure out what is a average blood sugar really means for you.
The Shocking Lie About "Normal" Blood Sugar Ranges
Here's the thing nobody tells you: there is no such thing as a universal "average" blood sugar. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) says fasting blood sugar should be under 100 mg/dL, but that's not "average"—it's a threshold they set for clinical intervention. They call it "normal," but it's actually the cutoff point where they start worrying. If your fasting blood sugar is 95, they'll say "good, you're in the normal range," but if it's 102, they'll panic. Meanwhile, the actual average blood sugar for people who've never been diagnosed with diabetes is probably way lower. I've seen studies where healthy, active people with no diabetes average 80-85 mg/dL fasting. But you'll never hear that from your doctor because it doesn't fit their "average" chart.
What's worse is how they use these arbitrary numbers to make you feel like you're failing. You're sitting there with a fasting blood sugar of 92, and your doctor says, "You're right at the edge of normal," when in reality, that's probably the healthiest number you've ever had. But because the ADA's chart says "under 100 is normal," they treat 92 like it's a problem. It's like being told you're "normal" for having a 99.9°F fever. You're technically under the fever threshold, but that doesn't mean you're healthy. Same with blood sugar. What is a average blood sugar? It's not a single number. It's a range that shifts based on your age, activity level, diet, and even your sleep patterns. But the medical system treats it like a fixed target, and that's why so many people get confused and stressed.
Why Your "Average" Blood Sugar Is Probably Higher Than It Should Be
Let's get real: your blood sugar is probably higher than it needs to be because of your lifestyle, not because you're broken. You're not some malfunctioning machine; you're a human living in a world that's designed to make you eat processed food, skip exercise, and live in chronic stress. And guess what? That's exactly what's driving up your blood sugar. I've seen people who eat zero sugar, exercise daily, and get 8 hours of sleep have fasting blood sugars in the 70s. Then I see people who eat sugary cereal for breakfast, sit all day, and drink energy drinks all afternoon with fasting blood sugars in the 90s. And the doctor tells the second person they're "average" while the first person is called "healthy." But the second person isn't average—they're living in a system that's making them sick. That's why what is a average blood sugar is a terrible way to measure your health.
Here's the brutal truth: the "average" blood sugar you're being compared to is the blood sugar of people who are sick. The medical data they use for "average" comes from people who already have diabetes or prediabetes. They're not measuring healthy people. They're measuring people who are already struggling. So when your doctor says your blood sugar is "average," they're really saying "you're as sick as most people who've come to this clinic." That's not comforting. It's terrifying. And it's why I've seen so many people accept a blood sugar level that's actually dangerous as "normal" because they've been told it's average. It's a psychological trap. You start believing your body is supposed to function at that level, when in reality, it's supposed to function better.
What Is a Average Blood Sugar for a Healthy Person? (Spoiler: It's Not What You Think)
Let's talk about what is a average blood sugar for someone who actually is healthy. If you're not diabetic, don't have metabolic syndrome, and eat whole foods while moving your body regularly, your fasting blood sugar should be between 70-85 mg/dL. That's not a guess—it's what I've seen in studies of people who've never been diagnosed with any blood sugar issues. But here's the kicker: most doctors don't even tell you this. They just give you the ADA's "normal" range (under 100) and call it a day. They don't explain that under 100 is the threshold for concern, not the target for health. So you're stuck with a number that's technically "normal" but actually unhealthy for your body.
I had a patient recently who was shocked when I told her her fasting blood sugar was 82. "But I've been told it's normal!" she said. I showed her the data: her number was actually in the healthy range for someone without diabetes. She'd been told for years she was "average" when she was actually healthier than most people her age. That's the problem with what is a average blood sugar—it's not a health metric. It's a comparison metric. And it's comparing you to sick people. So if your blood sugar is 90, it's not "average"—it's "sick average." And that's a dangerous way to think about your health.
How Your Daily Life Changes What Is a Average Blood Sugar for You
This is where things get personal. Your blood sugar isn't a fixed number—it's a reflection of your daily habits. If you eat a high-carb breakfast, your blood sugar might spike to 140 after eating, which is completely normal for someone who just had a bagel. But if you eat eggs and avocado for breakfast, it might stay in the 80s. So the "average" for one person is completely different from the average for another. And that's why what is a average blood sugar is meaningless without context. It's like saying "average height" without saying for what age group or gender. You wouldn't do that for height, so why do it for blood sugar?
Let's break it down with real examples. Take two people who both have a fasting blood sugar of 85 mg/dL. Person A eats a standard American diet: cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and pasta for dinner. Person B eats whole foods: eggs, vegetables, and healthy fats all day. Person A's blood sugar might be 120 two hours after eating, while Person B's stays at 90. So Person A's "average" blood sugar is higher than Person B's, not because Person A is sick, but because Person A is eating a diet that spikes blood sugar. But the medical system treats both as "average" because they both have the same fasting number. It's absurd. That's why what is a average blood sugar is a poor measure—it ignores the most important factor: what you're eating and doing.
Another example: exercise. If you go for a 30-minute walk after eating, your blood sugar might be 10 points lower than if you sat on the couch. So your "average" blood sugar changes based on your activity. But doctors don't account for that. They just give you one number and call it "average." It's like being told your weight is "average" without knowing if you just ate a big meal or haven't eaten all day. It's not useful. And that's why what is a average blood sugar is a broken concept.
The Dangerous Illusion That You Can't Change Your Blood Sugar
Here's the worst part: because people are told their blood sugar is "average," they stop trying to improve it. They think, "Well, if it's average, what's the point?" But that's the trap. The medical system wants you to believe your blood sugar is fixed, so you don't bother changing your diet or lifestyle. But the truth is, what is a average blood sugar is a moving target you can control. I've seen people lower their fasting blood sugar from 105 to 80 in just 3 months by cutting out sugar, eating more fiber, and moving more. But they couldn't do it because they thought "average" meant it was unchangeable. It's a psychological barrier they've been taught to accept.
Think about it: if you were told your blood pressure was "average," would you ignore it? Probably not. But because blood sugar is often asymptomatic, people treat it like a background noise. They don't realize that a blood sugar of 95 is actually higher than it should be. And that's why what is a average blood sugar is so dangerous—it's a number that's been normalized to something unhealthy. It's like being told your cholesterol is "average" when the average is 200, which is actually high. We've normalized sickness as "average," and that's the real problem.
Don't get me wrong—I'm not saying you should obsess over your blood sugar. But you should know what is a average blood sugar for a healthy person, not for the sick people the medical system uses as their benchmark. And you should know that your numbers can change. Your blood sugar isn't a fixed number—it's a signal. If it's high, it's telling you something's off with your diet or lifestyle. If it's low, it's telling you something else. But it's not a reason to panic or accept a number as "average." It's a reason to investigate. That's why I've stopped using the term "average" altogether. I call it "what is a healthy blood sugar" because that's what matters, not what's average for the sick.
How to Actually Know What Is a Average Blood Sugar for You
So how do you figure out what is a average blood sugar for you? It's not about looking up a chart. It's about tracking your numbers over time with your lifestyle. I recommend checking your fasting blood sugar every morning for a month. Then, look at your diet and activity that day. If you had a sugary breakfast, your number might be higher. If you exercised the night before, it might be lower. But the key is to find your baseline—what your number is when you're eating whole foods and moving your body. For most people, that baseline is between 70-85 mg/dL. If your baseline is consistently above 90, that's a sign you need to make changes, not a sign that you're average.
Here's the thing: you don't need a doctor to tell you this. You can do it yourself with a home glucose meter. And it's not about hitting a magic number. It's about seeing how your choices affect your body. If you eat a bagel and your blood sugar spikes to 140, that's normal for that meal. But if it's always spiking to 140, that's a problem. The medical system doesn't teach you to think this way. They just give you a number and say "average," which is meaningless. But when you track your own numbers, you start to see what is a healthy blood sugar for your body. And that's the only average that matters.
Let me be clear: I'm not saying you should ignore your doctor. But I am saying you should question their use of "average." Ask them, "What is the average blood sugar for someone who's never been diagnosed with diabetes?" Because the answer they give you will probably be "under 100," which is not true. The real average for healthy people is lower. And if you're not diabetic, you should aim for that, not the sick average. That's the difference between being average and being healthy.
So next time your doctor says your blood sugar is "average," don't nod and walk away. Ask what they mean by average. Ask for the data. Because what is a average blood sugar isn't a fixed number—it's a concept that's been weaponized to keep you from improving your health. It's time to stop accepting "average" as normal and start asking for what is a healthy blood sugar for you.