hypoglycemia

   Low blood sugar. It can be an actual clinical condition (rather rare), but the term is usually applied to LABILE blood sugar, where the highs are socially acceptable, if zappy, but the lows cause headaches, depression ...and sugar cravings...which only kick the sugars UP (adrenalin stimulates a quick emergency release of sugar from the liver, and soon THAT is overlapped by the first wave of dietary sugar from whatever you ended up actually eating) ...which forces the sugars DOWN (from the insulin secreted because of a sudden rise in blood sugar)...etc. This is a subclinical condition that usually goes nowhere, at least clinically, but can drive you (or your companion) crazy. Some normal and healthy foods produce a VERY quick and VERY short elevation of blood sugar, and can leave you hanging if you have this type of metabolism; fruits, potatoes and carrot juice are LOUSY. On the other hand, legumes, particularly beans, supply slow and extended release of calories over many hours ...partially because of high levels of soluble fiber, partially because of slow, even laborious digestion. If you can't handle legumes too well, or you have a daily "bean threshold" and any beans or peanuts or soya past that amount causes lots of gas or semi-allergic reactions, simply adding such nutritionally useless non-legumes as Psyllium Seed and Chia Seed to some of your common foods will add enough soluble fiber to REALLY slow down sugar spiking.