Blood glucose after a meal or glucose drink (1-hour and 2-hour)
Quick answer: This test measures your blood sugar at a set time after you eat a meal or drink a glucose solution. Doctors use it to see how well your body handles sugar after eating, to screen for or monitor diabetes and diabetes in pregnancy.
- SampleBlood
- Takes1 to 2 hours of waiting, with a few minutes for the sample
- Before the testEat your usual meal or take the glucose drink as instructed, note the time, and avoid extra food or sugary drinks until the sample is taken.
- In fertility carePost-meal sugar checks help detect and manage high blood sugar before and during pregnancy.
How the test is done
- 1You eat your usual meal or drink the glucose solution and note the start time
- 2You wait, ideally seated, without eating or drinking anything sugary
- 3At 1 or 2 hours, blood is taken from a vein or by finger prick
- 4The sample is tested for glucose and the timing is noted on the report
What your results can mean
Reading your report
Targets differ depending on the timing and on whether you are pregnant, so discuss your result with your doctor.
If the result is outside the usual range
A high level can be seen with diabetes, prediabetes or diabetes in pregnancy. A low level after a meal is less common and can be seen with some medicines or after stomach surgery.
Who usually has this test
People being screened for or living with diabetes, and pregnant women or women planning pregnancy whose doctor wants a post-meal check.
Risks and aftercare
You may feel a little light-headed after the glucose drink, and the needle site may bruise slightly.
Names and options
Also called: post-meal sugar, 1 hour glucose, 2 hour glucose, PPBS, glucose after breakfast
Options
- 1 hour after
- 2 hours after
- After breakfast
Listed by the hospital as
- GLUCOSE AFTER 1 HR
- GLUCOSE AFTER 2 HR
- GLUCOSE AFTER BREAK FAST, PLASMA
Questions about this test
When does the 2-hour clock start for a post-meal sugar test?
The time usually starts when you begin eating, not when you finish. Note the time you take your first bite and tell the staff. Ask the lab if they want a different starting point.
Can I walk around while waiting for the sample?
Gentle sitting is usually advised. Walking, exercise or smoking during the wait can change your sugar level and make the result harder to read.
Is a post-meal sugar test the same as a glucose tolerance test?
No. A post-meal test checks sugar once after a normal meal or drink. A glucose tolerance test uses a fixed glucose dose and timed samples, and it is the standard test for diagnosing gestational diabetes.
Related tests
Tamara Hospital & IVF Centre, Rajajinagar
34/3, 10th Cross Road, opp. Vardhaka Sardar Patel School, 1st N Block, 2nd Stage, Rajajinagar, Bengaluru 560010
The hospital is open 24 hours. Call before you come to check the timing for your scan or sample collection.
Get directions ↗IVF Pulse fertility care at Tamara Hospital →
Reception
Waiting area
IVF lab
This page explains each test in general terms so you know what to expect. It is not medical advice: your doctor decides which tests you need and what your results mean. Reference ranges differ between laboratories. Updated 4 November 2026.