Diabetes is a leading health risk, becoming increasingly common, approximately 1 in 10 people are diagnosed with ‘type 2 diabetes’. Diabetes usually occurs for people over the age of 45, but is slowly becoming even more common in young adults as well.
How would diabetes occur one might ask? It occurs due to high blood sugar levels in a patient’s body. There are several ways to manage blood sugar levels, such as activity, exercise, and a healthy diet. The best way is to manage your diet and intake appropriate meals at the right time, especially items rich in sugar and refined carbs can contribute to blood sugar levels.
To begin with, chia seeds are easy to obtain and are inexpensive. Studies have proved that consumption of chia seeds has been linked to reduction in blood sugar levels and improvements in insulin activity. They can be incorporated into one’s diet easily, such as just adding them with water and smoothies as well.
Berries are another common source of nutrition to help with blood sugar, they are loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Studies have proved that eating just 250 grams of red raspberries with a high carb meal significantly reduced blood sugar levels in adults. Other than raspberries, other berries such as strawberries, blueberries and blackberries can also help manage blood sugar levels and improve glucose clearance from the blood.
Avocados are very rich in healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber and may also offer important advantages for controlling blood sugar when added to meals. Furthermore, avocados also protect from the development of metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of conditions including high blood pressure.
Including oats and oat bran in your diet may help improve blood sugar levels because they contain a lot of soluble fiber, which has been demonstrated to significantly lower blood sugar levels. A small study conducted once had discovered that drinking 7 ounces of water mixed with 1 ounce of oat bran before eating bread had significantly reduced post meal sugar.
Despite citrus fruits being sweet and a treat to have, thankfully they are also a great source to reduce blood sugar levels. This is because they are considered as ‘low glycemic fruits’, which means they are likely to not affect blood sugar levels, they are packed with fibers and powerful antidiabetic properties, fruits such as oranges and grapefruit.
Yogurt is a fermented dairy product, which may help in managing blood sugar. Consuming just 150 grams of yogurt daily improved post-meal insulin and blood sugar levels.
Also products such as ‘Kefir’, a probiotic-rich yogurt drink that has been shown in an 8-week study of 60 people with type 2 diabetes to significantly reduce fasting blood sugar compared to kefir without probiotics.
Eggs have always been known for being very nutritious, containing rich sources of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Few studies indicated that overweight adults with type 2 diabetes had found that eating one large egg a day led to a reduction of 4.4% in blood sugar levels.
Frequent egg servings of two or less than four servings a week was associated with a 40% lower risk of diabetes.
Apples contain soluble fiber and plant compounds, which may all work to lower blood sugar and prevent diabetes.
A higher intake of various fruits, particularly blueberries, grapes and apples was linked to a significantly lower risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a study that analyzed information from over 187,000 people.
Nuts have several benefits such as supporting your immunity, reducing your risk of heart disease and are a great source of protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
A low-carb diet including both peanuts and almonds throughout the day decreased both fasting and post-meal blood sugar levels in 25 patients with type 2 diabetes, according to research
A better way to consume peanuts to satisfy our taste buds would be to use peanut butter, both sweet and healthy.
Protein, fiber, and minerals like magnesium that are abundant in beans and lentils can help reduce blood sugar levels. They are especially rich in soluble fiber resistant starch, which aid in slow digestion and may enhance the response of blood sugar to meals.
Flaxseed is a versatile ingredient that can improve the flavor and texture of practically any recipe thanks to its mild, nutty flavor and crunchy consistency
One can incorporate this seed into their diet in different ways, one such way is in a smoothie. Additionally its also a great addition to oats, burgers and more.
Eating whole flax seeds lead to considerable improvements in blood sugar control, among other advantages, according to a study of 25 controlled research.
Okra or commonly known in India as ‘ladies’ finger’ is a rich source of blood-sugar lowering compounds.
In places such as Turkey, okra seeds have long been used as a natural remedy to treat diabetes, okra’s primary polysaccharide, rhamnogalacturonan, has been discovered to possess potent anti-diabetic properties.
Nevertheless, human tests are still required to prove for sure that okra does aid in reducing blood sugar levels.
Pumpkin, a famous ingredient in several dishes and is in fact used as a traditional diabetic remedy in countries such as Mexico and Iran, however to elaborate on this, further research is required to determine how whole pumpkin may benefit blood sugar. Pumpkin seeds serve as a beneficiary for diabetic patients as well.
There are several dishes you could enjoy that are very diabetic friendly such as Instant pot pumpkin-spiced turkey chili, Pumpkin hummus, Pumpkin pie, mini pumpkin tars, pumpkin pie smoothie, these are only some dishes.
No one loves greens, some do and some despise, however we tend to look past the healthy properties they have, in this case broccoli.
An isothiocyanate with the ability to lower blood sugar is sulforaphane, this plant chemical is created when a broccoli is cut or chewed up.
Broccoli can be cooked in different ways to suit our taste buds as greens are not everyone’s green flag, such as baked broccoli, broccoli salad with French dressing and cream of broccoli soup. These are only some of the dishes.
Sea food is well known for containing rich sources of protein, healthy fats, vitamins and much more, but little is known that it is also essential for controlling blood sugar levels. It helps with sluggish digestion, avoids blood sugar surges after meals, and heightens feelings of content. Additionally, it could aid in reducing excess body fat and prevent overeating, both of which are necessary for maintaining appropriate blood sugar levels. Consumption of fatty fish products like salmon has proved to be effective in blood sugar regulation.
Kale is often described as a “superfood” , it may sound a tad exaggerated but for good reason, kale is packed with compounds that may decrease blood sugar levels, this includes fiber and other antioxidants.
Research shows that consuming either 7 or 14 grams of kale containing food with high carbs significantly decreased post-meal sugar levels.
Kimchi is a South-Korean side dish and it’s all the talk is in India, it consists of fermented vegetables, often based around cabbage and includes different seasonings. As kimchi is fermented, they are packed with probiotics, minerals and antioxidants, eating them has been strongly associated with improved blood sugar and insulin activity.
Following a healthy diet is very crucial for a diabetic patient, but this does not mean they cannot enjoy or treat themselves, ensuring dietary restrictions is to lower the risk of developing these conditions.
However, maintaining just one’s diet may not be enough to control their sugar levels, it is important to take into factor of physical activity and exercise, ensuring a healthy lifestyle and optimizing blood sugar control.