Whether you have diabetes or not, it is important to be careful of what you eat. Instead of eating unhealthy foods, try these to help manage your blood sugar with foods. After all, a high amount of sugar in your blood can lead to numerous health problems especially if you have diabetes. Typically, diabetic patients are required to monitor the volume of carbohydrates that they consume to help control their blood sugar. Prevention can go a long way, simply by eating the right foods and exercising. A healthy diet can even help lower blood sugar levels and lower your risk of diabetes.
On the other hand, fiber is also a type of carbohydrate that does not make an impact on blood sugar because foods with fiber are not processed the same way as carbohydrates. Therefore, a diet high in fiber won’t affect your blood sugar. People with diabetes have to use a unique formula to count their daily carbohydrate intake. They calculate this by using the total weight of fiber can be deducted from the total weight of carbohydrates in every food selection. Someone who has diabetes has to use this formula at each meal or snack. This helps them maintain a certain amount of carbs needed to keep their blood sugar in the normal range.
What Can You Do to Help Manage Your Blood Sugar With Foods?
Fruits
These contain almost the same benefits as vegetables, but it is important that you limit the amount of fruit that you eat on a daily basis if your blood sugar is high. Fruit is brimming with nutrients you need, and it is low in fat. Besides, fruits have a high fiber content and lower calories than other snacks. Best of all, fruit contains antioxidants. Antioxidants are proven to help your body perform better and help fight free radicals.
Vegetables
Vegetables are low in calories and packed with fiber. Also, they are packed with vitamins and nutrients that make our bodies function efficiently. Try filling your plate with veggies to prevent you from filling up on empty carbohydrates. Eating fewer carbs helps reduce your chances of a blood sugar spike and prevents you from eating a ton of unhealthy saturated fats.
Cereals
Breakfast with cereal is a perfect way to load up on fiber and implement it into your daily habits. People who begin the morning with a healthy breakfast that is rich in fiber will eat less for the rest of the day. Choose healthy cereals that contain ample amounts of fiber. Beware of cereals that may contain hidden sugar.
Beans
Beans are a great source of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber helps keep you full longer. Also, it also slows down digestion and keeps blood sugar from spiking after a meal. Also, eating a fiber-rich diet like beans can help lower total blood sugar levels.
Poultry
Chicken breasts are considered a lean choice of meat, check out these baked chicken tenders. This means that you will consume fewer calories. Unlike hamburgers and steaks, it has low saturated fat. Plus, you can cook a wide variety of meals using chicken breasts.
Fish
Fish is also an excellent source of protein and the best alternative to fatty meats. Fatty fish contains fatty acids containing omega 3. According to WebMD, a diet containing ample amounts of Omega 3s help increase levels of a hormone called adiponectin that’s linked to insulin sensitivity. If you don’t care to eat fish on a regular basis, you can still benefit from taking fish oil supplements such as Naturemade Burpless Fish oil.
Nuts
Nuts are packed with healthy fats that help prevent heart disease. These fats have also been proven to help make managing your blood sugar easier and prevent insulin resistance. They are also, one of the best food sources that contain ample amounts of vitamin E. Vitamin E, is a natural vitamin and it isn’t a vitamin that you can find in a supplement. The only way to get ample amounts of Vitamin E is to consume foods such as nuts on a regular basis.
Vitamin E has a wide variety of health benefits and is responsible for helping rid the body of toxins such as air pollution, cataracts, and neurological disorders such as Alzheimers and diabetes. This powerful antioxidant may assist to prevent eye and nerve damage.
Nuts are rich in magnesium and fiber, both of which may keep maintenance in regulating diabetic blood sugar.
Yogurt
Yogurt is an excellent source of protein and contains calcium with weight loss nutrients. Different studies have shown that an individual who eats plenty of foods, such as full-fat yogurt, of rich in calcium foods has an easier time losing weight.
Yogurt contains natural probiotics that help maintain a healthy gut. An unhealthy gut can lead to higher levels of inflammation and protect against leptin resistance. Leptin is responsible for telling your body that it has enough fat stored in the body. When people develop leptin resistance, they are more likely to be obese.
Stay far away from low-fat yogurt because it usually is filled with large amounts of sugar. The increase in sugar can cause blood sugar spikes, or it can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is one of the best in reducing blood sugar levels. In fact, you could lessen your blood sugar level by sprinkling it on the foods you are going to eat. Do talk to your doctor to determine if it is safe for you to consume between 1 and 6 grams of cinnamon. Large quantities of cinnamon can be harsh on the liver, and it also could interfere with the medications that you take on a regular basis.
Olive Oil
At the center of the famously heart-healthy Mediterranean diet is olive oil is considered as a healthy fat that may lessen the risk of heart attack. In addition, it has been shown to help maintain blood sugar level in steady by minimizing insulin resistance.
Implementing a healthy diet and lifestyle is important if you want to control high blood sugar and reduce your risk of diabetes. You can still enjoy life by doing the things you like as you take care of yourself too. These simple, yet effective foods are proven to help manage your blood sugar and ward off diabetes so that you don’t have to take medication to control it.
Some excellent advice for individuals who want to take control of their blood sugar. Glad you mention this is for everyone not just diabetics.
I was recently diagnosed and have been having the most challenging time figuring out what I can and can’t eat. I’ve been avoiding cereal, but I didn’t consider the fiber aspect!
This is a really great and very informative post! I’m gonna share this with my friend
We were able to get my Dad’s blood sugar back to pre diabetic numbers just with his diet alone.
Thank you, great information here to help people! Cinnamon is one I didn’t know helped manage blood sugar!
This is good to know if you have to maintain blood sugar. So far I’m okay but you never know down the line.
A couple of years ago I found out my blood sugar was going up and I needed to change my diet. Your suggestions is pretty much what I have done and since then my blood sugar stays in the 60’s and 70’s and I’m so glad I didn’t end up being diabetic.
I need to show this to my husband. He has been having sugar issues.
This is all really good to know. I try to limit my sugar as much as possible.
I’m happy to see these tips being shared. Thanks for the well written post!
As someone who knows people who struggle with keeping their levels stable, it’s always great to discover new foods that can help in maintaining a healthy balance. Your article provided practical suggestions and insights.
I have always loved the link between foods and medical conditions, I find it so interesting. I had heard about cinnamon but some of these other ideas are new to me. Thanks for sharing!
Love these tips and you reminded me that I need to order new fish oil capsules. It is so good for you and I am bookmarking this post to come back to!
Wow, that’s amazing! It’s one of the most interesting topics I’ve ever heard about! The information you provided is beneficial. Thanks for sharing it with me.