Eat Your Way to Better Health: Five Foods That Lower Blood Sugar
If you have been diagnosed with hyperglycemia, or diabetes, it is important to understand you can take control, and eat your way to better health by choosing foods that lower blood sugar. While not all patients will be able to give up their medication for good, most will notice at least an improvement in their numbers, better overall sugar fluctuation control, and some may even avoid having to go on medication.
To help get you started, below are five foods that lower blood sugar by promoting positive changes within your body.
- Soluble Fiber
One of the best types of soluble fiber is oatmeal. This simple breakfast food can do wonders for your health and can keep your blood sugar levels more even. Some studies have even suggested that oatmeal may help lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It is recommended that you eat your oatmeal the old fashioned way, using traditional steel cut or rolled oats. Instant oatmeal has lower fiber levels, and contains a good bit of added sugar. Other excellent sources of soluble fiber include: oranges, Brussels sprouts, grapefruit, and psyllium seeds.
2. Peanuts and Peanut Butter
Whether you prefer a delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or you just enjoy snacking on a few peanuts a day, the fiber, protein, and healthy fat in this type of nut can keep blood sugar spikes at bay. If that was not incentive enough to eat peanuts, a recent study found that women who ate peanut butter or at least an ounce of nuts, at least five times per week had a thirty percent lower chance of developing type 2 diabetes.
Since peanuts are high in healthy fat, they are also high in calories, so keep portion size under control. A healthy portion is just a handful, or about forty peanuts.
Other types of nuts that are considered healthy foods that lower blood sugar include pecans, almonds, and walnuts.
3. Vinegar
Vinegar has been used as a cure for a wide variety of conditions as far back as the days of the ancient Greeks. The acid that is found in vinegar and gives it the characteristic smell and taste, acetic acid, has been shown to help regulate blood sugar level after consumption. This remained true for patients who have type 2 diabetes as well.
Because there are so many different types of vinegars on the market today, feel free to try different versions and experiment with tastes. Some of the most flavorful and commonly used vinegars include: apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, rice vinegar, and balsamic vinegar.
4. Cinnamon
A commonly used spice for all sorts of treats also packs a powerful health punch! Cinnamon has significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and may help to improve a patient’s insulin response to glucose in the blood, and may also help to lower blood sugar levels.
In addition to cinnamon, another spice that is categorized as foods that lower blood sugar levels is cloves, which has been shown to reduce glucose levels.
5. Grapefruit
While most of us know that grapefruit contains a good amount of vitamin C, you may not be aware that they are also one of the best foods that lower blood sugar, as they contain an antioxidant known as naringenin. This antioxidant has been linked to a reduction in the risk of developing a resistance to insulin. Studies have shown that mice that were give supplements of naringenin had better control over blood glucose levels, regardless of how much food they ate, and also had lower cholesterol levels.
Because grapefruit can cause problems with the absorption of some medications, and can cause higher blood levels of medications, it is recommended that you consult with your doctor or pharmacist prior to adding grapefruit or grapefruit juice to your daily diet.
This list of foods that lower blood sugar is just the tip of the iceberg, but is a great place to start. Making small changes such as these, combined with eating an overall healthier diet, reducing sugar intake, and getting more exercise can do wonders for reducing your total blood sugar count.
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