How to Lower Blood Sugar With Diet
Understand the importance of the right food in your diet., Choose healthy carbohydrates., Eat more fiber., Eat fish twice a week or more often., Eat more oatmeal., Look for non-starchy vegetables., Satisfy your sweet tooth with a few strawberries...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Understand the importance of the right food in your diet.
Depending on how it's chosen it can cause a gradual rise in blood sugar levels or it can cause the levels to rise too quickly (which most people should avoid).
However way your system reacts to your meal depends on the food you have eaten.
Complex carbohydrates are likely to cause a gradual rise, while refined carbohydrates and sugar will cause a fast rise in blood sugar levels., Ultimately all food is converted into blood sugar, and consumed to make energy; the idea is to avoid foods where this happens very fast.
Sugars, and starches (as found in white bread, or cornstarch, and many other foods) are converted most rapidly, and should be avoided.
On the other hand, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes (lentils and beans), and a moderate amount of low-fat dairy foods are converted more gradually, and are better sources of energy for almost anyone, especially those avoiding high blood sugar.
Note that low fat doesn't necessarily mean low calorie; always read the ingredients list.Healthy whole grains include barley, oats, spelt, wheat, kamut and brown rice.See below for more about oats.
Bread and cereals are healthy provided you steer clear of the high fat and high sugar varieties.
Choose bread and cereals containing less than 450mg per 100mg of sodium.Eat some carbohydrate at each meal, but only a reasonable portion.
Eat more non-starchy vegetables over starchy ones.
Eat some protein in your meals, too.
Proteins are good for you, and can sometimes help moderate the rise in sugar. , Fiber cleanses your system and soluble fiber (see below) helps control your blood sugar levels.
Most vegetables are high in fiber, especially those with leafy greens.
Many fruits, nuts, and legumes are also rich in fiber, as are whole-wheat products.
Soluble fiber is very important for maintaining good health.
It is found in such foods as beans, nuts, oat bran and seeds.Flax-seeds are both a good source of fiber and for maintaining balanced blood sugar.
Grind two tablespoons with 10 ounces of water and consume each morning to gain its benefits., Fish is high in protein, which does not affect blood sugar as much as carbohydrates do.
Fish also has less fat and cholesterol than meat and poultry.
Many types of fish, including salmon, mackerel, and herring, also have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which lower fats called triglycerides and promotes overall heart health.
Avoid fish prone to high levels of mercury, however, like swordfish and king mackerel.
Other sources of healthy, lean protein include legumes, nuts, seeds, peas and turkey or chicken.You might also consider protein drinks with less than 5g of sugar content., Unsweetened oatmeal digests slowly, which prevents your blood sugar from spiking up dramatically while providing your body with the slow-release energy it needs.Lentils and legumes (beans) are just as good. (Some people feel that these foods give them indigestion and gas, until their systems get accustomed to them, so use your judgement.) All of these foods contain soluble fiber, which delays sugar and carbohydrate absorption, which is good. , Broccoli, spinach, and green beans are excellent examples.These vegetables are low in carbohydrates, so they do not affect your blood sugar very much, but they are also high in fiber and have a cleansing effect. (Lentils, legumes and oats are certainly starchy foods, but their soluble fiber offsets the liabilities of their starch content.) , In spite of their sweetness, strawberries are actually rather low in carbohydrates and, as such, do not dramatically raise blood sugar levels.They also contain high levels of water, helping you to feel fuller for a longer period of time.
As a result, you may feel less tempted by a more harmful sweet later on. , Soda and sugary juice drinks raise your blood sugar quickly.
Substituting these drinks with water, sugar-free tonic water and sparkling water can quickly reduce your sugar intake.Many commercially available waters are also flavored, which may make them more appetizing than plain water.
However, beware of added sugar.
You can add strawberries, lemon or lime slices or a dash of orange juice to flavor sparkling water at home without adding sugar's empty calories.
Keep some water in the refrigerator with lemon slices already added to it.
Very refreshing on a hot day, this water will taste delicious.
Keep it topped up and discard the slices and add new ones every two days.
Vary the flavorings with other citrus fruits or strawberries, apples or berries.
Try to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day to ensure that you're adequately hydrated.Be careful when consuming fruit juice and keep it to a minimum––fruit juice contains carbohydrate from its natural fructose (sugars)., Some experts believe that cinnamon has a moderate effect at reducing blood sugar levels, especially in people with diabetes.
The results are far from conclusive, but early studies do support the claim.Do not rely on cinnamon as a magic solution! It should be treated as an extra addition to all the other excellent suggestions above.
Substitute sugar/artificial sweeteners in hot drinks with agave nectar, as it has a much lower glycemic index. -
Step 2: Choose healthy carbohydrates.
-
Step 3: Eat more fiber.
-
Step 4: Eat fish twice a week or more often.
-
Step 5: Eat more oatmeal.
-
Step 6: Look for non-starchy vegetables.
-
Step 7: Satisfy your sweet tooth with a few strawberries.
-
Step 8: Drink more water.
-
Step 9: Sprinkle cinnamon onto your food.
Detailed Guide
Depending on how it's chosen it can cause a gradual rise in blood sugar levels or it can cause the levels to rise too quickly (which most people should avoid).
However way your system reacts to your meal depends on the food you have eaten.
Complex carbohydrates are likely to cause a gradual rise, while refined carbohydrates and sugar will cause a fast rise in blood sugar levels., Ultimately all food is converted into blood sugar, and consumed to make energy; the idea is to avoid foods where this happens very fast.
Sugars, and starches (as found in white bread, or cornstarch, and many other foods) are converted most rapidly, and should be avoided.
On the other hand, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes (lentils and beans), and a moderate amount of low-fat dairy foods are converted more gradually, and are better sources of energy for almost anyone, especially those avoiding high blood sugar.
Note that low fat doesn't necessarily mean low calorie; always read the ingredients list.Healthy whole grains include barley, oats, spelt, wheat, kamut and brown rice.See below for more about oats.
Bread and cereals are healthy provided you steer clear of the high fat and high sugar varieties.
Choose bread and cereals containing less than 450mg per 100mg of sodium.Eat some carbohydrate at each meal, but only a reasonable portion.
Eat more non-starchy vegetables over starchy ones.
Eat some protein in your meals, too.
Proteins are good for you, and can sometimes help moderate the rise in sugar. , Fiber cleanses your system and soluble fiber (see below) helps control your blood sugar levels.
Most vegetables are high in fiber, especially those with leafy greens.
Many fruits, nuts, and legumes are also rich in fiber, as are whole-wheat products.
Soluble fiber is very important for maintaining good health.
It is found in such foods as beans, nuts, oat bran and seeds.Flax-seeds are both a good source of fiber and for maintaining balanced blood sugar.
Grind two tablespoons with 10 ounces of water and consume each morning to gain its benefits., Fish is high in protein, which does not affect blood sugar as much as carbohydrates do.
Fish also has less fat and cholesterol than meat and poultry.
Many types of fish, including salmon, mackerel, and herring, also have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which lower fats called triglycerides and promotes overall heart health.
Avoid fish prone to high levels of mercury, however, like swordfish and king mackerel.
Other sources of healthy, lean protein include legumes, nuts, seeds, peas and turkey or chicken.You might also consider protein drinks with less than 5g of sugar content., Unsweetened oatmeal digests slowly, which prevents your blood sugar from spiking up dramatically while providing your body with the slow-release energy it needs.Lentils and legumes (beans) are just as good. (Some people feel that these foods give them indigestion and gas, until their systems get accustomed to them, so use your judgement.) All of these foods contain soluble fiber, which delays sugar and carbohydrate absorption, which is good. , Broccoli, spinach, and green beans are excellent examples.These vegetables are low in carbohydrates, so they do not affect your blood sugar very much, but they are also high in fiber and have a cleansing effect. (Lentils, legumes and oats are certainly starchy foods, but their soluble fiber offsets the liabilities of their starch content.) , In spite of their sweetness, strawberries are actually rather low in carbohydrates and, as such, do not dramatically raise blood sugar levels.They also contain high levels of water, helping you to feel fuller for a longer period of time.
As a result, you may feel less tempted by a more harmful sweet later on. , Soda and sugary juice drinks raise your blood sugar quickly.
Substituting these drinks with water, sugar-free tonic water and sparkling water can quickly reduce your sugar intake.Many commercially available waters are also flavored, which may make them more appetizing than plain water.
However, beware of added sugar.
You can add strawberries, lemon or lime slices or a dash of orange juice to flavor sparkling water at home without adding sugar's empty calories.
Keep some water in the refrigerator with lemon slices already added to it.
Very refreshing on a hot day, this water will taste delicious.
Keep it topped up and discard the slices and add new ones every two days.
Vary the flavorings with other citrus fruits or strawberries, apples or berries.
Try to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day to ensure that you're adequately hydrated.Be careful when consuming fruit juice and keep it to a minimum––fruit juice contains carbohydrate from its natural fructose (sugars)., Some experts believe that cinnamon has a moderate effect at reducing blood sugar levels, especially in people with diabetes.
The results are far from conclusive, but early studies do support the claim.Do not rely on cinnamon as a magic solution! It should be treated as an extra addition to all the other excellent suggestions above.
Substitute sugar/artificial sweeteners in hot drinks with agave nectar, as it has a much lower glycemic index.
About the Author
Zachary Webb
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in creative arts and beyond.
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