Our busy lifestyle has replaced freshly prepared home meals with processed or ready-to-eat meals and exercise routines with office meetings or social gatherings. These lifestyle changes have brought along excess body weight and many other health issues, including diabetes.
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease that occurs when your blood sugar or glucose levels are higher than normal. That is when your body does not produce enough insulin or doesn’t use produced insulin, resulting in high blood glucose levels.
For managing diabetes, a healthy diabetes diet plays an important role. The right food choices often help to control blood sugar levels, improve good cholesterol, and keep you in a healthy weight range. Here are the 10 best foods for diabetes patients to lower blood sugar naturally.
1. Nuts:
Nuts are a delicious, nutritious, and healthy addition to the diabetic diet. They contain fiber and are low in digestible carbohydrates. Regular consumption may help to reduce high blood sugar and bad cholesterol levels.
2. Whole Grains:
Whole grains like barley, oats, brown rice, jowar, ragi contain soluble and insoluble fibers that help to reduce appetite as well as high blood sugar levels.
3. Cinnamon (Dalchini):
Cinnamon is an Indian spice commonly found in every kitchen. It is rich in healthy antioxidants and helps to lower blood sugar levels, bad cholesterol, and improves insulin sensitivity. Cinnamon intake must be limited to one teaspoon per day as it contains coumarin and a high dose of coumarin can be harmful to your body.
4. Broccoli:
Broccoli is a low carb, low calorie, and one of the most nutritious vegetables. It’s rich in vitamin C and magnesium. Broccoli helps to reduce insulin levels and prevents cells from harmful free radicals. It’s also a good source of lutein and zeaxanthin which helps to prevent eye diseases.
5. Chia Seeds:
Chia seeds are rich in fiber and low in carbs. Chia seeds can reduce blood sugar levels by slowing down the rate at which food moves through your body. They help you achieve a healthy weight because fiber reduces hunger and makes you feel full. It also lowers blood pressure and inflammation.
6. Leafy Green Veggies:
Leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale are extremely nutritious and low in calories. They are low in digestible carbs and are also good sources of several vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C. Increased intake of vitamin C reduces inflammation and lowers blood sugar and high blood pressure. In addition, they are also rich in antioxidants – lutein and zeaxanthin which protects eyes from macular degeneration and cataracts (diabetes complications).
7. Indian Gooseberries (Amla):
This super fruit can be eaten raw, or in the form of chutney and pickle. It contains chromium, a type of mineral which regulates carbohydrate metabolism and helps in making your body more responsive to insulin. It also improves digestion, provides immunity, and contribute to good skin health.
8. Turmeric (Haldi):
Turmeric is an Indian spice with numerous health benefits for diabetes patients. Its active ingredient, curcumin helps to lower blood sugar levels and inflammation and protects against heart and kidney diseases.
9. Bitter Gourd:
Bitter gourd (karela) has anti-diabetic properties, charantin which is one of them is known for its blood glucose-lowering effect. It also contains an insulin-like compound called Polypeptide-p or p-insulin which helps to control diabetes naturally.
10. Greek Yoghurt:
Greek yoghurt is the best dairy choice for diabetic patients. It contains probiotics that help to control blood sugar and reduces the risk of heart diseases. It’s also high in protein which helps with weight management by reducing appetite and calorie intake.
11. Flaxseeds:
Flaxseeds are incredibly healthy and contain insoluble fiber which helps to decrease heart disease risk, controls blood sugar levels, and improve insulin sensitivity. You can add flaxseeds to your morning porridge or to your yoghurt too.
Uncontrolled diabetes may lead to several other complications. However, you can control diabetes by eating foods that lower blood sugar. It’s important to consult your doctor and nutritionist before planning a diabetes diet.
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