World Diabetes Day 2018: Diabetics must prioritize high fiber sources of whole foods versus foods low in fiber. Most importantly you should avoid added or refined sugars and processed foods.
Foods like dark chocolate can help in controlling blood sugar levels
HIGHLIGHTS
- Maintaining blood sugar levels can be challenging for diabetic patients
- Cinnamon improves the insulin sensitivity
- Low magnesium levels are associated with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes
Diabetes means when your blood sugar or glucose levels are higher than normal. Maintaining blood sugar levels can be a big challenge for diabetic patients. High blood sugar levels and insulin resistance are linked with inflammation, heart diseases and kidney diseases. Diabetics must prioritize high fiber sources of whole foods versus foods low in fiber. Most importantly you should also avoid added or refined sugars and processed foods. In order to normalize your blood sugar levels you should adopt some dietary changes immediately like a balanced meal, regular exercise, mindful of the portions, including green leafy vegetables, eating after every four hours.
Also read: 8 Ways To Avoid Developing Diabetes
Protect yourself with these five blood-sugar-balancing foods:
1. Cinnamon: This spice has been used for its superb medicinal properties since countless years. Several cinnamon compounds appear to prevent the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, minimizing blood sugar spikes. It may also improve the insulin sensitivity. You can add a cinnamon stick to your morning tea or coffee, toss some green vegetables with cinnamon, cloves,coconut oil and a pinch of salt.
Cinnamon can help control blood sugar levels
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2. Berries: Strawberries, raspberries and other berries technically do not lower the blood sugar, but they help in maintaining the blood sugar levels if you are eating them instead of other common fruits like mangoes, watermelons etc. This is because berries tend to be very low-sugar fruits. There are only 5-7 grams which is about one teaspoon of sugar in berries as compared to 13 grams in apples and 24 grams in mango.
3. Almonds: Magnesium is a vital mineral involved in hundreds of bodily processes, including blood sugar regulation. Low magnesium levels are strongly associated with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Spinach, cashews and almonds are one of the best sources of magnesium which should be included in the human diet.
Almonds aid in blood sugar regulation
Photo Credit: iStock
Also read: 5 Impressive Health Benefits Of Almonds
4. Green tea: Coffee for sure, but green tea also does wonders for blood sugar regulation. Compounds in green tea are beneficial for metabolism. It contains a number of powerful antioxidants and catechins that help in controlling blood sugar levels.
Green tea can do wonders for people who have diabetes
Photo Credit: iStock
5. Dark chocolate: The cocoa in chocolate comes from the cocoa plant. It contains beneficial flavanols which improve blood pressure, insulin resistance and overall blood sugar levels. The chocolate must be really dark, typically 85% cocoa or more. Anything less is too high in sugar and therefore increase your blood sugar levels.
Also read: Dark chocolate good for heart
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