13 foods that can lower and regulate your blood sugar
Excess sugar in the blood is an open door to diseases, such as diabetes, for example. A diet supplemented with foods that help balance blood sugar control might be a good start. Read more and get to know about the secrets of a healthy diet.
Eating food that helps to control the sugar in the blood is sure a splendid alternative to avoid diseases and being overweight!
Besides lowering the glucose rate, those foods bring many benefits to both mind and body, because they even can replace medicines.
So, make yourself the best choices by adding these 13 foods to your daily basis diet.
1 - Broccoli
Best to consume broccoli, chopped or ground, in order to avoid the reaction between the glucosinolate compound and the enzyme myrosinase. Broccoli juice has an antidiabetic effect, as it helps to increase insulin sensitivity, thereby reducing excess blood sugar, as well as markers of oxidative stress.
2 - Seafood
The best seafood proper for reducing blood sugar are fish and shellfish, sources of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These foods slow digestion, because they prevent blood sugar spikes after the meal, and they also balance the excessive loss of body fat.
3 - Pumpkin
Pumpkin (and seeds) is a powerful antioxidant. In Mexico and Iran, for example, it is a natural remedy for diabetics. The fruit is rich in carbohydrates, called polysaccharides, which are super important in balancing the blood sugar level. Its ground seeds produce a vigorous extract with numerous functions, such as weight loss, increased muscle mass, and other benefits for the body.
4 - Peanuts and almonds
A study in 25 volunteers with type 2 diabetes demonstrated that daily consumption of both peanuts and almonds can supplement a low-carbohydrate diet, which helps reduce fasting or post-meal blood sugar. The same applies to walnuts and their butter.
5 - Okra
Source of compounds, polysaccharides, and antioxidants such as flavonoids, important sugar reducers in the bloodstream. The polysaccharide in okra, called rhamnogalacturonan, is considered a powerful anti-diabetic compound. In Turkey, okra seed is considered a powerful remedy against many diseases..
6 - Flax seeds
Flax seeds are rich in fiber and healthy fats that combat type 2 diabetes. In an experiment with volunteers, those who consumed 200 grams of yogurt containing 30 grams of flaxseed daily had lower blood sugar compared to those who consumed plain yogurt.
7 - Beans and lentils
Beans and lentils are rich in nutrients, magnesium, fiber, and other proteins. The fiber and starch help slow digestion, improving the blood sugar response after meals. An experiment in 12 women divided into 2 groups, showed that black beans and chickpeas reduced blood sugar levels in the first group, when compared to the women in the second group who consumed only rice.
8 - Chia seeds
Daily consumption of chia seeds has been proven to reduce blood sugar due to improved insulin sensitivity. Therefore, the chance of counteracting diabetes is rarer.
9 - Avocado
Avocados are rich in healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Studies have found that the fruit, in addition to reducing sugar in the bloodstream, protects against the development of metabolic syndrome, a set of conditions that include high blood pressure and other heart diseases.
10 - Oats and oat bran
The high content of soluble fiber contained in oat bran helps a lot in reducing the level of sugar in the blood. This food, besides helping digestion, can be added to other types of food, such as mashed bananas and so on. Your creativity is the boss.
11 - Citrus fruits
Although many citrus fruits are sweet, they are considered low-glycemic and therefore do not raise blood sugar. Oranges and grapefruits have fiber, as well as plant compounds such as naringenin, which is a polyphenol with powerful anti-diabetic properties.
12 - Eggs
Eggs, contrary to what has been wrongly propagated, are ideal for lowering blood sugar because they are sources of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
13 - Apples
Apples contain soluble fiber and plant compounds such as quercetin, chlorogenic acid, and gallic acid that help reduce blood sugar and protect against risks of diseases such as diabetes.