Anyone with diabetes knows just how difficult it is to control the disease and lower blood sugar levels.
For people with diabetes, eating some meals while reducing others can help manage their blood sugar levels. Sadly, lots of people have to go through series of trials before they finally discover what works for them, as well as what doesn’t. It doesn’t have to be that way though. Science and its findings have successfully helped us determine what foods are better than others, and in this article, we will be exploring the best foods for controlling diabetes and lowering blood sugar levels.
It is important that you know something called diabetic meal planning. With a proper diabetic meal plan in place, you get to plan and prepare your meals ahead of time. this will help reduce the possibility of snacking or eating unhealthily. It will also save you time and energy in the course of the week. Interested in finding out what these foods are? Keep reading!
1. Vegetables (Non-starchy ones, dear)
If do yourself a favor were a living thing, it would come in the form of non-starchy vegetables. These are one of the few meals you can eat as a diabetic. These vegetables contain essential vitamins and minerals that help regulate your blood sugar. Plus, they will fill you up, preventing you from snacking on stuff you shouldn’t be caught eating. You can consume as many non-starchy vegetables as you want without the fear of a sugar spike. You might wonder how this is possible. Well, non-starchy vegetables are whole foods which contain very minute traces of sugar and high levels of fiber. To get the most out of your non-starchy veggies, ensure that you go for fresh, caned or frozen vegetables, free of sauce or salt. Non-starchy vegetables include avocados, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.
2. Walnuts
Nuts are a beautiful addition to a diabetic’s diet. If you are in search of healthy fatty acids to keep the heart heathy, then, your search is over. Nuts are all that you need. And walnuts top this category with its richness in omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts contain the fatty acids known as alpha-lipoic acid (ALA). People who have diabetes have a much higher risk of having a heart disease, or even suffering a stroke. It is therefore important that they get these fatty acids through their diet. Amazingly, a study revealed that eating walnuts could help with lowering diabetes incidents (Arab, Dhaliwal, Martin … Elashoff, 2018). Vitamins and minerals like protein, iron and magnesium ca also be gotten from walnuts. Walnuts can be enjoyed alone, or mixed with salads.
3. Leafy Greens
Leafy vegetables like cabbages are rich in nutrients and are far lower in digestive carbs than many other vegetables. This implies that no matter how much you eat these veggies, your blood sugar will not rise. Super sweet! There are quite a number of leafy greens around, and you can begin by incorporating some of them into your diet. For instance, you can add spinach and kale to your daily diet as both vegetables possess very high levels of Vitamin C. Persons with type 2 diabetes will benefit from this largely as Vitamin C helps to manage this type of diabetes, and can help promote a general sense of well-being. Besides this. leafy greens contain antioxidants that can help protect your eyes from diabetic complications.
4. Beans
Another excellent meal option for diabetic patients is beans. Beans are a strong source of plant-based protein, capable of satisfying the appetite and helping people reduce their intake of carbohydrate at the same time. Compared to many other starchy foods, beans appear very low on the GI scale and can help with blood sugar regulation than many starchy foods can.
There are several types of beans that one can choose from. These include kidney beans, navy beans, black beans, and so on. Beans can be prepared and enjoyed in a variety of ways. If you decide to make use of canned beans, ensure that it is salt free. If it isn’t, drain the beans and rinse it to get rid of any added salt.
