Last Updated on March 8, 2023 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD
As a doctor, I am constantly advising my patients to make healthy choices when it comes to their diet. One of the most important factors in managing blood sugar levels is the food we eat. High blood sugar levels can lead to a host of health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. That’s why I am excited to share with you a list of 21 foods that can lower blood sugar levels immediately.
These foods are not only delicious but they are also packed with nutrients that can help regulate blood sugar levels naturally. By incorporating these foods into your diet, you can enjoy a healthier lifestyle and prevent serious health complications. Whether you are living with diabetes or simply looking to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, these foods are a great place to start. So let’s dive into the list and start exploring the many delicious and nutritious options available to you!
1. Spinach
A great choice for diabetics and health-conscious people who want to get hold of their sugar levels. Spinach comes with high magnitudes of essential amino acids and proteins. The potent minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium present in it naturally lower blood sugar levels to normal.
What’s more charming is that spinach is easy to incorporate into daily meals in varied forms. You can add them to salads, drink them as smoothies or cook them as dal (pulses).
2. Broccoli
This vegetable is enfolded with a substantial amount of fibers that potentially retard increased blood sugar levels. In addition to this, fibers keep you active and energetic which is required for a person suffering from diabetes.
And yes, not the forget the most remarkable mineral present in it – chromium. If you are not aware, then today we tell you, chromium is one of the key minerals that enhances the efficacy of cells to use insulin.
When your cells become more sensitive to insulin, you have a lesser chance of getting into the situation of hyperglycemia. Indeed, a much-needed nutrient for someone with diabetes!
3. Beans
Beans are the most commonly consumed legumes. They come in vast varieties from soybean to peas. They are affordable as well as easily available throughout the year. Each cup of chickpeas, the prevalent variety of beans, contains 71% of folate.
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Folates are highly recommended nutrients for lowering blood sugar as they increase insulin sensitivity in the body. Kidney beans and peas have proteins that reduce insulin resistance and contain fiber for smoother blood sugar levels.
Good control of body weight in parallel with reduced risk for cancer and heart-related disorders are the extended advantages you receive.
4. Garlic
This vegetable is known for lowering fasting blood glucose levels. In addition to this, it can also assist people who experience morning sickness.
There is a reason why our ancestors used “lehsun ka tadka” in traditional pulses recipes.
5. Lentils
Lentils are more commonly known as pulses in the Indian subcontinent. These are cooked like a regular afternoon meal along with chapati and rice.
Pulses are available in vibrant colors and varieties. The most commonly cooked are ;
Yellow lentil – arhar dal
Green gram – moong dal
Brown lentil – sabut masoor dal
Black lentil – urad dal
Red lentil – masoor dal
It’s a bonus that this traditional meal has got the property to decline raised blood sugar levels. You must cook a meal that involves pulses in your plates, they are quite easy to cook and delicious to eat. The tastiest and healthy way to monitor the elevated range of your blood glucose.
6. Avocados
Avocados are low in terms of carbohydrates but somewhat higher in fats. This nutritional composition makes them the most preferable food to be eaten when blood sugar is extremely at its peak. Moreover, a substantial amount of fiber in them will naturally stabilize your sugar status.
7. Unripe Bananas
People with diabetes are allowed to eat two to three bananas. But here we are talking about massively increased levels of blood sugar and not just normal diabetic conditions. Since banana also contains natural sugar and has a glycemic score of 51, it is better to go with unripe bananas rather than ripened ones.
Unripe bananas are much more beneficial for hyperglycemia in comparison to ripened bananas. Not only they have reduced sugar content, but they also enclose a greater amount of fibers. These are also cooked and eaten as a vegetable in many Indian households.
8. Bilberry Tea
This tea highly favors the health of diabetic folks. There is present a compound called ‘glucoquinone’ which significantly reduces blood sugar levels to normal. Apart from this, it can also help people who suffer from diabetic neuropathy.
9. Guava Leaf Tea
The tea made with guava leaf extracts offers numerous health perks for diabetics. There are some strong flavonoids and a compound name quercetin that boosts insulin activity. You should start your day with this marvelous tea to acquire well-maintained blood sugar levels.
10. Green Tea
Green Tea is often suggested for weight loss. However, it also does multiple favors for hyperglycemic people. Researches from Japan and Taiwan reveal that people with regular consumption of green tea developed a lesser risk for diabetes. Continuous intake of green tea is also linked with keeping blood sugar levels in an optimal range.
11. Black Tea
Both black and green tea are the products of the same plant – Camellia sinensus. The difference is that green tea is only partially oxidized during the manufacturing process while black tea is completely oxidized.
The complete oxidation results in the formation of complex flavonoids that show anti-hyperglycemic and anti-inflammatory effects.
12. Lemon Tea
This tea has a low glycemic value and a rejuvenating effect on blood glucose levels. It is widely available in markets with a toss of ginger and other spices which makes it even more admiring.
13. Cinnamon
Cinnamon, a spice that is extracted from a bark of a tree. It improves insulin sensitivity and helps to gain quick control over dangerously rising blood sugar levels.
14. Fenugreek
The seed of fenugreek has a chemical makeup to bring down lifted degrees of blood sugar. For prediabetic people, eating fenugreek in powdered form can keep them away from developing diabetes further.
15. Gurmar
Gymnema sylvestra, a herb most widely grown in southern parts of India and Sri Lanka is a natural sugar destroyer. After consuming it, you will experience decreased blood sugar levels and improved insulin levels.
16. Cloves
A spice found in every Kitchen in India. It is also used to garnish several dishes like pulao. Cloves are used as homemade remedies to recover from common colds and coughs.
The characteristics of dwelling in it promote better insulin activity and boost the sensitivity of cells to utilize insulin as well. Both factors combined lead to well-controlled blood sugar levels.
17. Bitter Gourd Juice
When it comes to ideal juice for diabetes, bitter gourd juice always tops the list. After all, it is the most sought-after drink to tackle diabetes and is highly preferable by doctors worldwide.
The presence of an insulin-like compound called p-insulin infers it the property to control blood sugar naturally and with great effectivity. As long as you are hooked up to bitter gourd, there can be no place for high blood sugar in your body.
18. Amla Juice
Two teaspoons of amla juice daily can do wonders for your health. Further, by adding a pinch of turmeric, it becomes an unparalleled remedy for treating hyperglycemia.
19. Plain Greek Yoghurt
Being a milk product, it has a substantial amount of proteins as well as a low glycemic score. Yogurt can be consumed as such or can be easily added to the number of smoothies. Make sure you are not adding any extra sugar while eating it. It can help you to manage blood sugar levels for long durations.
20. Apple Cider Vinegar
The acetic acid present in apple cider vinegar is the main player in controlling heightened blood sugar levels. This acid slows down the action of enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism. As a result, sugars are released in the bloodstream gradually causing no hike in their levels.
21. Chia Seeds
These seeds are native to Mexico and are not much grown in India. Rare quantities of them can be seen growing in the fields of Mysuru. Indian people call it “sabja ke beej”. With a low glycemic score of 1 and good amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, these have a remarkable ability to diminish undesired levels of blood sugar.
Chia seeds can be eaten by mixing them in yogurt, adding them to smoothies, puddings, and certain drinks. You can get more knowledge about chia seeds recipes through YouTube and search engines.
References
- https://www.nature.com/articles/ejcn201325
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09637480500410879
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1475-2891-9-58
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/african-plant-foods-rich-in-nonstarch-polysaccharides-reduce-postprandial-blood-glucose-and-insulin-concentrations-in-healthy-human-subjects/F736FD18695A2917F70C99E2A2E22C3E
- https://www.jci.org/articles/view/72434
- https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/12/1310
- https://cardiab.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2840-10-109
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fsn3.1323
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0963996921001083
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