People who suffer from prediabetes, Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and other diseases that are connected with having high levels of blood sugar are often having problems regarding the food they eat. It is due to the reason that they need to have a proper diet in order to help them reduce the high levels of blood sugar in their bodies.
There are also some factors that affect their blood sugar level – these are their body weight, their activities, the stress they are feeling, their DNA and other related factors. With that said, it is important for them to have a healthy diet in order to have a better condition. If you are one of those people and you are long wanting to know the best foods to include in your diet, you have come to the right place.
Here, the best foods for regulating the blood sugar level in the body will be discussed along with the benefits they do for the body. Here they are:
Broccoli Sprouts & Broccoli
Sulforaphane is one type of isothiocyanate that is known to have blood-sugar-reducing properties. Well, that plant chemical can be produced when broccoli is chewed or chopped. That happens because of the reaction between glucoraphanin a glucosinolate compound and the enzyme called myrosinase.
Both of these two can be found in broccoli. Studies have proven that broccoli’s extracts are rich in sulforaphane this, as mentioned above, is a powerful antidiabetic food. It enhances a person’s insulin sensitivity and it reduces the blood sugar level in the body.
Broccoli sprouts, on the other hand, are a rich source of glucoraphanin. Thus, it makes them a very good food from promoting insulin sensitivity too. Also, consuming broccoli sprouts can reduce high levels of blood sugar level in the body. That is proven by a study conducted in people who are diagnosed with Type II Diabetes.
In addition, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli are known to be very powerful foods that lower a person’s risk of developing Type II Diabetes. It is advisable to consume broccoli sprouts and broccoli when raw or lightly steamed in order to maximize the health benefits it can give you.
Pumpkin Seeds & Pumpkin
In some countries such as Mexico and Iran, pumpkin has been used as one of the traditional remedies for diabetes. Pumpkins are rich in antioxidants and fiber that make it a very, very good choice for regulating blood sugar. Pumpkins are also rich in carbs called polysaccharides – this has been studied and proven to have blood-sugar-regulating properties.
Also, there are some treatments that used pumpkin powder and extracts which have shown that both of those two decrease blood sugar levels in the body significantly. Pumpkin seeds are rich in nutrients such as healthy fats and proteins with that said, pumpkin seeds are an excellent choice for controlling blood sugar too.
There was a study conducted in the year 2018, it involved 40 people who consumed 2 ounces or 65 grams of pumpkin seeds. The results have shown that pumpkin seeds have significantly reduced the levels of blood sugar by 35 percent.
Nut Butter & Nuts
Researches and studies have shown that eating nuts is one of the most effective ways to help the body regulate the blood sugar levels. There was a study that involved 25 people who are all suffering from Type II Diabetes. These people ate peanuts and almonds all throughout days as one part of their low carb diet.
Results have shown that with doing that, post-meal and fasting blood sugar levels are both significantly reduced. Also, there was a review that found out that diets including tree nuts significantly reduced blood sugar levels and hemoglobin A1c – this is a marker of chronic blood sugar control. The review was done by consuming 2 ounces or 65 grams of tree nuts.
Okra
In the country of Turkey, okra seeds are considered as one of the traditional remedies that have been long used to treat diabetes because they have blood-sugar-reducing properties. Okra is fruit.
Although, it has been often utilized as a vegetable. It is known to be a rich source of compounds such as flavonoid antioxidants and polysaccharides both of which are known to have blood-sugar-reducing properties.
Rhamnogalacturonan also known as the primary polysaccharide found in okra is one of the most powerful antidiabetic compounds. Quercetin 3-O- gentiobioside and isoquercitrin are both flavonoids found in okra both of these two are to inhibit certain enzymes that are helpful in reducing blood sugar levels.
Flax Seeds
Flax seeds are one of the foods that are known to reduce high levels of blood sugar. In fact, it is rich in nutrients such as healthy fats and fiber. There was a study conducted for the duration of 8 weeks. In that said study, 57 people who all are suffering from Type II Diabetes consumed 200 grams of yogurt paired with 30 grams of flax seeds. The study was done on a daily basis.
After the duration of the said experimental study, there was a significant reduction in the patients’ HbA1c as mentioned above, this is a marker of long term or chronic blood sugar control.
Also, there are 25 studies that prove relevant results as well consuming whole flax seeds are proven to improve the control in a person’s blood sugar level.
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are also one of the seeds that are highly linked to regulating blood sugar levels in the body. This type of seeds has been proven to help the body control its blood sugar. In fact, studies have shown that the consumption of chia seeds lead to significant reduction of high levels of blood sugar.
As if it were not enough, chia seeds have a lot more to offer it improves a person’s sensitivity to insulin as well. Also, chia seeds are one of the foods that reduce the risk of people from developing different diseases such as diabetes.
Studies have shown that consuming 25 grams of chia seeds leads to reduction of high levels of blood sugar.
Berries: Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries & Blackberries
There are a lot of studies that were conducted that proved that berry intake is highly linked to having an improved blood sugar level in the body. If you do not know, berries are rich in nutrients such as minerals, fiber, antioxidants and other vitamins all of which are known to be of extreme help in managing issues regarding the body’s blood sugar.
There was a study conducted in the year 2019 that proved that consuming 250 grams of raspberries significantly leads to having a reduced blood sugar level in adults who are diagnosed with prediabetes.
In addition, other berries such as blackberries, strawberries and blueberries are of great benefits for the body too in fact, they are proven to improve a person’s sensitivity to insulin and enhance the properties that cause glucose clearance.
Citrus Fruits
Unlike pineapple and watermelon, citrus fruits do not have some negative effects on the body’s blood sugar that is why they are considered to be low glycemic.
Citrus fruits are proven by studies to be an effective food that reduces high levels of blood sugar in the body. Citrus fruits such as grapefruit and oranges are known to be rich in nutrients such as fiber and naringenin a compound that is known to have powerful properties that are antidiabetic.
In addition, studies have proven that eating citrus fruits protects the body from developing different diseases such as diabetes. It also improves the body’s sensitivity to insulin.
Apples
Apples are also one of the healthiest foods that you might want to consider as well. It contains compounds such as gallic acid, quercetin and chlorogenic acid all of which are known to help the body reduce high levels of blood sugar in it. In addition, it also protects the body by preventing diseases such as diabetes from developing.
According to a one big study that involved 187,000 people, there is a significant reduction in the risk of developing Type II Diabetes for people who eat apples in high amounts regularly.
Takeaway
The above-mentioned foods are just some of the best foods and easiest to find at the markets that are known to be of great benefits for regulating blood sugar in the body. Your body’s health is of paramount importance. That is why it is imperative that you consider having a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy foods.
Having high levels of blood sugar in the body is known to be one of the causes of many serious illnesses that eventually cause a lot of complications to the body. With that said, it is important that you eat foods that are mentioned above in order to regulate the level of blood sugar in your body. Diagnosed or not, it is very important that you consume healthy foods.
As they say, preventing diseases from happening is always better than curing a disease that has not been prevented from developing. As early as now, start eating healthy and protect your body.
Also Read: List of Foods That Lower Blood Sugar
