Best Foods for Diabetics

Power Food for Diabetes: What to Eat to Control Your Blood Sugar Levels

Diabetes is primarily a lifestyle disorder and hence diet and exercise are two important aspects of managing and treating the disorder. Every meal you consume directly alters your blood sugar levels.

Eating right to manage diabetes does not mean total deprivation. To manage diabetes successfully one is required to eat in moderation while maintaining the right balance. Here is a list of super foods that will help you achieve that.

Best Foods for Diabetics

The following is the list of food and drinks that are ideal for diabetics.

      i.        VegetablesRich in Fiber

Vegetables rich in fiber are among the best everyday foods to manage blood sugar. The rich fiber content is certain vegetables keeps your appetite full for long hours and also help regulate blood sugar levels. Fiber lowers cholesterol in the body and helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels. Including fiber-rich vegetables are a great way to improve overall health too.

Some of the vegetables rich in fiber are peas, beans, spinach greens and other leafy vegetables, broccoli and legumes. Some of these vegetables can also be used to make juice for diabetics.

    ii.        Pulses

Most Indian communities naturally stick to a diet rich in pulses. When consumed regularly they help regulate blood sugar levels. Pulses contain carbohydrates but are still recommended by most nutritionists when they are quipped how to reduce blood sugar.

Pulses are also a rich source of protein, a necessary nutrient for diabetics. The carbohydrates in the pulses do not spike the blood sugar levels like other carb-rich foods.

   iii.        Nuts

Nuts are a healthy way to snack for diabetics. Nuts are rich in fiber and most nuts contain minute amounts of digestive carbohydrates. The ability of nuts to lower blood sugar levels is backed by solid research. Apart from regulating blood sugar, nuts can also lower HbA1c levels and LDL (Low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels.

Studies suggest that diabetics who regularly consumed 30 grams of nuts everyday for a period of a year experienced a prominent reduction in the insulin levels, apart from weight loss. Apart from being consumed as a whole, nuts can also be added to drinks for diabetics.

   iv.        Fruits

Most diabetics are of the wrong notion that fruits are fructose-rich and hence should be avoided. Though this may ring true for certain fruits, not all fruits are harmful to diabetics. Most seasonal fruits are rich in antioxidants and hence are essential to eliminate the free radicals, not just in diabetics but for everyone. An August 2013 study published in The British Medical Journal says that eating whole fruits prominently reduces the risk for type 2 diabetes.

The anti-oxidant rich fruits that can be included by diabetics are:

·         Amla

·         Berries like strawberry and blueberry

·         Apple

·         Guava

·         Papaya

·         Pineapple

·         Citrus fruits like oranges

Consuming fruits as a whole is the best way to eat it, but they can also be blended into sugarfree juices.

When it comes to beverages, diabetics should always stick to sugar free drinks. Apart from food and drinks, home remedies for diabetes will help in stabilizing insulin levels consistently. Home remedies include consumption of fenugreek, drumstick leaves and cinnamon water among many other options. Exercise plays as much an important role as food in regulating insulin levels.