Better Blood Sugar Stability Through These Food Items
If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes or hypoglycemia, you know the importance of keeping your blood sugar steady. Exercising. Drinking plenty of fluids. Taking medications. There are a variety of methods doctors recommend for keeping your levels stable.
One of the most effective ways is eating well-balanced meals. Combining vegetables, starchy carbs, fruits, and proteins helps give your body a good mixture of substances to bring blood sugar levels back to normal.
While there is no one specific food you must eat to tackle blood-sugar issues, there are many foods that contain nutrients helpful for those with hypoglycemia and diabetes.
Let’s take a look at 5 foods dieticians suggest to aid blood-sugar related conditions.
Nuts and Nut Butters
Whether it be pecans, walnuts, almonds, or even just peanut butter, nuts in any form are always a good addition to your meal. Not only are they easy to mix into snacks and fuller courses, but they also contain many healthy substances for your body!
What’s in Nuts?
Fatty Acids and Fibers
- Mono and polyunsaturated fats, which aid in reducing LDL cholesterol, are located in nuts.
- Nuts are also high in your essential Omega-3 and Omegs-6 fatty acids.
- Combined with the fats, fiber in nuts helps slow glucose absorption in the blood steam.
Low Levels of Carbohydrates
- Nuts are low in carbohydrates, which are known to spike blood sugar.
- Pairing a nut butter with a carbohydrate can also help slow down glucose absorption.
Chickpeas
Another crunchy snack you can easily toss into a meal is chickpeas. Going perfectly with chili, salads, and soups, chickpeas are a great little touch to help improve your blood sugar levels.
So, What’s Up with Chickpeas?
Fatty Acids and Fibers
- Like nuts, chickpeas contain many fatty acids and fibers that assist in lowering glucose-levels in the blood stream after mealtime.
Protein
- High in protein, chickpeas are sure to fill you up and leave a feeling of satiety hours after the meal is over.
- Protein in chickpeas also works great to improve appetite regulation
Broccoli
Great in stir fries, aside a nice chunk of salmon, or even on its own dipped in some hummus, broccoli is a fabulous vegetable to help with blood sugar issues. While all non-starchy vegetables are great additions to your diet, broccoli is one of the best, containing a wide array of healthy elements.
What Can I Expect in Broccoli?
Nutrients
- Broccoli contains magnesium, which is great for supporting the function of muscles and nerves.
- Vitamin C, helpful for your blood vessels, muscles, and cartilage, is also big in broccoli.
- Sulforaphane, containing potential cancer-protecting properties, is found in broccoli along with other cruciferous vegetables.
Chia Seeds
If you’ve never tried chia seeds, then you’re missing out! Chia seeds are a great topping to any yogurt, oatmeal, or salad and are always a nice sprinkle of flavor. While they may seem small, chia seeds are packed with plenty of healthy substances for your body.
Chia Seeds Contain What?
Protein, Fiber, and Fats
- Working together, the protein, fiber, and fats in chia seeds help you feel fuller for longer.
- Soluble fiber in chia seeds is also slow for your body to digest. Because of this, your blood sugar levels reduce.
- Chia seeds, like nuts, also contain a great deal of Omega-3.
Beans
Always a must with chili or burritos, beans are another hearty vegetable to include in your diet. Just like with chickpeas, these legumes contain many healthy ingredients that serve those with diabetes and hypoglycemia.
How do Beans Help Me?
Resistant Starch
- Beans contain lots of resistant starch that can’t be digested. Thereby, blood sugar levels do not raise.
- You can maximize the quantity of resistant starch in your beans by allowing them to cool after cooking.
Soluble Fiber
- The soluble fiber in beans can also help make the digestion process slower and lower LDL cholesterol.
Resources
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-c/art-20363932#
