Healing Food For Diabetes !!
Apples
Apples are loaded with soluble fiber - number one for blunting blood sugar swings.
A medium apple dishes up an impressive 4 g. of fiber, mostly pectin, which is also known for its ability to lower cholesterol.
If you want to lose some weight - which in itself would help you control blood sugar - try eating three small apples a day.
If you want to lose some weight - which in itself would help you control blood sugar - try eating three small apples a day.
A study from the State University of Rio de Janeiro found that doing so as part of a reduced-calorie diet not only helped women lose more weight but also helped them to lower their blood sugar more than women who ate another food instead of apples.
On average, apples have only 80 kcal each, but they're packed with antioxidants compounds called flavonoids.
On average, apples have only 80 kcal each, but they're packed with antioxidants compounds called flavonoids.
One study found that eating a small apple with its skin provided total antioxidant and anti cancer activity equal to 1,500 mg of vitamin C.
Apples rank near the bottom of the Glycemic Index - right along with dried beans, one of the very best regulators of blood sugar. That's way they're both considered excellent foods for diabetes.
Apples rank near the bottom of the Glycemic Index - right along with dried beans, one of the very best regulators of blood sugar. That's way they're both considered excellent foods for diabetes.
The type of sugar in apples, fructose, doesn't spur a rapid rise in blood sugar. The fruit keeps the throttle on insulin, and foods that do this invariably also lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure.
Avocado
Because avocados are full of fat (about 25 to 30 g. each), most people don't consider them a good foods for diabetes and steer clear of them.
The fact is that the type of fat in avocado is monounsaturated, the same heart-healthy kind found in olive oil that won't increase insulin resistance - as saturated fats would do - but it may actually help to keep blood sugar in check.
If you add avocado to a sandwich or anything else loaded with carbs, it will slow down digestion of the meal, making it easier on your blood sugar.
If you add avocado to a sandwich or anything else loaded with carbs, it will slow down digestion of the meal, making it easier on your blood sugar.
Avocados are also rich in sterols, compounds shown to lower cholesterol, another problems that comes along with diabetes.
You don't need to eat a huge amount to get the benefits. Just 1/5 of a fruit will provide only 55 kcal and a little avocado goes a long way.
You don't need to eat a huge amount to get the benefits. Just 1/5 of a fruit will provide only 55 kcal and a little avocado goes a long way.
Barley
If you've never tried this grain, prepare to be amazed. Whether pearled, hulled or quick cooking, this grain is one of the best foods for diabetes you could find.
Unlike white rice, which has a sky-high GL, barley's is low, thanks to its significant stash of soluble fiber.
Eating barley instead of white rice slashes the effect on your blood sugar by almost 70%.
Add it to soups, use it instead of Arborio rice in risotto and serve it as a nutty, flavorful side dish.
Add it to soups, use it instead of Arborio rice in risotto and serve it as a nutty, flavorful side dish.
Because its insoluble fiber slows the rate at which food leaves the stomach, barley also helps you feel full on fewer calories.
Beans
Do you only have beans once in a while in the form of beans on toast? Well, it's time to broaden your horizon.
All beans, canned or dried, from black to white, from chickpeas to cannellini, are one of the best foods for diabetes, as they can tame both insulin and blood sugar levels.
The soluble fiber in beans slows down digestion, leading to slow steady blood sugar rise rather than a sharp surge.
All beans, canned or dried, from black to white, from chickpeas to cannellini, are one of the best foods for diabetes, as they can tame both insulin and blood sugar levels.
The soluble fiber in beans slows down digestion, leading to slow steady blood sugar rise rather than a sharp surge.
This kind of fiber actually causes the creation of more insulin-receptor site on cells, which means the insulin has more places to dock and is siphoned off, so less circulates in the system, which is good.
They also contain loads of protein, which doesn't raise blood sugar and actually helps your body to process the carbs in a meal more efficiently.
And if you want to lose weight, beans are the ideal food for you. Not only are they incredibly filling, they also pack a heap of nutrition in a relatively low-calorie package.
Better still, some of the starch in beans is a type called resistant starch that the body can't even digest, so calories don't count.
Beans are also full of folate, a B vitamin that may help to reduce some of the nasty consequences of diabetes by helping to keep arteries clean.
Beans are not only good food for people with type 2 diabetes, but even people with Type 1 were able to cut the insulin needs by 38%, according to one study. And those with Type 2 who had gone on insulin injection, virtually eliminated the need for any injections by increasing their consumption of beans.
They also contain loads of protein, which doesn't raise blood sugar and actually helps your body to process the carbs in a meal more efficiently.
And if you want to lose weight, beans are the ideal food for you. Not only are they incredibly filling, they also pack a heap of nutrition in a relatively low-calorie package.
Better still, some of the starch in beans is a type called resistant starch that the body can't even digest, so calories don't count.
Beans are also full of folate, a B vitamin that may help to reduce some of the nasty consequences of diabetes by helping to keep arteries clean.
Beans are not only good food for people with type 2 diabetes, but even people with Type 1 were able to cut the insulin needs by 38%, according to one study. And those with Type 2 who had gone on insulin injection, virtually eliminated the need for any injections by increasing their consumption of beans.
Berries
As berries seem so sweet on your taste buds, you might think that they can't be good foods for diabetes and it's best to avoid them.
But the type of sugar they contain is fructose, which causes a much slower rise in blood sugar than table sugar does.
Berries are full of fiber as well as red-blue plant compounds called anthocyanins that help to keep blood sugar in check by boosting insulin production.
They are especially rich in powerful disease-fighting antioxidants, which can help repair much of the damage caused by free radicals.
Berries are full of fiber as well as red-blue plant compounds called anthocyanins that help to keep blood sugar in check by boosting insulin production.
They are especially rich in powerful disease-fighting antioxidants, which can help repair much of the damage caused by free radicals.
So they can help keep your eyes healthy, reduce risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure and keeping your arteries clean, avoiding most of the diabetes-related complications.
Broccoli
If you want to find a way to lower the GL of dishes (pasta, casseroles and potatoes), then add broccoli to them.
Because they're big on volume and small in calories, broccoli are the ideal food for diabetes.
Not only do broccoli have very little impact on blood sugar, they're one of the best food sources of chromium, a mineral required for insulin to function normally.
Not only do broccoli have very little impact on blood sugar, they're one of the best food sources of chromium, a mineral required for insulin to function normally.
One serving (80g.) of broccoli provides almost half of your daily chromium requirements.
Broccoli are also packed with vitamin C. A British population study found that people with the highest blood levels of vitamin C were less likely to have elevated levels of glycated hemoglobin, a long-term indicator of high blood sugar.
Broccoli are also packed with vitamin C. A British population study found that people with the highest blood levels of vitamin C were less likely to have elevated levels of glycated hemoglobin, a long-term indicator of high blood sugar.
Brussels sprouts
Like all vegetables, Brussels sprouts are very kind to your blood sugar and some of the best foods for diabetes.
But they do more than that, they have lots of soluble fiber (2g. per 80g. serving), which forms a gel in your stomach that acts as a barrier between food and the enzymes that break it down, slowing the digestion of your meal (even if you've eaten high GL foods with it).
Did you know that 2/3 of the calories in Brussels sprouts come from protein? This means that even though they seem substantial, they're very low in carbs.
Like broccoli, Brussels sprouts too contain lots of vitamin C (48mg. per 80g. serving), a must have nutrient, according to studies, for fending off complications of diabetes.
Did you know that 2/3 of the calories in Brussels sprouts come from protein? This means that even though they seem substantial, they're very low in carbs.
Like broccoli, Brussels sprouts too contain lots of vitamin C (48mg. per 80g. serving), a must have nutrient, according to studies, for fending off complications of diabetes.
Chicory
The major component of chicory, one of the earliest and most widely used coffee substitutes, is inulin. Studies have shown that inulin helps stabilize blood sugar levels.
Chicory and other inulin-containing herbs, such as Jerusalem artichoke, dandelion and endive, can all be roasted and used as coffee substitutes.
Chicory and other inulin-containing herbs, such as Jerusalem artichoke, dandelion and endive, can all be roasted and used as coffee substitutes.
Fortunately, you don't have to do that yourself; you can buy coffee mixed with chicory or plain roasted chicory to brew into a tasty beverage.
Chicory grows wild in many places and can be collected and used in salads, or instead of spinach in many dishes.
Fenugreek
Studies show that this spice, popular in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines, is one of the best diabetes foods because it can help reduce blood sugar in two ways:
- A chemical in the herb (4-hydroxyisoleucine) acts directly on the beta cells in the pancreas to encourage insulin production.
- It has also a knack for mimicking insulin, which can help glucose to get into the cells.
Fenugreek seeds also pack a soluble-fiber punch, which is the type of fiber that can help lower blood sugar, and they can help prevent weight gain by absorbing fat calories, a definite plus for lowering you diabetes risk.
"It is now well documented from a number of studies that adding fenugreek seeds to the diet of diabetic patients or animals results in a significant fall in blood glucose and improvement in glucose tolerance," states the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition in a 2005 issue.
"It is now well documented from a number of studies that adding fenugreek seeds to the diet of diabetic patients or animals results in a significant fall in blood glucose and improvement in glucose tolerance," states the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition in a 2005 issue.
Nuts
People might not consider nuts good diabetes foods because they think them fattening, hence predisposing people to the condition.
But Harvard researchers have discovered that women who regularly eat nuts (about a handful five times a week) are 20% less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who don't eat them as often.
Yes, it's true that nuts are high in fat, but it's mostly the good fat (85%), that may actually reduce insulin resistance as well as improving heart health and boosting levels of 'good' HDL cholesterol.
One study found that a diet that includes unsaturated fats from almonds and walnuts may have 10% more cholesterol-lowering power than a traditional cholesterol-lowering diet.
The type of fat in nuts can also help reduce inflammation in the body, which can help lower the risk of both diabetes and heart disease. And the protein in nuts is unusually rich in the amino acid arginine, which may help to relax blood vessels, making a heart attack less likely.
Some nuts, including peanuts, walnuts and almonds, also contain plant sterols, which have been shown to lower cholesterol.
They also contain a natural compound called resveratrol, also found in red wine and shown to lower the risk of heart disease.
Like fish, walnuts are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, also very good at preventing cardiovascular disease.
But Harvard researchers have discovered that women who regularly eat nuts (about a handful five times a week) are 20% less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who don't eat them as often.
Yes, it's true that nuts are high in fat, but it's mostly the good fat (85%), that may actually reduce insulin resistance as well as improving heart health and boosting levels of 'good' HDL cholesterol.
One study found that a diet that includes unsaturated fats from almonds and walnuts may have 10% more cholesterol-lowering power than a traditional cholesterol-lowering diet.
The type of fat in nuts can also help reduce inflammation in the body, which can help lower the risk of both diabetes and heart disease. And the protein in nuts is unusually rich in the amino acid arginine, which may help to relax blood vessels, making a heart attack less likely.
Some nuts, including peanuts, walnuts and almonds, also contain plant sterols, which have been shown to lower cholesterol.
They also contain a natural compound called resveratrol, also found in red wine and shown to lower the risk of heart disease.
Like fish, walnuts are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, also very good at preventing cardiovascular disease.
Onions and Garlic
Onions improve metabolism in people with diabetes thanks to a couple of chemicals they contain - allypropyldisulfide and S-methylcysteine sulfoxide.
Studies have also shown that garlic helps lower blood sugar levels and prevent cardiovascular complications associated with diabetes and it stimulates the beta cells in the pancreas to secrete insulin.
In a study, Indian researchers fed subjects onion juice and whole onions (in doses of 25 g. to 299 g.) and found that the greater the dose, the more the blood sugar was depressed.
Studies have also shown that garlic helps lower blood sugar levels and prevent cardiovascular complications associated with diabetes and it stimulates the beta cells in the pancreas to secrete insulin.
In a study, Indian researchers fed subjects onion juice and whole onions (in doses of 25 g. to 299 g.) and found that the greater the dose, the more the blood sugar was depressed.
It made no difference whether the onion was raw or boiled. The theory was that the onions affect the liver's metabolism of glucose, or release of insulin, and/or prevent insulin's destruction.
The ability of onions to stimulate insulin synthesis and release has been known for a long time. In fact, in the 1960s, researchers isolate anti-diabetic compounds from onions similar to the common anti-diabetic pharmaceutical known as tolbutamide. The advantage of eating one of the best diabetes food is that they have no side-effects!
The ability of onions to stimulate insulin synthesis and release has been known for a long time. In fact, in the 1960s, researchers isolate anti-diabetic compounds from onions similar to the common anti-diabetic pharmaceutical known as tolbutamide. The advantage of eating one of the best diabetes food is that they have no side-effects!
Tea
All types of tea - green, black and oolong - have the ability to enhance insulin activity, which of course means lower blood sugar.
Almost all that power comes from the antioxidant EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) found naturally in tea.
Unfortunately, adding milk can lower this insulin-decreasing activity by as much as 90%, according to research. How so? Milk binds with the EGCG, making it unavailable to the body.
Even people already being treated for diabetes, can benefit from drinking tea. In a Taiwanese study of 20 people with Type 2 diabetes, all of whom were taking glucose-lowering medications, drinking a lot of oolong tea - about six 250 ml. glasses a day was linked with a 29% drop in blood sugar.
True, that is a lot of tea and most of us wouldn't want to drink that much - also considering that tea has a diuretic effect - but even two cups a day have been proven beneficial.
Some research using green tea extracts suggests that it may even speed up body's metabolism and help control weight, which in itself would lower your risk of insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes.
Unfortunately, adding milk can lower this insulin-decreasing activity by as much as 90%, according to research. How so? Milk binds with the EGCG, making it unavailable to the body.
Even people already being treated for diabetes, can benefit from drinking tea. In a Taiwanese study of 20 people with Type 2 diabetes, all of whom were taking glucose-lowering medications, drinking a lot of oolong tea - about six 250 ml. glasses a day was linked with a 29% drop in blood sugar.
True, that is a lot of tea and most of us wouldn't want to drink that much - also considering that tea has a diuretic effect - but even two cups a day have been proven beneficial.
Some research using green tea extracts suggests that it may even speed up body's metabolism and help control weight, which in itself would lower your risk of insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes.
Turmeric
Turmeric root, a relative of ginger, is one of the most concentrated sources of curcumin, an antioxidant compound that's been shown to prevent blood sugar surges.
Studies on extracts containing curcumin showed that they lowered blood sugar levels by 37% within 3 hours and by 55% after 6 hours.
How exactly curcumin does that is not yet understood, but researchers point to a number of different possibilities.
Studies on extracts containing curcumin showed that they lowered blood sugar levels by 37% within 3 hours and by 55% after 6 hours.
How exactly curcumin does that is not yet understood, but researchers point to a number of different possibilities.
The main theory is that it acts on the pancreas to stimulate the release of insulin.
Turmeric powder is used extensively in Indian cuisine, but if you're not so hot on curries (excuse the pun!), you could try turmeric supplements.
Vinegar
By simply adding a high-acid food like vinegar to your meals can reduce the blood sugar effect of the entire meal by 19 to 55%!
Several studies have been carried out using varying amounts of cider vinegar followed by high carbohydrates and high GI foods (white bread, bagels, white rice - notoriously not very good diabetes foods) and they consistently found that blood sugar rose on average 30 to 55% less than it should without the vinegar.
How is that possible? One reason is that the acid in vinegar slows the rate at which food leaves your stomach, also slowing the transformation of a meal's carbohydrates into blood sugar.
Other studies show that acid may also help increase the storage of glycogen (the form in which blood sugar is stored for future energy needs) in the liver and skeletal muscles, getting it out of the bloodstream.
Another benefit is that it can help you loose weight by making you feel more satisfied after a meal.
Several studies have been carried out using varying amounts of cider vinegar followed by high carbohydrates and high GI foods (white bread, bagels, white rice - notoriously not very good diabetes foods) and they consistently found that blood sugar rose on average 30 to 55% less than it should without the vinegar.
How is that possible? One reason is that the acid in vinegar slows the rate at which food leaves your stomach, also slowing the transformation of a meal's carbohydrates into blood sugar.
Other studies show that acid may also help increase the storage of glycogen (the form in which blood sugar is stored for future energy needs) in the liver and skeletal muscles, getting it out of the bloodstream.
Another benefit is that it can help you loose weight by making you feel more satisfied after a meal.
Obviously, there's no need to drawn your food in vinegar, but a little splash here and there can go a long way.
0 comments