Every time you decide on the meals, you are choose to either become a victim or a victor. What you choose to eat will determine if you beat diabetes or not. Your diet becomes a deciding factor in life. Hence, we are here for your rescue with the top 20 foods that you can incorporate into your diet to control diabetes. Research shows that consuming food rich in fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals helps improve overall health. One or two foods will not create a change but incorporating multiple foods from this list would transform not just your diet but also your life.
1. Apples
There is a common saying, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away. It is somewhat similar. Apples are high in fiber (4 grams), fill you up fast, fight bad cholesterol, and reduce blood-sugar swings. Eat them raw with the peel for best results. If you enjoy desserts, another option could be a baked apple with a sprinkle of cinnamon topped with yogurt.
2. Avocado
Avocados are rich, buttery, and filled with monounsaturated fat, which helps slow digestion and prevents sugar levels from increasing. Insulin resistance also gets reversed if your diet is high in good fats resulting in longer-term blood sugar stability. You can use mashed avocados instead of mayonnaise or butter. Either you can make guacamole by adding salt, a few drops of lemon, and a pinch of pepper.
3. Barley
The soluble fiber and other compounds present in Barley help slow digestion and absorb carbohydrates which reduces the rise of blood sugar levels by seventy percent. Barley is versatile, you can add it to your soup, cereals, or salads, have it as a side dish, or make it a casserole.
4. Beans
Beans can include all types of beans, starting from chickpeas to kidney beans. It would help if you considered, a bean meal twice a week at least. It has soluble fiber, which helps keep blood sugar levels in check. Adding to that, it is rich in proteins. Adding beans to your diet gives you a full feeling as it stays in your digestive system for a long time, giving you a satisfying feeling.
5. Berries
Berries are natural M&Ms – chewy, tangy, sweet, and colorful. They are full of fiber and antioxidants. The blue and red ones also contain anthocyanins. Berries help promote insulin production, which helps to lower blood sugar levels. You can incorporate this into your diet anytime. Grab a handful at any time of the day to suck on.
6. Broccoli
It is a bonus if you love broccoli. Broccoli is rich in fiber, full of antioxidants mainly, it contains a day’s Vitamin C. Adding to that, it is also rich in Chromium which helps in controlling blood sugar levels. If you like broccoli, you can saute them with a pinch of salt and pepper, and you are good to go. But if you don’t, you can have broccoli soup in white sauce and add it to your pasta or spaghetti. We guarantee that you will fall for it.
7. Flaxseeds
These are shiny brown seeds that hit the terrific diabetes trinity: protein, fiber, and good fats. It is rich in magnesium which controls your blood sugar levels. A pro tip while buying flaxseeds, buy whole seeds in bulk, store them and grind as and when required. You can dust it on your cereals, salads, and ice cream or add it to your burger patty, pancakes, meatballs, and bread. You can also use them to garnish avocado toast. That will be an excellent way to take two foods together, which help control diabetes.
8. Carrot
There is a myth about carrots that it increases blood sugar levels. It contains a type of sugar that quickly turns into blood sugar, but the amount of sugar in carrots is relatively less. The advantage of adding carrots is that it has beta-carotene which helps in controlling blood sugar levels. Who needs french fries when you can bake carrot slices with a bit of olive oil and pepper?
9. Eggs
Eggs are high in protein, making them the best source as it is inexpensive. One or two eggs will not affect your cholesterol; instead it will keep you full and satisfied throughout the day. There are many ways you can include eggs in your diet. Be it boiled eggs, omelet, or egg roll.
10. Fish
Heart disease is the single most deadly complication of diabetes, and according to a Harvard School of Public Health study, eating fish just once a week can cut your chance by 40%. Fatty acids present in the fish lower inflammation, a significant factor in coronary artery disease, insulin resistance, and diabetes. You should not be concerned about potential chemical pollutants unless you are pregnant.
11. Diary
Milk and curd can be good choices. Research shows that it has also helped people reduce weight. A diet with a lot of milk and curd items helps in insulin resistance, a significant cause of diabetes. You can also take in cottage cheese. If you don’t want to eat it raw as a salad, add it to your toast. You will love it. Try having buttermilk or shakes that you like.
12. Nuts
Also known as slow-burning foods, high in protein and fiber, helps in controlling blood sugar levels. It contains monounsaturated fats, which help you. Roasted nuts have a nice flavor, or you can also bake shelled nuts. You will be good to go!
13. Oatmeal
It is high in soluble fiber and produces a paste when mixed with warm water. Much like how it sticks to your bowl, it creates a sticky barrier between the digestive enzymes in your stomach and the starch granules in your meal. As a result, your body takes longer to convert carbohydrates into blood sugar.
14. Peanut Butter
A study shows that peanut butter sparges the appetite for almost two hours which makes it the perfect way to use it when losing weight. The monounsaturated fat in it helps control blood sugar levels. The easiest way of consuming peanut butter is on your toast, or people also enjoy it with their fruits. Combine it with an apple, which helps you take two foods that help control blood sugar levels.
15. Whole-Grain Bread
Simply switching from white bread to whole-grain bread can improve your reactivity to insulin. A study proves that the more you consume whole-grain bread, the better their insulin sensitivity and blood-sugar stability. Just brown bread or multigrain is not the same as whole-grain bread. Be careful when buying.
16. Sweet Potatoes
Switching to sweet potatoes rather than white potatoes, it will control your blood sugar levels by 30%. Sweet potatoes contain disease-fighting fiber and 40% soluble fiber, which help you lower your cholesterol and slow your digestion. They are also high in carotenoids, which are orange and yellow compounds that aid the body’s insulin response. They are also high in chlorogenic acid, a natural plant chemical that may help lower insulin resistance.
17. Olive Oil
Olive oil, unlike butter, does not exacerbate insulin resistance and can even help reverse it. A little olive oil slows digestion, making your meal less likely to increase your blood sugar. Use it in salads, pasta, and appetizers as diabetic food.
18. Good Quality Fat
It is vital to choose fats carefully because some are better for the body than others. Cooking oils high in monounsaturated fat should be carefully selected because these fatty acids help to decrease bad cholesterol and diabetes. Oil has a high N3 level while having a low saturated fatty acid content. With all of these beneficial features for diabetes and heart health, canola is an excellent choice as a diabetic food and cooking oil.
19. Asparagus
According to the Daily Mail, scientists discovered that regular consumption of the increasingly popular vegetable keeps blood sugar levels under control and increases the body’s production of insulin, the hormone that aids glucose absorption. Either add it to your pasta or salads. You could also steam or saute it with salt and pepper in olive oil.
20. Leafy Greens
Green leafy vegetables are nutrient-dense while being low in calories. They’re also low in digestible carbs, or carbs the body can absorb, so they won’t increase your blood sugar. Spinach, kale, and other leafy greens contain several vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C. According to some research, people with diabetes have lower vitamin C levels than people without diabetes, suggesting that they may require additional vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. Increased dietary intake of vitamin C-rich foods can help people with diabetes improve their serum vitamin C levels, reducing inflammation and cellular damage. Here are our top twenty picks for you. Adding these to your diet will help you improve your blood sugar levels and improve insulin resistance. But adding one or two of these will not help. You need to add almost all of these to see a change in your health.
