Top 10 Foods for Diabetes Control

Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases in which there are high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period. Symptoms of high blood sugar include frequent urination, increased thirst, and increased hunger. If left untreated, diabetes can cause many serious long-term complications include heart disease, stroke, chronic kidney failure, foot ulcers, and damage to the eyes. What you eat can help you to control and fight your diabetes. Many research proves that making a few key changes to your daily diet such as eating more produce, fewer refined carbohydrates, plenty of lean protein can help in improving your blood-sugar and cuts the risk of diabetes-related complications. Certain foods are packed with nutrients that control blood sugar levels, protect your heart, and even save your vision from the damaging effects of diabetes. Here is the list of top 10 foods that can help you in controlling Diabetes.

1. Spinach

The American Diabetes Association calls spinach a diabetes super food and recommends that you regularly include this dark green leafy non-starchy vegetable in your diet. Besides being rich in vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, spinach possesses a low glycemic index, which means eating it will help support healthy and stable blood glucose levels. Spinach is low in carbohydrates, containing only 0.83 grams per cup. The fact that spinach contains so few carbohydrates makes it an excellent choice on a diabetes diet. Carbohydrate-containing foods cause your blood glucose levels to rise. This means that you must restrict your carbohydrate intake in order to control your glucose.

2. Broccoli

Eating broccoli could reverse the damage that diabetes inflicts on heart blood vessels. The key is most likely a compound in the vegetable called sulforaphane, which triggers several anti-inflammatory processes that improve blood sugar control and protect blood vessels from the cardiovascular damage that’s often a consequence of diabetes.

3. Olive oil

Olive oil is recognized as one of the healthiest edible oils since it contains less saturated fats. It is rich in Omega 9 and Omega 3 which help maintain the flexibility of blood vessels, allowing good blood flow. Olive oil, especially extra virgin, contains tyrosol phenolic compounds such as oleuropein and oleocanthal. These compounds are nature’s most powerful anti-oxidants. Together with vitamin E and carotenoids, they play a vital role in fighting against diabetes.

4. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a good carbohydrate choice for diabetics. The glycemic index of sweet potatoes is a lot lower, which is better for diabetes control, according to a 2002 article in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.” Eating sweet potatoes in moderate amounts will help you keep your blood sugar levels in the healthy range even if you have diabetes.

5. Avocados

Avocados are an excellent choice for people with diabetes because they are very rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals and packed with numerous health benefiting plant nutrients. Avocados are recommended by the “American Diabetes Association” as a healthy source of monounsaturated fats. They are one of the best food sources of oleic fatty acids that can also help reduce high triglyceride levels in the blood, another big predictor of cardiovascular disease.

6. Blueberries

Blueberries contain both insoluble fiber (which “flushes” fat out of your system) and soluble fiber (which slows down the emptying of your stomach, and improves blood sugar control). It also contain a natural plant compound known as anthocyanins. Scientists believe these may help lower blood sugar by boosting insulin production.

7. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K. They are also a very good source of, potassium, manganese, dietary fiber, chromium, and vitamin B1. Because of their low carbohydrate content, tomatoes can play a big role in controlling blood sugar levels. The low carbohydrate content also helps lower calorie intake and can help diabetics to lose weight. Tomatoes are a rich source of antioxidants and help restore the body’s oxidative balance. Eating foods with high levels of antioxidants may help reduce the risk of complications associated with adult diabetes.

8. Eggs

Eggs are a versatile food and a great source of protein, and the American Diabetes Association considers eggs an excellent choice for people with diabetes. That’s primarily because one large egg contains about half a gram of carbohydrates, so it is thought that they aren’t going to raise your blood sugar. However, they are high in cholesterol, so it shouldn’t be consumed in excess if you have diabetes. The current recommendations suggest that an individual with diabetes should consume no more than 200 mg of cholesterol each day.

9. Cinnamon

Cinnamon spice has the highest anti-oxidant strength of all the food sources in nature. Many studies show that consumption of one teaspoon cinnamon to three teaspoons a day has a positive effect on reducing blood glucose levels. It was found that the cinnamon can make your cells more sensitive to insulin. Thus, the cells convert sugar into energy more efficiently and control the amount of sugar level in the blood. Diabetics who received cinnamon extract daily for 40 days experienced lower levels of blood sugar after eating, as well as substantial improvements to the heart health.

10. Dates

Dates are a great choice for a person with diabetes as they can help control sugar cravings, and they are low on the glycemic index. The carbohydrates in dates provide instant energy, and the high fiber contained in dates is good for digestion. This sweet desert fruit is cholesterol and fat free therefore, they serve as a great snack item. Many essential disease protective minerals are also present in dates. The minerals present are iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and also copper. These minerals are required in small amounts but if the body is deprived of these nutrients then the health condition may be worsened. The insulin production is improved by the presence of zinc. Level of sugar is regulated by magnesium.