How to Lower Blood Sugar With Diet

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HomeArticlesCommunityMy Profile WH.translationData = {};WH.mergeLang({'navlist_collapse': '- collapse','navlist_expand': '+ expand'});EditHome » Categories » Health » Diet & LifestyleHow to Lower Blood Sugar With DietEdited by RhymesWithOrange, Josh, Flickety, P.Schutte and 4 others

Pin ItArticle EditDiscussHigh blood sugar can cause a number of health problems. Most notably, it can trigger the onset of diabetes, especially in individuals with a family history of the disease. Diabetics must monitor their diet to prevent their blood sugar from running dangerously high. Pre-diabetics or those with a genetic disposition to the disease can keep blood sugar levels low through controllable dietary means, with the aim of reducing the risk of disease and need for medication.

EditSteps

Eating the Right Foods1Understand the importance of the right food in your diet. Food can cause a gradual rise in blood sugar levels or it can cause the levels to rise too quickly. The action your blood chooses depends on the food you consume––wholefoods are likely to cause a gradual rise, while refined carbohydrates and sugar will cause a fast rise in blood sugar levels.[1]2Choose healthy carbohydrates. Sugars and starches break down into blood glucose during the digestive processes. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and a moderate amount of low-fat dairy are the healthy sources of carbohydrates. These sources of carbohydrates will help maintain a healthy blood sugar level upon breaking down.[2]

Note that low fat doesn't necessarily mean low calorie; always read the ingredients list.[3]Healthy whole grains include barley, oats, spelt, wheat, kamut and brown rice.[4] See below for more about oats.Bread and cereals are healthy provided you steer clear of the high fat and high sugar varieties. Choose bread and cereals containing less than 450mg per 100mg of sodium.[5]Eat some carbohydrate at each meal but not too much. Always add protein and eat more non-starchy vegetables over starchy ones.3Ingest more fiber. Fiber cleanses your system and helps control your blood sugar levels. Most vegetables are high in fiber, especially those with leafy greens. Many fruits, nuts, and legumes are also rich in fiber, as are whole-wheat products.

Water-soluble fiber is very important for maintaining good health. It is found in such foods as beans, nuts, oat bran and seeds.[4]Flax-seeds are both a good source of fiber and for maintaining balanced blood sugar. Grind two tablespoons with 10 ounces of water and consume each morning to gain its benefits.[4]4Consume fish twice a week or more. Fish is high in protein, which does not affect blood sugar as much as carbohydrates do. Fish also has less fat and cholesterol than meat and poultry. Many types of fish, including salmon, mackerel, and herring, also have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which lower fats called triglycerides and promotes overall heart health. Avoid fish prone to high levels of mercury, however, like swordfish and king mackerel.

Other sources of healthy, lean protein include legumes, nuts, seeds, peas and turkey or chicken.[4] You might also consider protein drinks with less than 5g of sugar content.[4]5Eat more oatmeal. Unsweetened oatmeal digests slowly, which prevents your blood sugar from spiking up dramatically while providing your body with the slow-release energy it needs.[6]

6Look for non-starchy vegetables. Broccoli, spinach, and green beans are excellent examples.[6] These vegetables are low in carbohydrates, so they do not affect your blood sugar very much, but they are also high in fiber and have a cleansing effect.

7Satisfy your sweet tooth with a few strawberries. In spite of their sweetness, strawberries are actually rather low in carbohydrates and, as such, do not dramatically impact blood sugar levels.[6] They also contain high levels of water, helping you to feel fuller for a longer period of time. As a result, you may feel less tempted by a more harmful sweet later on.

8Drink more water. Soda and sugary juice drinks raise your blood sugar quickly. Substituting these drinks with water, tonic water and sparkling water can quickly reduce your sugar intake.[6]

Many commercially available waters are also flavored, which may make them more appetizing than plain water. However, beware added sugar. You can add strawberries, lemon or lime slices or a dash of orange juice to flavor sparkling water at home without adding sugar's empty calories.Keep some water in the refrigerator with lemon slices already added to it. Very refreshing on a hot day, this water will taste delicious. Keep it topped up and discard the slices and add new ones every two days. Vary the flavorings with other citrus fruits or strawberries, apples or berries.Try to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day to ensure that you're adequately hydrated.[5]Be careful when consuming fruit juice and keep it to a minimum––fruit juice contains carbohydrate from its natural fructose (sugars).[5]9Sprinkle cinnamon onto your food. Some experts believe that cinnamon has a moderate effect at reducing blood sugar levels, especially in people with diabetes. The results are far from conclusive, but early studies do support the claim.[7]

Do not rely on cinnamon as a magic solution! It should be treated as an extra addition to all the other excellent suggestions above.

Planning Things Out1Know how many calories you should consume per day.[8] Ingesting the correct number of calories may prevent you from taking in excess food that can lead to excessive sugar entering your blood.

Consume 1,200 to 1,600 per day if you are a small woman, a medium-sized woman who wants to lose weight, or a medium-sized woman who does not exercise much.Consume 1,600 to 2,000 calories per day if you are a large woman who wants to lose weight, a small man, a medium-sized man who does not exercise much or wants to lose weight, or a large man who wants to lose weight.Consume 2,000 to 2,400 calories per day if you are a medium to large man who exercises a lot, a large man at a healthy weight, or a medium to large woman who exercises a lot.2Make substitutions. Instead of completely altering the way you eat, substitute healthier choices in place of those that could raise your blood sugar.

Organic whole fat foods are considerably healthier than fat-free and low-fat alternatives.[citation needed] Foods in their original whole form are better options than processed.Organic whole milk is superior to low fat.[citation needed] Coconut milk is also an excellent option. Medium chain fatty acids in coconut milk are excellent for metabolic conditions such as diabetes.Vegetable oils are full of heart damaging polyunsaturated fats. Avoid vegetable oils. Saturated fats are a superior option. Americans are finally beginning to understand that dietary fat does not make someone fat, but they are essential for energy and tissue production.Avoid chemical sugar substitutes. They are not recognized by the body and cause cellular damage. Raw stevia is the best option for a non-calorie sweetener.3Count your carbohydrates. In particular, count the refined carbohydrates you're consuming, such as white flour baked products, sugary cereals and fried foods. Carbohydrates have a greater impact on your blood sugar levels than anything else because they break down into glucose, very quickly.

4Check the glycemic index. The glycemic index ranks carbohydrates based on how much they raise blood sugar levels after consumption. Foods with a low GI rating are less likely to raise your blood sugar than those with a high rating.

Be aware that the glycemic index may not catch all sources of sugar beyond glucose. Other sugars, such as fructose and lactose, add to your blood sugar load.[1]

Edit TipsLeave the skin on fruits and vegetables where possible, as most of the nutrients tend to be found just under the skin and peeling can remove this. Also, if steaming or boiling vegetables, try to reuse the water as soup or in a stew or sauce, to capture the vitamins that end up in the water. Eating salad vegetables raw will ensure that you get many unspoiled vitamins in your diet––just be sure to wash well first.Talk to your doctor before significantly altering your diet. Your doctor can work with you to determine the healthiest plan to suit all your dietary needs and can steer you away from choices that may negatively affect your health.The whole family can eat the same healthy foods; there is no need to single yourself out. Everyone benefits from the same healthy and nutritious meals eaten together.Walk a lot. Exercise helps your dietary measures by increasing your metabolic responses and keeping you fit. Walking is an ideal method of exercise for every person.[9]

Edit WarningsDo not reduce your blood sugar levels down to nothing. An excessively low blood sugar level can be just as dire to your health as an excessively high level.

Edit Sources and Citations? 1.0 1.1 Sarah Bearden, Nutrition in Essence, p. 69, (2006), ISBN 978-0-340-92730-4? http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes-diet/DA00027? http://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2012/Sep/beware-of-misleading-claims-of-many-low-fat-foods-93949286.html? 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Mark Stengler, MD, Dodge Diabetes, Alive.com, November 2006? 5.0 5.1 5.2 Andrea Bidois, Diabetes Update, pp. 164-168? 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 http://diabetes.webmd.com/features/diabetic-diet-6-foods-control-blood-sugar? http://diabetes.webmd.com/features/diabetic-diet-6-foods-control-blood-sugar?page=2? http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/eating_ez/? http://www.diabetes.co.uk/how-to/bring-down-high-blood-sugar-levels.htmlArticle Info Featured Article

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