A high blood sugar level can cause many health problems. In particular, it can cause diabetes, especially in people with a family history of this disease. Diabetics must control their diet to prevent blood sugar from reaching too high levels. People who are prediabetic or with a genetic predisposition to the disease can maintain low blood sugar levels through proper nutrition, with the aim of reducing the risk of disease and the need for drugs.
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you cannot control your blood sugar level with diet and exercise alone. Talk to a doctor to establish an action plan that fits your needs.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Eat the Right Foods
Step 1. Understand the importance of including the right foods in your diet
Foods can cause your blood sugar to rise gradually or can cause your blood sugar to rise too quickly. The rise in blood sugar will depend on the foods you consume - whole foods will likely result in a gradual rise, while refined carbohydrates and sugar will cause a rapid rise in blood sugar.
Step 2. Choose healthy carbohydrates
Sugars and starches (such as those in white bread or corn starch) are converted into glucose during digestion and should be avoided. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes (lentils and beans), and a moderate amount of low-fat dairy products are healthy sources of carbohydrates. These carbohydrate sources will help you keep your blood sugar at healthy levels during digestion.
- Note that low fat does not mean low calorie; always read the label.
- Healthy whole grains include barley, oats, spelled, wheat, kamut, and brown rice. Read on for more information on oats.
- Bread and grains are healthy if you avoid varieties that are high in fat and high in sugar. Choose breads and cereals that contain less than 4.5% sodium.
- Eat carbohydrates with every meal, but not too many. Always add protein and prefer vegetables that do not contain starch to those that contain it.
Step 3. Consume more fiber
Fiber cleanses the body and helps control blood sugar. Most vegetables are high in fiber, especially green leafy ones. Many fruits, legumes, and dried fruits are also high in fiber, as are whole wheat products.
- Water-soluble fiber is very important for maintaining good health. They are found in foods such as beans, nuts, oat bran, and seeds.
- Flax seeds are a good source of fiber and help regulate blood sugar. Pound two tablespoons in 250ml of water and drink them daily to absorb the benefits.
Step 4. Eat fish two or more times a week
Fish is rich in proteins, which do not have an impact on blood sugar as much as sugar. Fish also contains less fat and cholesterol than meat and poultry. Many types of fish, including salmon, mackerel, and herring, are also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which lower fats called triglycerides and promote overall heart health. Avoid fish that can contain high levels of mercury though, such as swordfish and royal mackerel.
Other lean and healthy sources of protein include legumes, nuts, seeds, peas, and poultry. You can also consider protein drinks that contain less than 5g of sugar
Step 5. Eat more rolled oats
Sugar-free oatmeal is digested slowly, and therefore does not cause a drastic rise in blood sugar, providing your body with the slow-release energy it needs. Lentils and legumes are also a good choice, although many people find a increased intestinal gas after consuming them. In any case, these foods contain soluble fiber, which slows the absorption of sugar and carbohydrates, which is certainly good.
Step 6. Look for vegetables that do not contain starch
Broccoli, spinach, and green beans are great examples. These vegetables are low in carbohydrates, so they don't have a great effect on blood sugar, but they are also high in fiber and have a cleansing effect. Lentils, legumes, and oats are starchy foods, but their soluble fiber makes up for the drawbacks.
Step 7. Satisfy your sweet tooth with some strawberries
Despite their sweetness, strawberries are actually quite low in carbohydrates, which is why they don't have a big impact on blood sugar. They also contain high levels of water that help you feel full for longer. As a result, you may calm the temptation to eat other, more harmful sweets later on.
Step 8. Drink more water
Sugary drinks cause your blood sugar to rise quickly. Replacing these drinks with water, tonic water, and sparkling water can greatly reduce your sugar intake.
- You can find many flavored waters on the market, which can have a more pleasant taste than water. Be careful with added sugars though. You can use lemon or lime slices, strawberries or a drop of orange juice to flavor sparkling water at home without adding unnecessary sugar calories.
- Keep some water in the refrigerator with lemon wedges. This water will taste delicious and will be very refreshing on hot days. Keep the bottle capped and discard the slices, replacing them with new ones, every two days. Vary the aromas with other citrus fruits or strawberries, apples or berries.
- Aim to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day to make sure you are properly hydrated.
- Be careful when drinking fruit juice and use it very little - fruit juice also contains carbohydrates in the form of fructose.
Step 9. Sprinkle cinnamon on your food
Some experts believe that cinnamon has a slight effect of lowering blood sugar levels, especially in people with diabetes. The results are not conclusive, but the early stages of some studies support this thesis.
Do not rely on cinnamon like a magic wand! You should consider it an additional tip to follow along with everyone else.
Method 2 of 2: Plan
Step 1. Determine the amount of calories you should consume each day
Eating the correct number of calories can prevent you from ingesting excess food which can carry too much blood sugar.
- Get 1200 - 1600 calories if you are a petite woman, a medium-sized woman who wants to lose weight, or a medium-sized woman who doesn't get much exercise.
- Eat 1600 - 2000 calories a day if you are a large-sized woman who wants to lose weight, a small man, a medium-sized man who doesn't exercise much or wants to lose weight, or a large-sized man who wants to lose weight.
- Consume 2000 - 2400 calories if you are a large or medium-sized man who does a lot of physical activity, a large-sized man in healthy weight, or a large or medium-sized woman who does a lot of physical activity.
Step 2. Make substitutions
Instead of completely changing the way you eat, substitute healthier foods for those that raise your blood sugar.
Step 3. Count the carbohydrates
In particular, count the refined carbohydrates you consume, such as white flour products, sugary grains, and fried foods. Carbohydrates have the greatest impact on blood sugar, because they are transformed into glucose very quickly.
Step 4. Check your glycemic index
The glycemic index considers foods by the impact they have on increasing blood sugar after they are consumed. Foods with a low glycemic index will cause your blood sugar to rise less than those with a high index.
Be aware that the glycemic index may not include all sources of sugar other than glucose. Other sugars, such as fructose and lactose, participate in the total amount of sugars
Advice
- Don't peel fruits and vegetables if you can, as most of the nutrients are under the peel, and peeling them may remove them. Also, if you boil or steam vegetables, try to reuse the water in a soup or stew to get the vitamins that are released into the water. Eating raw vegetables will ensure you get plenty of vitamins - just make sure you've washed them well.
- The whole family can eat the same healthy foods that you eat; there is no need to follow a different diet. Everyone can benefit from the same healthy and nutritious meals together.
- Talk to your doctor before making any significant changes to your diet. Your doctor can determine, in agreement with you, the healthiest program that meets all your dietary needs, and can advise you to avoid choices that can harm your health.
- Walk a lot. Exercise helps nutrition by speeding up your metabolism and keeping you fit. Walking is the ideal workout for every person. If you have diabetes, your doctor needs to give you precise directions to ensure that you always have the right blood sugar level even when you are undergoing intense exercise. Once you have established the training to follow, it will be easier to determine which foods and medications to take in order not to have problems with the sugar level.
