Superfoods for diabetes control, and how to use these at home.
In recent years diabetes has been on the rise and more and more people are suffering from this disease. If you have too much glucose in your blood, then serious health problems can arise such as diabetes. The good news is that by making some changes to your diet, you can help your body to control diabetes, and prevent blood sugar spikes. In this article, we will share with you the best superfoods for diabetes control, as well as some natural remedies that you can use at home. Super Foods for Diabetes Control
1. Avocados: These contain heart-healthy fats which help to prevent and control diabetes, whilst also lowering the risk of heart disease. Eating these in leafy green salads helps to control your blood sugar and keep you full.
2. Asparagus: This wonderful vegetable contains an antioxidant called glutathione as well as some wonderful nutrients. These work together to balance out your bodies systems, especially in controlling insulin.
3. Kale: One of the most nutrient-dense leafy greens on the planet, kale provides your body with maximum nutrition. We recommend eating this every single day to help your body to heal insulin resistance and control diabetes.
4. Salmon: An excellent source of essential fatty acids, salmon helps with diabetes as it provides your body with fat-soluble nutrients for fuel. Cutting out carbohydrates and eating natural sources of fat will help the condition dramatically.
5. Cinnamon: This is a spice made from the bark of a particular tree. Ceylon cinnamon can be used as a flavouring on delicious meals and has a positive effect on blood glucose levels. Studies have shown this to reduce blood sugar levels over time.
6. Garlic: Garlic contains healthy compounds which fight diseases throughout the body. These fight infections and help your body to naturally heal itself from damage caused by high blood sugar levels and insulin resistance.
7. Okra: This vegetable is high in fibre which helps your digestion process to balance blood sugar. It is important to increase your intake of green vegetables such as this to not only boost nutrition but also help manage natural sugars from foods such as fruit.
8. Green Peppers: These fruits are low in sugar but contain lycopene which has been scientifically shown to protect the body against type 2 diabetes. They also contain fibre which increases healthy digestion. 9. Tomatoes These also contain lycopene and are excellent for those with type 2 diabetes as they lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases and reduce blood pressure.
10. Grass-Fed Beef: 75 Percent of diabetes patients suffer from a deficiency in B vitamins. Grass-fed beef is an excellent source of these vitamins and will provide fat-soluble nutrients that the body needs.
Natural Remedies to Control Diabetes
1. Mango Leaf Water Soak 15 mango leaves in water and refrigerate overnight for at least 12 hours. Discard the leaves and drink the cold tea throughout the day. Alternatively purchase mango leaf powder and add to warm water. This remedy helps to control blood sugar levels, strengthen the veins and reduce hypertension. The leaves also contain enzymes, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which boost your overall health.
2. Cinnamon Tea Use Ceylon cinnamon bark for this remedy, not the regular cassia cinnamon found in supermarkets. Boil some water for 5 minutes before adding the cinnamon bark. Boil for another 5 minutes before straining and pouring into a cup. This is a perfect morning drink for diabetes, as it helps to reduce cravings for carbohydrates, and has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body.
3. Neem Leaf Chew Neem leaves contain anti-hyperglycemic properties and a host of healthy compounds which improve the overall health of the body. They also act as a blood purifier and lower blood sugars. You can chew these leaves to extract the nutrients and then spit them out.
4. Curry Leaves Cooking with curry leaves adds beneficial qualities to your food. These herbal leaves help activate beta cells in the pancreas which boosts healthy insulin production. They also help your body to process carbohydrates.
5. Aloe Vera Water A small amount of freshly squeezed Aloe Vera gel can be added to water. It has been shown to help those with pre-diabetic symptoms and controls blood sugar levels for those with diabetes. This wonderful superfood can be used to treat a great range of bodily diseases. Carbohydrates Fuel Diabetes One of the most important principles to understand is that carbohydrates are not needed in a healthy diet. Only small amounts found in raw vegetables are required. A diabetic diet should consist of healthy fats, vegetables and protein in order to control the blood sugar and boost nutrition. The problem is that carbohydrates and sugars are hidden in many foods that we purchase as additives. This being said, we will share with you what to look for when cutting out unhealthy sugars and carbs.
Foods To Avoid for Diabetes
1. Wheat Flour Foods which contain white flour such as pancakes, biscuits, waffles, cookies, bread and pastries should be avoided as these spike blood sugar levels dramatically.
2. Fruit Flavoured Yoghurt The hidden sugars within flavoured yoghurt are sure to spike your blood sugar and cause problems for your condition.
3. Fruit Juice Fruit juices made from concentrate contain extremely high amounts of glucose which spikes insulin dramatically. Avoid these at all costs, and switch to water infused with dark berries for flavour.
4. Honey Honey has benefits for some conditions, however, it is high on the glycaemic index and should be avoided when you have diabetes.
5. Dried Fruit These are often promoted as a health food product, however, the concentrated sugar and lack of balanced nutrients that are found in whole fruits make these very bad for diabetes Final Notes We recommend increasing your fat intake from natural sources, such as extra virgin coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil and butter. Avoid margarine and vegetable oils as these have a negative effect. Increase the number of leafy greens and salad as much as possible. Eat uncooked salad leaves with every single meal as the vitamins and minerals within will help to control diabetes.