List of Best Foods for Diabetics

People with diabetics should maintain a well-balanced diet by including certain foods to balance the levels of blood sugar. A diet that includes vegetables and fruits are the best foods for diabetics.

Overview

Consuming specific foods can help a person with diabetes to manage their blood sugar levels and it can also improve their overall health and prevent further problems. Talk with your physician about your food choices to control the blood sugar levels because your physician can help you to make the best choice for your health.

People with type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes also can make the best choice about their food choices with the help of their healthcare professionals. Your physician will closely monitor your health while you are maintaining your new diet. A discussion with your health care provider may help determine which foods would be best for you while you are battling diabetes.

What are the best foods for diabetics?

People who are living with diabetes shouldn’t feel guilty about themselves instead they can make the best choices about the food they take to reduce the adverse effects associated with diabetes. It is better to make healthy food choices instead of going with some junk foods. Following are the best foods for diabetics including

Green leafy vegetables
Whole grains
Fatty fish
Beans
Walnuts
Citrus fruits
Berries
Sweet potatoes
Probiotic yogurt
Chia seeds
Quinoa
Lentils
Spinach
Ground Flaxseeds
Raw almonds
Avocado
Kale
Cinnamon
Red onion
Oats
Eggs
Turmeric
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

The above best foods for diabetics in detail:

Green leafy vegetables

Spinach, cabbage, broccoli, collard greens, and kale are the green leafy vegetables that are recommended by the medical experts to the people with diabetes. These foods contain the following essentials including

Vitamins
Minerals
Nutrients

Research shows that the above essentials in the green leafy vegetables along with the antioxidant properties can help a person to manage their blood sugar levels. Another study shows that making juice with kale green leafy vegetables can help a person with high blood pressure. People can also add these green leafy vegetables in their side dishes or while preparing chicken or tofu.

Whole grains

Brown rice, millet, rye, and whole-grain pasta are good examples of whole grains. These foods are rich in fiber and improve the function of the digestive tract system in people with diabetes. Maintaining a diet high in fiber can help you to manage your blood sugar levels. These foods have a lower impact on the blood sugar and that is why whole grains are the best foods for diabetics.

Fatty fish

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are the omega-3 fatty acids that are healthful fats present in fatty fish. Omega-3 fatty acids can promote

Heart health
Brain health

As per the American Diabetes Association (ADA), people with diabetes should maintain a diet which consists of the following fats including

Polyunsaturated
Monounsaturated

The above fats can control the levels of blood sugar in people with diabetes. Salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, and albacore tuna are the rich sources of the available fats which are necessary to the people who are suffering from diabetes.

Beans

Beans are the best food for diabetes and one should add beans into their diet to get the benefits of this food. This protein extracted from the plants and there is no side effects associated with this plant-based protein. Kidney beans, pinto beans, adzuki beans, black beans, and navy beans are the various types of beans and can offer health benefits to the people who are suffering from diabetes.

Beans help people with diabetes can regulate the levels of blood sugar and these beans also contain nutrients and it includes

Iron
Potassium
Magnesium

Walnuts

Walnuts contain healthy fatty acids like fish and can promote heart health. They are high in

Omega-3 fatty acids
Alpha-lipoic acid

Adding walnuts into the diet is necessary for people with diabetes as it can reduce the risk of heart diseases to diabetic people. Research shows that consuming walnuts can lower the risk of diagnosing diabetes.

Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits contain vitamins, minerals, and the following fruits have antidiabetic effects. These citrus fruits include

Oranges
Lemons
Grapefruits

Hesperidin and naringin are the 2 bioflavonoid antioxidants present in the oranges that are the sole reason for antidiabetic effects. People can get Vitamin C, Potassium, and folate by consuming citrus fruits. That is why citrus fruits are the best foods for diabetics.

Berries

All types of berries are rich in fiber and contain high antioxidant levels. Following are the various types of berries including

Blueberries
Raspberries
Blackberries
Strawberries

The above berries contain important vitamins like Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and important minerals like manganese, and Potassium. These berries can prevent oxidative stress which found in people with diabetes.

Sweet potatoes

When compared with white potatoes, sweet potatoes have a lower glycemic index. It means sweet potatoes do not release high amounts of sugar when compared with white potatoes. People can also get fiber, potassium and important vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin C. People can consume sweet potatoes in a variety of ways including

Mashed
Roasted
Baked
Boiled

Probiotic Yogurt

Probiotics can improve a person’s digestive system and help them to deal with problems like constipation and hard bowel movements. Research shows that consuming probiotic yogurt can reduce the levels of cholesterol in the people who are suffering from type 2 diabetes and it can promote heart health by reducing the risk of diagnosing with heart problems. Due to this reason, probiotic yogurt is one of the best foods for diabetics.

Chia seeds

Chia seeds contain high levels of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. It contains protein extracted naturally from the plant and chia seeds also rich in fiber which in turn improves your digestion. Research reveals that people with type 2 diabetes can manage their health with the help of chia seeds by adding them to their diet.

Quinoa

Quinoa is a whole grain and contains fiber and protein. This food can control your blood sugar levels and the proteins found in this food can make your body available for the process of carbohydrates easily.

Lentils

Lentils have high levels of resistant starch that can promote gut health and improves digestion. Resistant starch is a type of carb found in lentils can have a minimal impact and control the levels of blood sugar. Lentils are one of the best foods for diabetics.

Spinach

Spinach is one of the green leafy vegetables that can have a positive impact on people with diabetes. It promotes eye health and that is why it is very necessary for the people who are suffering from diabetes. Research shows that adults who consume cooked spinach daily which contains eight-hundred and thirty-nine milligrams of potassium reduces the risk in people with diabetes.

Ground Flaxseeds

People with diabetes should add ground flaxseeds in their diet and add in the following foods including

Oatmeal
Soup or smoothie
Salad

It helps people to maintain optimum levels of blood sugar and ground flaxseeds contain fiber and a plant-based chemical compound known as lignans.

Raw almonds

Consuming almonds anytime during your day as a snack can control the levels of blood sugar and almonds are rich in magnesium that can promote insulin sensitivity. Due to this reason, raw almonds are one of the best foods for diabetics.

Avocado

Avocado is a fatty fruit that doesn’t raise the levels of blood sugar in the people who are suffering from diabetes. This fatty fruit is rich in fiber and healthful fats, that improve digestion and prevent spikes in blood sugar.

Kale

Kale is also rich in fiber just like avocado. Research shows that a daily intake of sixteen grams of fiber can control blood glucose levels.

Cinnamon

Research shows that adding one teaspoon of cinnamon in the oats can regularize the levels of blood sugar in the body and can reduce fasting blood sugar. Powerful antioxidants present in the cinnamon which called polyphenols can improve insulin sensitivity and increases the body capacity to store more fat. Cinnamon is one of the best foods for diabetics.

Red onion

A recent study revealed that onion contains gut-healthy insoluble fiber that can raise the ghrelin levels. Ghrelin is a hormone that creates and controls hunger sensations in the human stomach and also reduces the blood sugar levels. Onions can reduce the high cholesterol levels and help a person to maintain optimum levels of blood pressure. It is better to eat raw onions for getting the best results and research shows that onion has proven for maintaining the strong cholesterol-lowering properties when compared with cooked onions.

Oats

Beta-glucan is a type of fiber found in oats, and this fiber has an anti-diabetic effect. Research shows that beta-glucans can control the levels of high blood sugar and blood pressure. Consume oatmeal once a day to get better results.

Eggs

Eggs can offer lots of health benefits and consider as one of the best foods for diabetics. Daily intake of eggs can lower the risk of diagnosing with heart diseases. Following are the benefits of daily consumption of eggs and it includes

Reduces inflammation
Improves insulin sensitivity
Promotes good high-density lipoprotein levels
Modify the shape of your bad low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels

Research shows that people who are suffering from type 2 diabetes should consume two eggs per day to see the improvements in cholesterol and the levels of blood sugar. Make sure that you are eating the whole egg because an egg yolk contains more nutrients than the egg white. Daily consumption of eggs not only control your blood sugar levels but can also

Reduces the risk of heart diseases
Promotes eye health, and
Keep you feeling full

Due to the above reasons, eggs are the best foods for diabetes.

Turmeric

Turmeric is full of health benefits and curcumin is an active ingredient present in turmeric can reduces inflammation and control the levels of blood sugar. It can also reduce the risk of diagnosing heart diseases.

Curcumin also promotes kidney health in people who are suffering from diabetes. Most people with diabetes also suffer from kidney-related disorders.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

It can improve your heart health and oleic acid present in the extra virgin olive oil can put the triglycerides and high-density lipoproteins at healthy levels which are usually at the Unhealthy levels in the people who are suffering from type 2 diabetes. Research shows that olive oil can significantly lower the risk of diagnosing with heart problems in some people. Polyphenols are an antioxidant present in olive oil can reduce inflammation and lower the levels of blood pressure.

Conclusion

Diabetes is a common health condition in older people and people can reduce the adverse effects associated with diabetes with the help of consuming the above foods. These are the best foods for diabetics and talk with your physician before you would like to add certain foods in your diet to manage blood sugar levels.

References

Categorized in:

Diabetes, Nutrition,

Last Update: June 16, 2020

List of Best Foods for Diabetics

Overview

What are the best foods for diabetics?