Diabetes: Top 10 Superfoods for Diabetics

While considering the healthy foods for diabetics, the main purpose is to keep your sugar level under control. If you have diabetes, you have to control the carbohydrates you eat, as it affects the blood sugar.

People having diabetes are more likely to suffer from heart problems and mental disorders. Hence, you must also eat foods that prevent other complications arising from diabetes, such as heart problems.

However, the good news is that the situation can be reversed and you can control the condition with a proper diabetic diet.

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If you have diabetes, it doesn’t mean that you have to deprive yourself of all good food. You can still continue to have a tasty but balanced diet and you don’t have to give up on all your favorite foods.

Eat nuts, fruits, vegetables, high fiber cereals, fish, eggs and beans as part of foods for diabetics.  Here are the top 10 superfoods that you should be including in your diet. Let’s take a look!!

Top 10 Super Foods for Diabetics

1. Beetroot

Drink a tall glass of beetroot juice if you’re battling with diabetes. Diabetics tend to leave out vegetables that contain natural sugar, but beets are high in alpha lipoic acid, and are very beneficial for diabetics with nerve damage.

Though it does contain natural sugars with a GI index of 64, it doesn’t easily convert into glucose. It is beneficial for diabetics who also have high cholesterol and blood pressure or are susceptible to heart diseases. Beetroot improves insulin sensitivity as well.

2. Best Diet for Diabetics: Go Nuts

Give up on those fries and pretzels and reach out for flaxseeds and nuts for a snack. Flaxseeds, almonds, roasted peanuts, pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds.

These are easy snacks to prepare and you can keep a proper control over glucose with these healthy snacks. They can also help curb hunger pangs, as the fat and protein content can satiate you. You can even add these nuts and seeds with fruits, as the protein and the fat will offset the carbohydrates present in fruits.

Nuts and seeds reduce bad cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and specifically, postprandial blood glucose level, as it contains healthy fats and fiber along with protein.

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3. Barley / Lentils

Whole grains like barley as well as legumes can bring down postprandial glucose levels and even insulinemia and are among the best foods for diabetics. If you include these whole grains and legumes during breakfast, it will reduce postprandial glucose levels at lunch or dinner and even a subsequent meal the next day.

However, the effect is lost when you mill or process the whole grains or cook it at a very high temperature. Low GI foods are absorbed more slowly and lead to smaller blood glucose level rises, so eat at least one serving of barley, oats or legumes during meals, as it is a beneficial food for diabetics.

4. Blueberries / Raspberries / Strawberries

You got it!! They’re all low on GI below 40. A sugar patient diet should surely include these fruits. Strawberries are very low in carbohydrates so you can enjoy a full cup of these, whereas you could safely have a ¾ cup serving of blueberries, blackberries or raspberries.

The myth that fruits contain natural sugar and are not safe has been debunked several times. Avoid fruit syrups that contain additional sugar. Whip these fruits into a diabetes friendly smoothie or just munch them. The fiber in these fruits can regular your blood sugar levels making them ideal foods for diabetics.

Tip: The trick here is to have the correct portion size.

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5. Oats – Food for Diabetic Patient

What foods are good for diabetics? Oats is an excellent go to food for diabetics, but the golden rule here is that you need to control the portions. One cup of cooked oats has about 30 grams carbohydrates and should be a suitable serving.  Add some nuts and fruit to it to make it a healthy breakfast.

Oatmeal has a low GI and in the pure form it can lessen needs for insulin injections, making it rank among the top foods for diabetics. It also improves heart health and as it is rich in fiber, it gives you a satiated feeling, thereby helping you in weight management as well.

6. Kale / Green Leafy Vegetables: Best Food for Diabetes Control

There are two types of vegetables: starchy and non-starchy ones. Stick to non-starchy veggies like Kale and other green leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, mustard greens, lettuce and asparagus. These veggies contain around 5 grams of carbs in half a cup cooked or 1 cup raw.

Kale belongs to the cabbage family and there are several varieties, such as the red Russian variety or the Asian one. Just add a little salt and some olive oil or just add it to other dishes. The calorie count is low and so is the carbs, whereas it is high in proteins. Cooked or sautéed Kale works well for reducing cholesterol and is one of the top foods for diabetics.

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7. Guava / Best Fruits for Diabetics

Eat guava without the skin to reduce the amount of sugar absorbed in the blood. Guava has plenty of dietary fiber so it can reduce chances of contracting type 2 diabetes. It also eases constipation, which is a common complaint among diabetics, thereby making it one of the excellent foods for diabetics.

Make a juice using a blender or a processor and remove the seeds. If you’re at risk for diabetes, why not try making guava leaf tea. There are several other fruits that are beneficial for diabetics.

Tip: The GI of the Guava pulp is rather low, but the skin can increase blood sugar levels, so steer clear of it.

8. Non Fat Yogurt

Non-fat or low-fat yogurt contains protein as well as top quality carbohydrates and can reduce spiking of blood sugar levels. Several studies also prove that the calcium present in yogurt can reduce chances of type 2 diabetes.

Tip: Stick to non-fat yogurt. Greek yogurt is especially beneficial among the foods for diabetics, as it has double the amount of protein.

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9. Bitter Gourd

It is a popular vegetable in Asia and is well known for reducing blood glucose levels, due to the presence of Charantin.

Take Bitter Gourd juice in the morning, preferably on an empty stomach, to reduce blood glucose levels. It purifies the blood and as it is rich in fiber, it can also help in weight loss. It stimulates the secretion of bile in the liver and leads to easy metabolism of fats.

10. Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate contains a lot of cocoa solids, large amounts of flavonoids and is low in carbs. Flavonoids help in improving sensitivity to insulin and can lower insulin resistance. It reduces fasting blood sugar levels and helps curb hunger cravings.

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Tip: Try diabetic chocolates made using sugar alcohols and sorbitol. However, don’t consume in large amounts, as it could have a laxative effect.

Wrap Up

The bottom line is to follow a diet rich in fruits and veggies among the list of foods for diabetics.  The super foods mentioned here are rich in fiber and vitamins. You can easily find them in local markets, so you don’t have to visit a specialty store.

Just take care to control the carbohydrates you intake, try losing weight to lower blood sugar and blood pressure. Be more physically active to reverse diabetes.

The good news is that you do have more control over your health than you think. Eat foods that are fibrous and full of nutrients.