Introduction
If you’re looking to get the healthiest blood sugar possible, you’ve come to the right place. Eating the right foods can help you maintain healthy blood sugar levels and reduce your risk of developing diabetes. In this article, we’ll discuss the best foods to eat and the worst foods to avoid in order to get the healthiest blood sugar possible. We’ll also provide some tips on how to make healthier food choices and how to incorporate these foods into your diet. By following these guidelines, you can help ensure that your blood sugar levels remain in a healthy range.
How to Get the Healthiest Blood Sugar Possible — Eat This Not That
Having healthy blood sugar levels is essential for overall health and wellbeing. Eating the right foods and avoiding the wrong ones can help you maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Here are some tips on what to eat and what to avoid to get the healthiest blood sugar possible.
Eat This
- Whole grains: Whole grains are a great source of fiber, which helps slow down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. Choose whole grain breads, cereals, and pastas.
- Fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Choose fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables for the most nutritional value.
- Lean proteins: Lean proteins such as fish, chicken, and beans are a great source of protein and can help keep blood sugar levels stable.
- Healthy fats: Healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts, and avocados can help keep blood sugar levels stable and provide essential nutrients.
Not That
- Refined grains: Refined grains such as white bread, white rice, and white pasta are stripped of their fiber and can cause a spike in blood sugar levels.
- Sugary drinks: Sugary drinks such as soda, juice, and energy drinks can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels.
- Processed meats: Processed meats such as bacon, sausage, and hot dogs are high in saturated fat and can cause a spike in blood sugar levels.
- Trans fats: Trans fats are found in processed and fried foods and can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels.
By following these tips, you can help maintain healthy blood sugar levels and enjoy a healthier lifestyle. Eating the right foods and avoiding the wrong ones can help you get the healthiest blood sugar possible.
When it comes to blood sugar, you don’t want levels to be too low (hypoglycemia) or too high (hyperglycemia). “If you have high blood sugar levels for a long time, you’re going to be prone to infections — eyes, heart, kidneys, nerves — in all of those things,” says endocrinologist and obesity specialist Marcio Griebeler, MD. Here are five proven methods to get the healthiest blood sugar possible. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
Maintaining a healthy weight is key to helping keep blood sugar levels under control. “If you have excess weight, losing even 5% of your total body weight can dramatically boost your health. Weight loss can not only improve your blood sugar levels but can lower high blood pressure, heart disease risk and even the amount of medication you take,” says registered dietitian Andrea Dunn.
Keep blood sugar levels stable by not eating too close to bedtime. “Don’t skip meals, or you will get hungry and tend to overeat later,” says Julia Zumpano, RD, LD. “Eating late at night is associated with elevated sugar levels in people with prediabetes, so we recommend you make lunch your largest meal and eat nothing starting three hours before bed.”
You don’t have to give up carbs to maintain healthy blood sugar—but be wise about which ones you eat. “Begin choosing whole-grain breads and pastas, brown rice and wild rice. Focus on the first ingredient ‘whole’ and at least three grams of fiber per serving,” says Zumpano. “Limit your carb intake to about 1 cup (or two slices of bread) per meal. Load up on vegetables, particularly non-starchy veggies. The fiber in vegetables and legumes will help you feel full and satisfied. If you are going to drink, choose spirits with a no-calorie mixer, light beer, spritzers or dry wine. They contain the fewest carbs.”
Even an infrequent missed meal can interfere with diabetes medication, leading to high or low blood sugar, experts warn. “If you take medications for diabetes that can cause low blood sugars, you should try not to skip meals,” says registered dietitian Carolyn Garvey. “If you’re just not up to eating on a regular schedule, talk to your doctor about diabetes medications that won’t cause low blood sugars.”
Did you know women’s insulin sensitivity can be impacted by their menstrual cycle? “The menstrual cycle can be challenging for most women, but particularly to women with diabetes, and this is because the hormonal fluctuations that occur during the menstrual cycle do affect blood sugar levels,” says Betsy Dokken, Ph.D., N.P. “What we typically see in clinical practice is that the week before a woman starts to menstruate, these hormonal changes increase what we call ‘insulin resistance,’ and so, the insulin that either the woman makes or that she takes by injection doesn’t work quite as well. Then, when menstruation begins, the blood sugar levels tend to drop a little bit.”
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