6 Foods, Herbs, And Spices To Lower Blood Glucose Levels

When a person is diabetic, it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle by exercising daily and following a low fat diet plan. Eating low glycemic foods, which are foods that break down and digest slowly in the body, is also an important practice for diabetics to follow to keep their blood sugar levels in check. So to help with this important matter, listed below are seven foods, herbs, and spices that are known to naturally lower blood glucose levels.

Red Cabbage

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Red cabbage has high amounts of a substance known as “anthocyanins”. Anthocyanins are pigments which is what gives the cabbage its red color. Studies have shown that when anthocyanins were given to mice, they showed an increased production of insulin by fifty percent. Since mice have had such a positive outcome when given this substance, it is possible that humans can have the same effects as well.

Cinnamon

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Such a delicious spice, and can be added to breakfast to reap its benefits. Cinnamon has natural components that help insulin to move glucose into cells so it can be stored as energy. One study showed that when taking cinnamon on a daily basis in the amount of one quarter to a half a teaspoon, blood glucose levels dropped by eighteen to twenty nine percent.

Apples

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Some people may think apples are sweet, they can lower a person’s blood sugar? Apparently yes it can. Apples contain a substance known as “ursolic acid”. Ursolic acid is a waxy substance found in apples that’s responsible for lowering blood glucose levels. It is mainly concentrated inside the apple peel and it raises the activity level of the receptors for insulin.

Oatmeal

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Oatmeal is a good breakfast option when selecting foods to keep blood sugar levels in check. When purchasing the oatmeal, make sure it’s unsweetened. Even though oatmeal falls under the carbohydrate category, it’s considered a good or healthy carbohydrate and it’s great for diabetics or anyone to eat. Also, when oatmeal is ingested into the body, because it is broken down slowly and high in soluble fiber, it won’t cause the blood glucose levels to spike. It will keep levels stabilized and control blood sugar over a certain period of time.

Granola

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Another low glycemic food that can be enjoyed with breakfast sprinkled over the top of oatmeal, or eaten at some other time of the day as well. This too is high in soluble fiber and helps with lowering blood glucose levels by not creating a sudden increase in glucose levels.

Nuts

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Nuts such as peanuts, almonds, pecans, macadamian, and walnuts are helpful as well. The key component here in all these nuts is their protein content. The protein in the nuts helps the insulin in the human body to perform better. However, an important fact to point out here is that nuts have a high fat content and diabetics need to maintain a low fat diet plan, so the amount eaten needs to be taken into consideration.

Nature is amazing, and has provided everyone not just diabetics with healing foods to control and maintain blood glucose levels. All of these foods, herbs, and spices provide diabetics with the ability to take control of their health in a natural and quite tasty manner.

Paul Jackson is a health food and diet blogger who has appeared on many different sites sharing his experience and knowledge on his favorite subject all across the internet