how to reduce blood sugar level
that help control your blood glucose and the benefits they offer beyond the prevention of diabetes. how to reduce blood sugar level.
The main energy fuel in our body is glucose, which is derived from many of the nutrients and foods we consume. However, frequently high levels of this sugar can be harmful to health. Therefore, we show you the foods that help control your blood glucose and the benefits they offer beyond the prevention of diabetes. how to reduce blood sugar level.
The benefits of keeping glucose under control
As we have said, glucose is the most used and preferred energy currency in our blood for most of our organs. Thus, it is essential that it circulates in adequate amounts throughout the body.
However, frequent glucose peaks due to the fact that we eat foods with high sugar content regularly, are detrimental to health even with a preserved and healthy metabolism, since they promote the release of anabolic hormones such as insulin, which among other things, can promote fat storage.
In an organism with altered metabolism such as those with diabetes or incipient insulin resistance that indicates a state of prediabetes, glucose levels are no longer so stable but can rise beyond normal.
If hyperglycemia is frequent, that is, if blood glucose rises above 110 mg / dL frequently, it can gradually alter the functioning of different organs and end up generating type 2 diabetes mellitus. of glucose higher than 180 mg / dL the kidneys can be affected, as well as different peripheral nerves that can damage, for example, sight.
If, on the other hand, hypoglycemia or glucose in the blood below 70 mg / dL are frequently caused, we may initially experience dizziness, cold sweats, lack of coordination and concentration, sleep and even nausea, but if the hypoglycemia is persistent and accentuated it may damage brain cells causing in extreme cases a diabetic coma due to lack of energy fuel.
For all this, maintaining relatively stable levels of glucose in the body is recommended not only for those with diabetes but also to maintain the health of a functional and metabolically stable body.
Foods that help keep blood sugar under control
As we have said, it would be advisable to maintain blood glucose between 70 and 110 mg / dL in periods of fasting, being able to rise in the artical-ingestion periods without ever exceeding 200 mg / dL in a healthy body. To do this, our diet must be based on quality foods that offer fiber and a low glycemic index, the following being especially useful to keep glucose under control:
Whole grains or whole grains
The high level of fiber in whole grains and whole grains, as well as their vegetable proteins, allow these foods to offer hydrates that gradually raise blood glucose, favoring glycemic control, as shown by studies.
That is, they are ingredients with a low glycemic index that we can use not only to prevent hyperglycemia but also drops in blood glucose in our body.
For this reason, we recommend including ingredients such as brown rice, flaked oats, whole wheat and derivatives, or other cereals such as millet, spelled, barley, rye in our regular diet.
Extra virgin olive oil for its richness in monounsaturated fatty acids can benefit glycemic control as well as metabolic health, as has been shown in people with diabetes.
Of course, it is important to include it in the framework of a healthy diet, with other quality foods that protect the proper functioning of the body and help maintain correct blood glucose levels.
Vegetables
Legumes, with their skin preserved after cooking and unprocessed excessively, are a low-glycemic food that can easily satiate and provide glucose without falling into sudden elevations in the blood.
Our recommendation is its inclusion in various dishes together with healthy ingredients such as fruits and vegetables, lean meats or others that favor the reduction of the glycemic index and therefore, the good control of blood glucose.
Nuts and seeds
Both food groups are sources of fiber, unsaturated fats and vegetable proteins with a low content of carbohydrates. For this reason, together with some sources of hydrates, they are a very useful resource to reduce the glycemic index of dishes.
Nuts have been associated with better glycemic control, especially there are studies on pistachios, but also, research on the effect of certain seeds shows benefits of their consumption, especially to control fasting glucose as well as the release of insulin in the body.
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Its consumption is recommended in a minimum of five daily servings and this is due to the many benefits that it can offer, being especially useful to improve glycemic control.
Fresh fruits and vegetables offer glucose but slowly and without excesses to the body, thus being the perfect wildcard when we seek to prevent both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.
We can combine fruits and vegetables with other sources of carbohydrates or, with proteins and healthy fats for an alternative with an even lower glycemic index.
In this case, we advise avoiding fruit juices (even natural and homemade ones) as well as smoothies, since the best thing is to consume the piece of fruit or vegetable as such to enjoy its benefits and optimize glycemic control.
These are the foods that help control blood glucose and you already know that the benefits of keeping your blood sugar stable go beyond preventing diabetes.
