Health Ministries

5 Foods That Fight Diabetes

Close to 86 million American adults have pre-diabetes; 90% of them don’t know it. Diabetes is a rampant ugly disease that is stealing the health and life of millions.

Every cell in the body depends on a constant supply of a sugar called glucose. Although the body is very efficient in converting certain foods into glucose, if have pre/diabetes, your cells may have difficulty absorbing this sugar.

That’s where insulin comes in because it shuttles the simple sugars in the blood stream throughout the body, ensuring that each cell is nourished.

Staving off diabetes by effectively regulating your blood sugar can help protect against kidney damage, slow-healing, and loss of vision.

These natural foods might help you to control your blood sugar:

1.    Cinnamon: Cinnamon is an aromatic spice that comes from the bark of trees in the Cinnamomum family. This popular holiday spice has a rich, almost sweet flavor.
According to the American Diabetes Association, cinnamon lowers overall blood sugar after 40 days of consecutive consumption.

An easy way to add this spice to your diet is to sprinkle it over oatmeal.

2.    Ginseng: According to the eCAM study, “Ginseng on Hyperglycemia: Effects and Mechanisms,” ginseng lowers fasting and post-meal blood sugar levels.

Although researchers don’t know how/why this works, many believe that ginseng protects pancreatic beta-cells.

Ginseng is a blood thinner, so be careful if you take blood-thinning medications.

3.    Broccoli: Broccoli is one of the most powerful foods you can add to your diet.  It contains more chromium than any other easily obtainable vegetable.

Several studies have demonstrated that chromium stabilizes blood sugar. And get this: a single serving of broccoli contains 53% of the Dietary Reference Intake for the mineral.

4.    Oatmeal: Fiber helps to stabilize blood sugar; and oatmeal is full of fiber.

One cup of whole oats provides 16 grams of life-sustaining fiber. Enjoying this kind of healthy breakfast may decrease diabetes risk.²

5.    Peanuts: The Harvard School of Public Health has demonstrated that consuming peanuts in moderation, or a spoonful of peanut butter in the morning, can help control blood sugar.

Peanuts score 14 on the glycemic index; they release sugar content into the body slowly. This keeps you feeling full and may prevent cravings for sugary foods.

With what we know today, incorporating these five foods into your diet could give you an edge in winning against diabetes.

Important: check with your doctor before making any major changes to your diet.

Lastly, food allergies seem to be increasingly more prevalent today. So be cautious of any potential food allergies in consuming foods you haven’t tried before.

² http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=412391