As much treasured by our palate as sturdily condemned for the well-being of the line, sugars are vital for the body. But there are certain foods to avoid with high blood sugar. Let’s see what foods one must avoid in case of diabetes.
Conflicting what one might think, the human body (especially the brain) needs sugars to survive and gain energy. It is not right to completely eradicate them from your diet. However, this does not mean that you can overlook the quantities. On the contrary, it is desirable not to surpass their intake to avoid the development of ailments and pathologies.
When blood sugar levels are excessive, it is referred to as high blood sugar or hyperglycemia. It can lead to momentous complications, such as diabetes.
The bad thing is that high blood sugar has no identifiable symptoms at an early stage. For this cause, it is always vital to monitor the levels. On an empty stomach, it must be between 70 and 100 milligrams/deciliter.
Only when values are excessively high and for a long time can more recurrent symptoms of high blood sugar arise, such as dry mouth (and the need to drink often), blurred vision, tiredness, headaches and urinary infections.
The good news is that, in the majority of cases, a proper diet can help lower blood sugar before worrying consequences occur. So let’s find out which foods favor reducing blood sugar levels and which ones you should completely avoid.
The blood sugar.
Your blood sugar rises sharply after eating meals and drops dramatically at times of the day when you are fasting. An average healthy organism can maintain an adequate physiological range, balancing states in which the glycemia is more or less high.
You will be able to measure your blood sugar thanks to a laboratory analysis with the so-called Gluck or meter. High blood sugar can cause various problems, including atherosclerosis and vasculopathy, but above all, type 2 diabetes.
The first symptoms of this condition are mainly an invasive sense of fatigue, a continuous thirst, and the slow healing of even the smallest wounds. Therefore, it is highly recommended to consult your doctor and investigate by blood analysis, especially by examining the glucose load curve.
It is also possible to contact a dietician who will recommend dietary therapy to combat high blood sugar. Physical activity is of fundamental importance, and it is necessary to lose weight in cases of excess weight.
Causes.
What hurts the most and damages the blood’s balanced glucose levels is a sedentary lifestyle, an overweight condition that would sometimes lead to cardiovascular risks.
It is good to start a low-calorie diet by reducing all those foods composed of refined sugars and too many carbohydrates.
Remember, foods with a low glycemic index are whole grains or cereals not rich in soluble fiber, legumes, and fruits with a medium sweetness level.
To counteract the high blood sugar level, consume five to seven meals during the day, gradually reducing the calories of each dish and distributing them harmoniously in the main meals.
All you need to do to encourage the lowering of blood sugar.
Surely you will have to refer to meals and increase the fiber in your diet, especially those belonging to fresh and low-calorie vegetables such as fennel, zucchini, lettuce, and radicchio.
Season your dishes with extra virgin olive oil, even a good dose of fat contributes to blood sugar control. Don’t forget the proteins like chicken, cod, eggs, fresh ricotta, fresh spreadable cheeses, and so on.
Don’t forget all the foods rich in omega 3. These are certainly mackerel, sardine, herring, tuna, seaweed, and the like.
The seeds also play an important role. The ‘alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) to find more in soy and flaxseed than in those kiwis and grapes. Even antioxidants can make their important contribution, protect from free radicals, and fight oxidative stress.
Then there are the vitamins contained in vegetables and red fruits and orange ones such as apricots, bell peppers, melon, peaches, pumpkin, tomatoes, etc. Still, they are also present in crustaceans and milk.
Vitamin C is also fundamental in lemons, mandarins, grapefruits, oranges, kiwis, peppers, chicory, etc. Finally, the vitamin is present in wheat, corn, sesame, and vegetables.
Antioxidants.
It is also good to give space to foods rich in non-life antioxidants that manage to control the symbolic text to optimize the functioning of the metabolism. Furthermore, a very important function is they reduce the digestibility of carbohydrates. We find them above all in onion, garlic, cherries, citrus fruits, pomegranate, grapes, berries, wine, oil seeds, tea, whole grains, coffee, and cocoa.
Allow a long period between dinner and breakfast the following day since increasing the fasting period can safely improve blood sugar.
Foods to limit or avoid to counteract high blood sugar.
Among the foods to avoid and eliminate, we certainly find all those belonging to the macro category of junk foods.
It is bad to overeat foods rich in refined carbohydrates, such as pizza, bread, potatoes, etc. While in the context of proteins, one must ban fatty meats from the diet.
All foods with a high glycemic index are refined cereals, bread crusts, drinks such as very sweet fruit juices, various snacks, and the like. It is also good to have light meals, avoid excessively abundant, and compose dishes in a balanced way.
Among the various macronutrients, it is not necessary to eliminate carbohydrates, and the choice of these will make the difference. We must prefer all those whole grains that we have almost forgotten are not part of our diet as usual. We mainly refer to buckwheat, quinoa, whole meal basmati rice, barley, spelt couscous, and so on.
Limit sugary drinks, sweet spirits, and beer. Also, avoid all foods rich in bad fats such as fatty cheeses, cream, determine cuts of meat, cured meats, oils similar to palm oil, margarine, sweet and savory snacks, and packaged baked goods as they are rather dedicated to genuine homemade preparations.
Finally, it is also necessary to pay attention to the types of fruit you choose to eat: bananas, grapes, and dried fruit are more loaded with glucose.
High blood sugar: recommended foods.
A classic diet to counter high blood sugar is wealthy in green leafy vegetables such as turnip greens, spinach, cabbage, lettuce, rocket, broccoli, and asparagus.
We must never forget to take fresh seasonal fruit (containing natural sugars), favoring apples, oranges, pears, strawberries, medlars, peaches, raspberries, and apricots.
Another crucial food to keep blood sugar at haven is whole grains, which contain fiber. It is, hence, necessary to prefer rice, whole meal pasta and bread instead of refined products. Moreover, variety is always refreshing, so you can also include oats, millet, and quinoa in the diet.
At the same time, the vegetables are buddies against high blood sugar, specifically chickpeas, lentils and beans, which help diminish the absorption of sugars.
Lastly, adding sesame, flax, pumpkin, chia and sunflower seeds to dishes is favorable that provides brilliant sources of protein and mineral salts, namely magnesium and iron.
Remedies for high blood sugar.
First, you must start with a healthy and balanced diet. Don’t forget to include a fair amount of physical activity in your week, as a minimum of two or four times a week for at least 30 minutes.
Motor activity reduces the amount of sugar in the blood, and it is possible to improve the good functionality of your metabolism. It also improves your hormonal status by optimizing blood sugar even at rest and promoting your weight loss.
Herbal teas and precious ingredients.
There are also many herbal teas able to keep the amount of glucose at bay. We also find eucalyptus, which has a hypoglycemic effect thanks to the conspicuous content of antioxidant polyphenols. Elderberry myrtle is also very beneficial as it has an insulin-stimulating action. Ginseng is a valid ally since it reduces the absorption of carbohydrates and puts the release of insulin.
The diet against high blood sugar.
Undertaking a diet against blood sugar means preventing the final consequence, which is diabetes itself, unfortunately, an increasingly widespread disease worldwide. There are some rules to be carried out to avoid glycemic peaks. We must first remember the so-called vegetables, characterized by a very low quantity of sugars and, therefore, low-calorie, green leafy ones, legumes, apples, and pears.
One of the most beneficial allies is certainly the tomato. If you eat it fresh with a drizzle of extra virgin oil, thanks to its high lycopene content, it is a very useful food against cancer.
Remember to consume whole carbohydrates, ideal against blood sugar, and prefer all foods, as mentioned above, rich in fiber to slow down the absorption of sugar into the blood.
Also, remember to limit potatoes, and all products will get refined. All super-calorie sweet foods, such as ice cream, should be extremely limited.
If we can’t get away from our eating habits, we can’t reduce the doses as a first step.
Replace the sugar.
Try to favor all sweet but, above all-natural substitutes for sugar such as agave syrup, honey, 100% natural maple syrup, and dates as a dried fruit.
Always carefully choose lipids or the good fats we mentioned earlier, therefore rich in omega 3. Recommended extra virgin olive oil intake and a good daily dose of dried fruit and avocado is 30/40 g.
In addition to diet and drugs that lower blood sugar, the following also affect blood sugar:
1) Stress.
When stressed, the body releases additional stress hormones. The body is put on warning, the heart beats faster, and the blood pressure rises. The body needs energy for this. Stress, therefore, usually increases blood sugar levels.
In addition, in times of great stress, we can quickly forget something, such as taking the medication, or make careless mistakes in the rush of time and calculate the insulin dose incorrectly. When we are stressed, we often unconsciously eat more or smoke.
It is, therefore, even more important than for metabolically healthy people: Avoid prolonged stress. Use relaxation techniques and organize yourself so that stress does not become a burden. You should also check your blood sugar more often during stressful phases.
2) Move.
Physical activity has a positive influence on insulin sensitivity. Since the insulin requirement is lower during and after exercise, particularly long and intensive sporting activities must be planned with the medication.
In particular, the basal insulin, whether injected in the form of long-acting insulin or delivered at a basal rate from the insulin pump, must be reduced by the right amount. Discuss this with your diabetes team.
Check your blood sugar before exercise, especially during prolonged activity, between and afterwards. If your levels are too low, get enough carbohydrates before exercising.
It is also practical to have a small portion of fast-acting carbohydrates, for example, in the form of dextrose cubes or liquid sugar, within reach so that you can react quickly if necessary.
Regular exercise can also reduce the need for insulin in the long term.
3) Alcohol.
Alcohol has a negative effect on blood sugar levels and can cause hypoglycemia. Drink a maximum of 1 to 2 small glasses per day! (1 glass corresponds to approx. 0.1 l wine/sparkling wine or 0.25 l beer).
Note that alcohol has the highest calorie content after fat and, therefore, significantly influences the development of obesity. In addition, alcohol inhibits the release of glucose from the liver stores (gluconeogenesis), which lowers blood sugar. Even with a minimal blood alcohol level, the sugar release is disturbed.
The more alcohol a diabetic person drinks, the stronger and longer this metabolic process inhibits. However, how much alcohol lowers the blood sugar level cannot be calculated. Blood sugar will drop even further with drugs that lower blood sugar or insulin. Hypoglycemia usually occurs four to six hours after drinking alcohol. Pronounced hypoglycemia during sleep can even be life-threatening.
4) Diseases.
Every concomitant illness represents an additional burden on the body and, in people with diabetes, also impacts metabolism. In particular, infections with and without fever can affect blood sugar control, causing a massive imbalance. The body is in an alarm position, and the stress hormones cause blood sugar to rise.
Every infectious disease reduces insulin sensitivity and increases the need for insulin. The insulin requirement often increases by 30 to 50% with the same food intake. It may require temporary insulin treatment. Patients who have already taken insulin compensate for this by taking more frequent glucose tests and adjusting the insulin dose accordingly. Appropriate training courses from your diabetologist convey the necessary knowledge.
If values are above 13.3 mmol/l (240 mg/dl), make sure to test ketone bodies. In such situations, regular blood sugar tests, drinking plenty of water, and insulin dose adjustments are necessary to control blood sugar. Talk to your doctor about this!
Important:
Consult a doctor in good time if vomiting and diarrhea persist, even when you are on vacation. Then have your therapy regimen and your insulin ready.
Please note:
Medicines for other diseases, such as cortisone or prednisolone for treating asthma or skin diseases, can also affect the blood sugar level. Therefore, discuss the medication’s possible side effects or interactions with your doctor and how the therapy may need to be adjusted before taking it.
5) Diet.
Losing weight on a diet can reduce the need for insulin.
6) Menstruation.
In some women, normal hormonal fluctuations impact the metabolism, and depending on the cycle phase, the need for insulin varies.
Conclusion.
Always remember that to undertake a speech aimed at weight loss, a diet framed according to your physical needs, you always need medical advice that will be able to indicate the right path to start after a meticulous investigation through various types of examinations.
Don’t be afraid of the new challenge of eating in accordance with diabetes. Just change the composition of your menus, eat consciously, and take a walk after meals. Also, try to get your family or colleagues excited about your new nutritional concept. Such challenges are much easier to master together than alone.