5 superfoods for diabetes you didn’t know about
These superfood are the best to incorporate in your diabetes diet.
Dark chocolate
Chocolate is rich in flavonoids, and research shows that these nutrients reduce insulin resistance, improve insulin sensitivity, drop insulin levels and fasting blood glucose, and blunt cravings. But not all chocolate is created equal.
In a 2008 study from the University of Copenhagen, people who ate dark chocolate reported that they felt less like eating sweet, salty or fatty foods compared to volunteers given milk chocolate, with its lower levels of beneficial flavonoids (and, often, more sugar and fat, too).
Dark chocolate also cut the amount of pizza that volunteers consumed later in the same day, by 15 per cent.
The flavonoids in chocolate have also been shown to lower stroke risk, calm blood pressure and reduce your risk for a heart attack by 2 per cent over five years.
Broccoli
Broccoli is an anti-diabetes superhero.
As with other cruciferous vegies, like kale and cauliflower, it contains a compound called sulforaphane, which triggers several anti-inflammatory processes that improve blood sugar control and protect blood vessels from the cardiovascular damage that’s often a consequence of diabetes.
(Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people with diabetes, so this protection could be a lifesaver.)
Sulforaphane also helps flip on the body’s natural detox mechanisms, coaxing enzymes to turn dangerous cancer-causing chemicals into more innocent forms that the body can easily release.
Blueberries
Blueberries really stand out.
They are a good source of fibre: both insoluble fibre (which “flushes” fat out of your system) and soluble fibre (which slows down the emptying of your stomach, and improves blood sugar control).
In a study by the United States Department of Agriculture, people who consumed 2.5 cups of wild blueberry juice per day for 12 weeks lowered their blood glucose levels, lifted depression and improved their memories.
Researchers credit these results to anthocyanins in the berries, a natural chemical that shrinks fat cells and also stimulates the release of adiponectin, a hormone that regulates blood glucose levels, among other things.
Increasing adiponectin levels can help keep blood sugar low and increase our sensitivity to insulin.
Steel-cut oats
You may not think of porridge as a superfood, but it can help reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Oats contain high amounts of magnesium, which helps the body use glucose and secrete insulin properly.
An eight-year trial showed a 19 per cent decrease in type 2 diabetes’ risk in women with a magnesium-rich diet, and a 31 per cent decreased risk in women who regularly ate whole grains.
Steel-cut oats are just as easy to cook as quick-cooking porridge, but when grains are left whole they are filled with the fibre, nutrients and bound antioxidants that challenge digestion in a good way, allowing blood sugar to remain more stable. You should aim for 25-35 grams per day.
Fish
Fish is a slimming star: rich in protein, it will help to keep you satisfied; but also, fish contains a special type of fat that helps cool inflammation.
Thousands of studies show that people with the highest blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids have less body-wide inflammation, the very inflammation that leads to and worsens diabetes and weight problems.
A fish-rich diet can also reduce your risk of developing health problems, especially stroke, as a result of your diabetes.
People who ate baked, broiled or steamed fish reduced their odds for a stroke by 3 per cent, as reported in a 2010 Emory University study.
(However, fried fish – such as fast-food fish sandwiches, fish sticks and fried seafood of any type – increased risk.)
Written by Erin Palinkski-Wade. This article first appeared in Reader’s Digest. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, here’s our best subscription offer.