Best Foods to Control Diabetes
There are diet and lifestyle interventions that can help keep your blood sugar levels stable and may help prevent or slow the progression of this disease.
1. Beans or Legumes
One of the best nutrients for keeping blood sugar levels stable is fiber, which is why beans make the top of our list. These nourishing foods contain roughly 15 grams of fiber per cup, which helps to slow stomach emptying, keep us feeling fuller for longer and slows the release of glucose into the bloodstream. They are also an excellent plant-based source of protein, making them a great addition to any diabetes eating plan.
2. Non-Starchy Vegetables
These foods are great sources of fiber and antioxidants, which can work together to control blood sugar levels and decrease inflammation in the body. They are very low in carbohydrates and so have minimal to no effect on blood sugar.
3. Lean Protein
Protein takes longer to digest than carbohydrates, which can slow stomach emptying and lead to better blood sugar levels. Protein is also required to make insulin and create healthy muscles. The more lean muscle mass we have, the more blood sugar we can use for energy. Great sources of lean proteins include:
- Chicken and poultry.
- Cold water fish like salmon, tilapia, cod or haddock.
- Eggs.
- Shellfish like shrimp, mussels, scallops, lobster or clams.
- Lean cuts of beef or pork.
4. Nuts and Seeds
These foods contain fiber, healthy fats and protein all of which work together to nourish your body and keep your blood sugar levels balanced. Enjoy small amounts of the following and rotate through different ones regularly–each nut and seed has different nutrient profiles and antioxidants, which can help you feel healthier.
- Walnuts.
- Almonds.
- Pistachios.
- Macadamia nuts.
- Flax seeds.
- Cashews.
- Peanuts.
- Hemp hearts.
- Sunflower seeds.
- Pumpkin seeds.
Since Type 2 Diabetes is primarily a disease of blood sugar balance, learning which foods can help take some of the pressure off your insulin production can help control your diabetic symptoms and blood sugar levels. The American Diabetes Association has developed a great tool to help create a healthy diet with the Diabetes Plate Method, so let's look at some of these foods in more detail:
The Difference Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
For the purpose of this article, the focus is going to be on Type 2 diabetes, which differs from Type 1 diabetes in some important ways. Type 1 diabetes is the result of an attack on the pancreas by immune cells.
This attack is the result of an autoimmune disease and eventually eliminates the pancreas’s ability to make insulin, a hormone that is required to manage blood sugar levels and keep them in an optimal range. Those people with Type 1 diabetes require ongoing and regular monitoring of their blood sugar levels in addition to daily insulin injections.
As mentioned above, Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease, rather than an autoimmune disease, and it makes up roughly 95% of all diabetic cases in America. Unlike Type 1 diabetes in which the pancreas no longer can make insulin, Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance or a relative insulin deficiency.
The body still can produce insulin, but may not be able to make enough to keep blood sugar levels stable and healthy. Over time if the intake of sugars or excess carbohydrates continues, the cells in the body may become less receptive to the effects of insulin, which is the first step on the road to Type 2 Diabetes.
Insulin is a crucial hormone produced by the pancreas that stabilizes blood sugar levels within a healthy range. One of its main jobs is to send a message to your body’s cells that it is time to uptake blood sugar out of circulation into the cell to be used as energy or stored for later.
If your cells stop responding to insulin’s message all that blood sugar keeps circulating in the bloodstream. Elevated blood sugar levels can have many negative health effects including:
- Increased risk of hypertension or heart disease.
- Hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia.
- Diabetic ketoacidosis.
- Dysregulation of the immune system.
- Increase the risk of stroke or peripheral artery disease.
- Increased risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
- Diabetic neuropathy, nephropathy or retinopathy.
Left untreated, the long-term effects of imbalanced blood sugar levels can lead to severe consequences including vision loss or amputation. Fortunately, incorporating a diabetic-friendly eating plan into your treatment can go a long way to keeping blood sugar stable!
Symptoms of Diabetes
The body is incredibly good at keeping itself in homeostasis, or balance, and so the initial signs of Type 2 diabetes can be subtle. However, watch for these common symptoms that may indicate an underlying issue with your blood sugar levels:
- Blurry vision.
- Excessive hunger or thirst.
- Frequent urination.
- Lack of energy or fatigue.
- Wounds that heal slowly.
- Constantly getting sick or developing infections.
- Unexplained weight gain or loss.
- Numbness or tingling in your hands and/or feet.
- Difficulty getting or maintaining an erection.
It’s also important to know what puts you at diabetes risk. These risk factors should be considered in conjunction with symptoms when discussing your health with your doctor:
- Older than 45.
- Have prediabetes.
- Excessive weight.
- Have an immediate family member with diabetes.
- Had gestational diabetes.
- Are not physically active 3 or more times per week.
- Are of Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Pacific Islander descent.
If you are experiencing the above symptoms and any of the risk factors mentioned above, it is worth talking to your doctor about running blood sugar tests to see if you have diabetes or are on the path to prediabetes.
Some other lifestyle and treatment suggestions to help control diabetes include:
- Regularly moving your body–doing so helps keep blood sugar levels stable by using glucose for energy. Find a physical activity you enjoy and do it more than 3 times per week.
- Quit smoking–smokers have a 30-40% increased risk of developing diabetes.
- Eliminate or significantly decrease alcohol consumption
- Practice stress management techniques
- Prioritize deep, restful sleep
- Take prescribed medications such as metformin, insulin and semaglutides like Ozempic, GLP-1 agonists or alpha-glucosidase inhibitors.
Living With Diabetes
About 38 million Americans are living with diabetes, which equals out to about 1 out of every 10 people in the country, approximately 95% of whom have Type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, rates of this chronic disease continue to climb every year, with people being diagnosed younger and younger. If untreated, diabetes can have devastating long-term effects on your health and lead to a decreased quality of life.
By incorporating some or all of these suggestions into your daily routine you will be well on your way to keeping blood sugar levels balanced and controlling Type 2 diabetes.
Read on to learn more about the symptoms of EoE.