The foods you eat, the time of day you eat, and the amounts you eat can affect your blood sugar.
It is important to pay attention to its values, because if they are elevated, hyperglycemia can occur, which leads to serious chronic conditions, such as heart disease, kidney damage and nerve damage.
While genetics can have a big impact on blood sugar, your food choices can also have a big impact.
Fortunately, there are many habits that can help keep blood sugar within normal limits, but the best dietary habit to lower blood sugar is to reduce your intake of refined sugar from food and beverages.
We know that eating less sweets can be a difficult task for some, but it’s worth trying to make small changes to start with, which lead to big progress and overall health benefits later on.
We are talking about added sugar, but not all sources of sugar
It is important to distinguish between the types of sugar commonly found in foods and beverages. Added sugar, the type that has the worst effect on blood sugar levels and the onset of numerous health problems, is one of the main ingredients in juices, caffeinated beverages, sweets, pastries, cereals and many processed foods. This form of sugar has no nutritional value other than being loaded with calories.
Other forms of sugar, such as that found naturally in fruit, do not have the same effect on blood sugar as added sugar and come with many vitamins and minerals in the foods they contain. Therefore, fruit intake in general does not have to be monitored to a large extent when it comes to blood sugar management.
How to reduce your intake of added sugar?
Reducing your sugar intake may seem difficult, but be encouraged to think that each reduction in sugar intake can bring you closer to your goal of improving your blood sugar levels. It is important to make changes that are sustainable.
Eating habits to improve blood sugar regulation
In addition to eating smaller amounts of added sugar each day, there are other dietary habits that can make a difference.
- Exercise several times a week to improve insulin resistance and increase carbohydrate consumption.
- Eat more fiber-rich foods that will slow the release of sugar into the bloodstream and increase feelings of satiety.
- Pair protein and fat with carbohydrate sources to improve satiety and achieve even blood sugar levels. For example, instead of consuming flakes with milk, combine them with yogurt and nuts.
- Maintain good portion control, which will result in consuming small amounts of sweets and keeping control of your total added sugar intake.
