People diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should include these foods in their diet to keep their blood sugar under control and boost their overall health.
Including these foods in the diet can help the diabetics in improving the condition and even reduce the chances of getting diagnosed with the condition.
Here are the foods one should include in their diet to keep diabetes at bay:
Citrus fruits
A research from the Harvard School of Public Health revealed consumption of citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit and clementines boosts health by controlling blood sugar. It also helps control cholesterol levels.
These fruits contain an anti-inflammatory compound called hesperidin and soluble fibres. The research stated the eating the entire fruit helps reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes.
Plant-based diets
Vegetarians have a comparatively lower risk of getting type 2 diabetes. A study published in the Journal of Preventive Medicine in 2012 states that a high nutrient density diet (HND) — which means including more of fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts in daily consumption — is very beneficial for diabetics.
Participants who followed this diet for a span of seven months had depleted levels of blood pressure, triglycerides and HgbA1c or Glycated haemoglobin, a form of haemoglobin that is measured primarily to identify the three-month average plasma glucose concentration.
It also raised the levels of their good cholesterol (HDL) and their blood glucose levels was in the normal range.
Chickpeas
Chickpeas are known for lowering the glycemic index. Beans and lentils also have the same impact on health. A new research even states that consuming legumes could have a therapeutic impact on the health.
A study published in Archives of Internal Medicine in 2012 also revealed that participants who consumed a cup of legumes for three months had lower levels of haemoglobin A1c and blood pressure compared to the participants who didn't have it.
Green leafy vegetables
Diabetics aged 64 and above who included non-starchy green veggies and leafy greens in their diet in high quantities had decreased levels of HgbA1c and heart health related risks.
The best results were observed when an intake of 200g of vegetables were per day (about 3 to 3 ½ cups), with at least 70g from green veggies (about ¾ to 1 cup).
Cinnamon
This spice helps increase insulin sensitivity in the body, which results in maintaining the blood sugar level better. The research about how exactly cinnamon helps in controlling blood sugar and the exact amount of intake of this spice that's needed is still on, but its potential to help in controlling blood sugar on a daily and long term basis doesn't seem to have any side effect.
