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10 Diabetes Super Foods

Eating right is key to managing diabetes. Here are 10 super foods that will help minimize blood sugar and even throw your disease into reverse.

From ChangeOne.com
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1. Vegetables. Packed with powerhouse nutrients, vegetables are naturally low in calories, and they're full of fiber, so they're plenty filling. Loading your plate with vegetables will automatically mean you're eating fewer simple carbs (which raise blood sugar) and saturated fats (which increase insulin resistance).

Aim to get four or five servings a day. (A serving is 1/2 cup canned or cooked vegetables or 1 cup raw vegetables.) Go easier on starchy vegetables -- including potatoes, corn, and peas -- which are higher in calories than other vegetables.

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2. Fruit. Packed with almost all the same advantages as vegetables fruit is brimming with nutrients you need, it's low in fat, it's high in fiber, and it's lower in calories than most other foods. Best of all, fruit is loaded with antioxidants that help protect your nerves, your eyes, and your heart.

Because fruit has more natural sugar and calories than most vegetables, you can't eat it with utter abandon. Aim to get three or four servings a day. (A serving is one piece of whole fruit, 1/2 cup cooked or canned fruit, or 1 cup raw fruit.) Choose whole produce over juice. Many of the nutrients and a lot of the fiber are found in the skin, flesh, and seeds of fruit, so they’re lost during juicing, and more of the calories and sugar remain.

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3. Beans. Beans are just about your best source of dietary fiber, which not only makes you feel full longer, it actually slows digestion and keeps blood sugar from spiking after a meal. This effect is so powerful that it can even lower your overall blood sugar levels.

Throw canned beans into every salad you make (rinse them first), and add them to pasta and chili. Black bean, split pea, or lentil soup is an excellent lunch, even if it comes from a can.

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4. Cereal. The right breakfast cereal is your absolute best opportunity to pack more fiber into your day. There's a bonus: Studies show that people who start the morning with a high-fiber cereal actually eat less later on. So don't forgo breakfast. Better yet, choose a cereal with at least 5 grams fiber per serving. Good choices include Kashi GoLean Crunch! (10 grams), Kellogg's Raisin Bran (8 grams), General Mills Multi-Bran Chex (8 grams), Post Wheat 'N Bran Spoon Size (8 grams), Kellogg's All-Bran Original (10 grams) and General Mills Fiber One (14 grams). Top your cereal with fruit and you've checked off a fruit serving for the day.

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5. Fish. Fast and easy to prepare, fish is a good source of protein, and a great substitute for higher-fat meats. Also, fatty fish is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids, those remarkable good-for-you fats that help keep the arteries clear. People with diabetes often have high triglycerides and low levels of HDL, the 'good' cholesterol. Omega-3 fatty acids can improve both numbers. Aim to eat fish at least twice a week. Excellent sources of omega-3s are salmon, mackerel, and tuna.

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6. Poultry breast. Versatile, extremely lean, and low in calories, chicken breast is practically a miracle food. Unlike steaks and hamburgers, it's low in saturated fat, which raises 'bad' cholesterol and may increase insulin resistance, making blood sugar control more difficult. A 3-ounce serving of skinless chicken breast has only 142 calories and 3 grams fat. Turkey breast is even leaner and lower in calories.

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7. Nuts. Nuts have several things going for them -- and for you. They're loaded with 'good' fats that fight heart disease. These fats have even been shown to help reduce insulin resistance and make blood sugar easier to control. Nuts are also one of the best food sources of vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects cells and may help prevent nerve and eye damage. They are rich in fiber and magnesium, both of which may help regulate your blood sugar. Studies suggest that including them in your diet may even help you lose weight -- if you eat them in moderation. Don’t forget that they’re high in calories.

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8. Olive oil. At the center of the famously heart-healthy Mediterranean diet is olive oil is considered a 'good' fat that helps slash the risk of heart attack -- and has been shown to help keep blood sugar steady by reducing insulin resistance. So toss the butter and cook with olive oil instead. At home and in restaurants, dip your bread in a bit of the stuff. Just watch how much you eat, because at 119 calories per tablespoon, even 'good' fat can pack on the pounds.

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9. Yogurt. Yogurt is rich in protein and another weight loss powerhouse: calcium. Several studies have shown that people who eat plenty of calcium-rich foods have an easier time losing weight -- and are less likely to become insulin resistant. As a snack or for breakfast, choose nonfat plain yogurt, and add your own fresh fruit or a sprinkling of wheat germ or low-fat granola for a burst of extra nutrients.

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10. Cinnamon. Believe it! Amazingly, just by sprinkling cinnamon on your foods, you could lower your blood sugar. Components in cinnamon help the body use insulin more efficiently, so more glucose can enter cells. A recent study found that in people with diabetes, just 1/2 teaspoon a day can significantly lower blood sugar levels. So go ahead and add powdered cinnamon to your whole wheat toast, oatmeal, baked apples, or even chicken dishes. Or soak a cinnamon stick in hot water to make a soothing and curative cup of cinnamon tea.

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Your Comments

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WCYMYX66ZB6BZ7NGOLDZKK7LQM Balbir

    SOME ARTICLES SAY THAT AVOID DAIRY PRODUCTS FOR DIABETIES, INSTEAD USE SOYA MILK , ALTHOUGH I KNOW THAT YOGURT IS A ESSENTIAL BEST FOOD.
    PLEASE CORRECT ME

    • Dennis_mo

      Soy is not good for humans. Although many vegetarians have eaten & consumed soy for years, doctors are now seeing the results of this.  Dr. Mercola has some good information on Soy.  Almond Milk or Coconut Milk are better choices.  Yogurt is good. The problem with yogurt is most commercial yogurts are innundated with sugar or some form of sugar.

      • Harveybernales38

        hi! how are you?
         

      • Szekeres

        Its actually only non-organic soybeans that are the problem, because they are genetically modified. Organic soy beans are okay, but almond milk and coconut milk are still better choices.

        • Mhicksms9014040

          How does almond milk taste the regular milk run through me

          • Healthminded

             Almond milk is quite good. I’ve finally found an almond milk/coconut milk blend that Blue Diamond makes and it is by far my favorite.  At Walmart you can get it for $1.79 in a shelf-stable box.  Almond Breeze brand is very good as well.

          • flaka

             i like almond  milk with my cereal. it makes corn flakes or any other cereals taste way beter and u wont need sugar.

        • Healthminded

           Partly true. Soy also interferes with hormones and creates all kinds of havoc on our systems.  It really isn’t healthy no matter what.

      • KC

        Yep. Soy’s GMO.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WCYMYX66ZB6BZ7NGOLDZKK7LQM Balbir

    CANNED FRUIT IS NOT ADVISED. IN OTHER FRUITS ONLY 1/2 EACH OF MANGO, CHIKOO,& BANNANA
    ALL OTHER FRUITS ARE OK

    • Michael Cook

      Bananas spike me like crazy.  Even a small portion that isn’t ripened.  I just avoid them altogether, and supplement them with something of equal or more nutritional value. 

      • Stanfordhammer

        hey Michael I to can relate bananas affect me in the same way. I love bananas but they don’t like my BS

      • Stanfordhammer

        hey Michael I to can relate bananas affect me in the same way. I love bananas but they don’t like my BS

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WCYMYX66ZB6BZ7NGOLDZKK7LQM Balbir

    WHAT ABOUT EGGS WITH FRIED SLICED TOMATOES INSTEAD OF HAM, BACON, OR SAUSAGES.
    HONEY ON WHOLE WHEAT BREAD IS VERY GOOD

    • Michael Cook

      Hey Balbir.  Eggs are fine to about the tune of two per day with yolks.  I switched to egg substitutes without yolks.  Tomatoes are great, and they actually have some benefits for general health and diabetics. Personally, for me, I eat tomatoes in every form there is.  When it comes to ketchup, I buy sugar free.   Proteins, are good to a point and depend on preparations, and portions for general health reasons.  When you have Type-2 diabetes, you need to also watch your general health, and start thinking about changing that particular lifestyle.  Personally, for me, I can’t just eat low glycemic index/load foods with exercise and everything is going to be fine.  I have to eat low glycemic index/load foods, eat serving portions, watch my carb intake, stay away from as many saturated fats as possible, and stick to the daily exercise regime without faultering.  It’s tough, not easy, but you learn to give up some of things you love in order to stay alive and healthy.  Is it worth it?  I always say, “A little bit of extra time, is better than none at all”.  I ate my way into this condition and I’ll change anything and everything to get the heck out of it, or make it less painful.  Take care.
       

    • Michael Cook

      Hey Balbir.  Eggs are fine to about the tune of two per day with yolks.  I switched to egg substitutes without yolks.  Tomatoes are great, and they actually have some benefits for general health and diabetics. Personally, for me, I eat tomatoes in every form there is.  When it comes to ketchup, I buy sugar free.   Proteins, are good to a point and depend on preparations, and portions for general health reasons.  When you have Type-2 diabetes, you need to also watch your general health, and start thinking about changing that particular lifestyle.  Personally, for me, I can’t just eat low glycemic index/load foods with exercise and everything is going to be fine.  I have to eat low glycemic index/load foods, eat serving portions, watch my carb intake, stay away from as many saturated fats as possible, and stick to the daily exercise regime without faultering.  It’s tough, not easy, but you learn to give up some of things you love in order to stay alive and healthy.  Is it worth it?  I always say, “A little bit of extra time, is better than none at all”.  I ate my way into this condition and I’ll change anything and everything to get the heck out of it, or make it less painful.  Take care.
       

      • Stanfordhammmer

        I have a question, yesterday I was highly upset and didn’t eat and my sugar was  242, morning it was 169. I dono’t know what I’m doing wrong. I cut out all my potatoes, pastra, bananas, most bread. But can’t get it lowered. Can you help

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WCYMYX66ZB6BZ7NGOLDZKK7LQM Balbir

    ONLY EAT FISH IF CAUGHT OVER 500 MILES FROM JAPAN & NOT MORE THAN TWICE A WEEK BUT HEARTILY. NO MEATS. CHICKEN & DUCK IS OK . MUST HAVE I TBS PER PERSON OF POWDERED FLAX SEEDS ESPECIALLY FOR VEGETARIANS WHO DONT HAVE FISH. IT HAS NO TASTE & CONTAINS OMEGA 3

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WCYMYX66ZB6BZ7NGOLDZKK7LQM Balbir

    OR COOK IN VIRGIN COCONUT OIL AS IT IS ANTI AGING & VERY HEALTHY EVEN FOR A MASSAGE FOR ARTHRITIS MIXED WITH 25% OF EUCOLYPYUS OIL

  • Tdg54

    Almond Milk is a great alternative…

    • Dennis_mo

      I love Almond Milk.  So is Coconut Milk.

  • Richard

    Fruits like cantulope and watermelon— Is it good for diabetics?

    Type your comment here.

    • http://www.facebook.com/linda.shieldsjohnson Chef Linda

      It’s actually better to have solid fruits instead of what I call “Liquid fruits.” So instead of watermelon and cantelope and honeydew. Hard fruit is better for you. Apples, pears. nectarines, but not in big quantities.

    • Dennis_mo

      Richard, all fruits are good for diabetics, including cantaloupe and watermelon.  They are now finding that properties in watermelon may even help men in the libido area.  Of course, some fruits have more fiber than others, but if you are getting fiber from your other food sources it shouldn’t matter what kind of fruit you eat.
      ps:  Organic fruit is always better than non-organic….as you’re avoiding the pesticide/herbicide sprays…many of which you can’t completely wash off.

    • Anonymous

      yes are good choices

  • Dennis_mo

    I agree that Fiber is important, but it has to be from a natural source; not added fiber as some companies in order to boost their claim.

  • Dennis_mo

    Just a word of advice on Cinnamon…..It is not All created/sold pure. It can be mixed with other ingredients so that you don’t get the effects described here. Best to get Organic or the sticks.

  • Anonymous

    For oils use very light ,,like olive oil .Use roasted fish ,fresh green vegetables as salads ..Use pulses ,dals , beans , whole wheat and brown rice …Full of fiber , they help in diabetes .

  • Harveybernales38

    i can’t see the healthy foods for diabetics not this sequence!
     

  • Anthonygoff

    buckwheat great for diabetics not a grain a fruit product i eat this instead of bread droped my ins. by 15 pts

  • http://spirithappy.org/wp/new-type-2-diabetes-diet-cure/ diabetic overweight

    DIABETES HAS ALREADY BEEN REVERSED IN 20,000 PEOPLE BY USING THE SPIRIT HAPPY DIET

    Diabetes has already been reversed for over 20,000 people, it is the drug makers who hid the story.
    The Anti Obesity drug makers and Diabetes drug makers take in 10 billion$$$$ every year with no cure but you do not need their drugs.

    There is no need for any “drug” for Type 2 Diabetes The drugs cause direct heart attacks. Diabetes is being reversed out medications with a specialized diet.

  • Romelrollo

    what are the best food that we going to eat,that affordable? that we can fight our illnes..romel

  • Roqueyou

    On #10 I’ve heard that metformin will counteract the effects of cinnamon. Is this true?

  • Michael Cook

    I’m a diabetic with Type-2.  Here’s what I do.  Don’t fall for fancy “money-making” Dr. This and Dr. That pitfalls.  Most are scams, but to the few out there…some are real…ehhh, a few are, but a lot just take your money for worthless information.  If you eat proportionately, keep your carbs low and manageable, try to stick with the low to mid spectrum area on the glycemic index and stay with the low-end on the glycemic load spectrum, you’ll do fine, and you will find your equilibrium, your average.  The most important thing:  Get plenty of exercise—DAILY.  I see and know diabetics from all walks of life and they want a miracle so they won’t have to exercise at all.  Much like dieters that want a leaner body, but don’t want to do the work.  Needless to say, a few of these folks are the ones that endup losing limbs, and develop worse complications because they didn’t want to stabilize their glucose levels because they refused to eat proportionately, pick healthy foods, and exercise daily.  They took the lazy man’s way out and ended up paying for it.  There’s no rocket science to maintaining a healthy and sustainable glucose average with Type-2.  So, if you want to live a little bit longer—then you’ll make the “lifestyle” changes that are needed.  If you don’t—its been nice knowing ya!  A little bit of extra time, is better than none at all.

    • Darlene_napper

      Michael  I am also a Diabetic with Type-2  my A1C went from 12.7 to 5.5 in 6 months and also lost 40 lbs and do 1 and 1/2 hours of daily walking. It is 100% what you said about EXCERCISE, FOOD PORTION CONTROL and THE RIGHT FOODS it is all about LIFESTYLE changes some people are so in denial about their Diabetes and think they can just rely on their medication only and magic happens they are so wrong.

  • Sadie Smith

    Are you kidding me with the Kashi Go Lean Crunch, with its 13 grams of sugar per serving? 17.6 grams of sugar in Kellogs Raisin Bran. 
    What quack wrote this article? You are unqualified to be dispensing nutritional advice to diabetes patients. This article is irresponsible and should be removed. There are much healthier cereals on the market, for instance Uncle Sam – with less than 1 gram of sugar per serving. 

  • Vivianan12

    WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF DIABETES WE SHOLD EAT

  • http://happywalldecals.com/ Sar @ Wall Decals

    I will have to change my diet, you’re tips will be my guide in my aim to prevent diabetes. I’m afraid I might already have it because I love sweets and flour based foods, plus the fact that we have a family history of being Diabetic. :(

  • http://www.facebook.com/pariskethamine Paris K

    Soy is not good for humans. Although many vegetarians have eaten & consumed soy for years, doctors are now seeing the results of this.  Dr. Mercola has some good information on Soy.  Almond Milk or Coconut Milk are better choices.  Yogurt is good. The problem with yogurt is most commercial yogurts are innundated with sugar or some form of sugar.

  • anshika nahar

    when anybody is suffering from diabetes ,these people should take the food which is full of vitamins like tomato etc… and fruits . in this condition we should not eat sugar , sweet . and always should do your checkup from doctors.

  • http://www.facebook.com/ricetheresa Theresa A. Woodcock Rice

    Try Kroger’s CarbMaster yogurt.  It’s such a great choice (not a dr. or a dietician) when you want something sweet, dairy, and cold.

  • Renu Nhsl

    some people say that cinnomon harmfull for kidney as much as long term metformin therapy is it true? 

  • Renu Nhsl

    some people say that cinnomon harmfull for kidney as much as long term metformin therapy is it true? 

  • Renu Nhsl

    some people say that cinnomon harmfull for kidney as much as long term metformin therapy is it true? 

  • Bengalelplx

    Can you suggest the foods to be avoided at all cost & what about coconut water?

  • mera

    Hi! I’ve been taking metformin for about a year, and my A1c 6.9, can’t I stop taking medication and do exercising and still monitoring my blood glucose? comment please.

  • satya

    i want know diet plan for diabetics and kidney stones