What are the best foods for lowering blood sugar?
There aren't foods that directly lower blood sugar, but there are foods that prevent sharp rises in blood sugar, which can be dangerous. Watch endocrinologist Reza Yavari, MD, discuss the foods to avoid, and what to eat to keep blood sugars level.
Transcript
Never have just a food item that is very rich in sugar
alone. Always have it with either a source of protein or a source of fat, healthy oils,
or just, in general, with a small meal. [UPBEAT MUSIC]
There are really no foods that lower the blood sugar. However, there are foods that prevent
sharp rises in blood sugar or persistent, high blood-sugar levels.
And obviously, in diabetes, we want to avoid candy, and soda, and other glucose-containing
or fructose-containing processed products. The best way to stop a sharp rise in blood sugar
is to consume carbohydrates with either a fat or a protein,
meaning never have just a food item that is very rich in sugar
alone. Always have it with either a source of protein or a source of fat, healthy oils,
or just, in general, with a small meal. It is also important to avoid fast-absorbing sugars
and to eat more of what we call complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates, such as in vegetables--
they take a while to break down in the GI tract, and they absorb slowly. Therefore, they don't rise the blood sugar very rapidly.
Rising the blood sugar rapidly often causes a hypoglycemic episode later
because the insulin levels have risen too fast and the blood sugar drops. [AUDIO LOGO]
diabetes
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