Lower blood sugar: These foods are suitable

Few foods can actually lower blood sugar. Here you can find out why this is so and which foods are involved. Plus: recipe ideas with these foods.

Only certain foods can lower blood sugar. Because food usually does the opposite – it causes blood sugar to rise.

This is because food is supposed to provide the body with energy. Many foods therefore consist largely of carbohydrates or sugar compounds such as fructose. During the digestive process, the body breaks down these nutrients into the sugar molecule glucose in several steps. This is the source of energy that transports the blood to the body. Without this energy from glucose, the muscles or the brain, among other things, could not work. The medical portal DocCheck explains that blood sugar describes the concentration of glucose in the blood.

How the body regulates blood sugar

The body uses hormones such as insulin to regulate the level of glucose in the blood. In a healthy person, alarmingly high blood sugar levels are therefore unlikely. The concentration fluctuates throughout the day, for example an increase after meals is quite normal. For this reason, there are different limit values ​​for measuring blood sugar levels. The values ​​differentiate between whether you have already eaten something or whether you are measuring your blood sugar on an empty stomach. It is only through illness, such as diabetes, that abnormally high blood sugar levels occur. Diabetes can also be temporary, such as during pregnancy.

The medicine portal Netdoktor names frequent thirst, blurred vision or an increased urge to urinate as symptoms of high blood sugar. If you suspect your blood sugar levels are too high, get a medical check-up. The increased values ​​could also be an indication of other diseases, including functional disorders of the pancreas, which can also cause tumors. However, high blood sugar levels can also mean that you cannot tolerate a medication.

Lowering a (constantly) elevated blood sugar is important to avoid damaging the vessels. According to Netdoktor, this could otherwise lead to arteriosclerosis, kidney failure, stroke and loss of vision.

With these ingredients you lower your blood sugar

Lowering blood sugar through diet can by no means replace medical treatment, but it can support it in a natural way.

Blood sugar usually rises after a meal. You don’t have to have eaten a sweet dessert for this, even a portion of carbohydrates like in pasta is enough.

With these ingredients, you can help your body deal with the energy boost from food faster. Make sure you use organic ingredients. You can get them in organic markets, among other places.

garlic

The spicy tuber has many healthy sides. A study also points to the blood sugar-lowering effect. However, the researchers only looked at the blood sugar in the fasting state. The extent to which garlic can actually help to lower blood sugar as part of a meal is not clear from this. Nevertheless, garlic is a healthy condiment that you can integrate into your diet like this:

• As garlic potatoes
• In an eggplant soup
• As a garlic sauce or garlic paste, for example to refine vegetable dishes

Tip: You can get rid of the smell of garlic with some home remedies.

olive oil

The cold-pressed virgin olive oil is, among other things, a central part of the Mediterranean diet. In addition to its positive effect on the heart and circulation, olive oil also helps to regulate blood sugar. A study therefore recommends olive oil for the diet of diabetes patients. Olive oil is ideal as a base for a vinaigrette and goes well with a wide variety of salads. Some recipe ideas:

• Lamb’s lettuce
• coleslaw
• Autumn salads with regional ingredients
• vegetable salads

Cinammon

Cinnamon is considered a remedy in folk healing methods such as Indian Ayurveda. One study found that cinnamon can lower blood sugar. Even with a daily dosage of 120 milligrams, the study found the effect. For example, you can flavor desserts with cinnamon instead of sugar.

• Fruit compote: Apples, pears, gooseberries or rhubarb are particularly good.
• Rice pudding: The cinnamon is a healthy alternative to sugar.
• Homemade cinnamon rolls: The Scandinavian pastries bring variety to the breakfast table. Tip: Vegan cinnamon rolls also taste good.

Lower blood sugar with fruits and vegetables

According to the German Society for Nutrition, a healthy and balanced diet should consist largely of vegetables and fruit. Secondary plant substances, such as the large group of flavonoids, are often behind the healthy effect of plant-based food.

Some types of fruits and vegetables can also lower blood sugar thanks to these flavonoids. One study found that the substances naringenin, kaempferol and rutin had a blood-sugar-lowering effect. The latter is contained, for example, in buckwheat, parsley and elderberry.

The natural active ingredients are particularly well developed in ripe fruit and vegetables. So use seasonal ingredients in your meals. You can check which foods are in season in the Utopia seasonal calendar.

These vegetables lower blood sugar

According to the study mentioned, the plant substance kaempferol is often active in the vegetables that lower blood sugar. This is found in the following vegetables:

tomatoes

The plant substance nagingenin also has an effect on tomatoes. Ideally, you prepare the tomatoes with olive oil. Some examples:

• Vegan tomato spread
• Tomato confit or tomato salad
• Vegetarian curry with beans and tomatoes
• You can find more ideas here: The best tomato recipes at a glance

legumes

Here kaempferol lowers blood sugar. In addition, the carbohydrates in the legumes are structured in such a way that the digestive enzymes can only slowly break them down into glucose. The US specialist magazine Medicalnewstoday reports that the glucose concentration in the blood hardly increases after a meal with legumes. By the way, the body needs some getting used to to digest the legumes without feeling bloated and flatulent. Try these recipes:

• White bean salad
• refried beans
• Bean paste for vegan enchilladas

Green leafy vegetables

Green leafy vegetables contain hardly any carbohydrates, but they do contain fiber. The vegetable fibers slow down the digestion process and thus equalize the peaks in energy intake. These green vegetables lower blood sugar through kaempferol. How to prepare green leafy vegetables:

• Kale Salad, Kale Chips
• Broccoli salad, broccoli pesto or broccoli casserole with potatoes
• Spinach salad, spinach pesto or palak paneer (Indian spinach curry)

Fruit also works to lower blood sugar

The blood sugar-lowering active ingredients are particularly contained in these types of fruit:

citrus fruits

Citrus fruits contain the flavonoid naringenin. You can prepare delicious dishes with oranges and grapefruit in particular:

• Fennel and Orange Salad
• Orange dressing for salads
• grapefruit juice

grapes

Grapes contain rutin and kaempferol.

• Grapes are particularly tasty and healthy when fresh.
• You can also prepare them as compotes, jams or jellies.

apples

In addition to the positive effect on the cardiovascular system, the plant substances in apples also lower blood sugar. Here you will find suggestions on how you can also prepare apples:

• Baked Apple (Tip: just season it with cinnamon)
• Apple casserole also possible with cinnamon.
• Pumpkin salad with apple and walnuts

Read more on Techzle.com:

• Vegan food pyramid: How to eat healthy
• Glyx Diet: What’s behind it and how useful it really is
• Balcony vegetables: You can grow these varieties on the balcony