Diabetes, a condition characterized by elevated blood glucose levels, can lead to damage in blood vessels throughout the body. Managing blood sugar is crucial for preventing or delaying complications affecting the heart, eyes, feet, and kidneys. While dietary changes can be challenging, strategic food choices can significantly impact blood sugar control.
According to Marc O’Meara, RD, LDN, CDE, senior nutritionist at Mass General Brigham, balancing blood sugar involves combining sugars and carbohydrates with protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
The Role of Protein in Lowering Blood Sugar
Limiting sugary foods and drinks is a common strategy for managing blood sugar. However, starches, such as bread and pasta, also contribute significantly to blood sugar levels due to their high carbohydrate content.
“Starch may not taste sweet. But when it’s digested, that carbohydrate chain is broken up into a big pile of sugars,” O’Meara explains. “And those sugars, once they are in the gut, rush into the bloodstream.”
Incorporating protein into your meals, from sources like meat, fish, tofu, nuts, eggs, and cheese, can slow down the glucose absorption rate and help stabilize blood sugar.
“Proteins hold back the sugars, slow them down, and then release them into the bloodstream slowly so that your blood sugar stays in a more normal range,” O’Meara says.
Aim for roughly equal portions of protein and carbohydrates to ensure adequate protein intake for managing carbohydrate metabolism.
Foods That Help Balance Blood Sugar
Certain foods are particularly effective at controlling blood glucose. O’Meara recommends a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats to maintain healthy blood sugar.
The Benefits of Whole Grains and Fiber
Whole grains, including whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, oats, and quinoa, are excellent sources of fiber. Fiber acts as a barrier, slowing the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream. This delay helps prevent rapid spikes in blood sugar.
Whole grains offer additional health benefits, such as lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of other chronic diseases. However, it’s important to remember that whole grains are still carbohydrates, and overconsumption can lead to blood sugar spikes. Moderation is key to experiencing their blood sugar-lowering benefits.
In conclusion, while no single food magically lowers blood sugar, a balanced diet incorporating protein, whole grains, fiber-rich vegetables, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats is crucial for effective blood sugar management. Focusing on these dietary strategies can help prevent or delay long-term health complications associated with diabetes.
