Making changes to your diet can be difficult and can be intimidating. You may not know where to start, and all the recommendations you find online can make things very confusing. The good news is that your type 2 diabetes can be improved with just a few simple but highly effective dietary changes.
Let us take the confusion out of what foods you should and shouldn’t enjoy by talking about five simple yet effective dietary changes you can make to improve your blood sugar levels…
1. Eliminate fruit juice. Fruit juice often contains a lot of added sugar. Combine added sugar with the sugar found naturally in fruit, and you’re sure to experience a spike in your blood sugar. Avoid fruit juices and choose plain water, unsweetened sparkling water, or sweeten your water with freshly squeezed fruit juice.
2. Read food labels. Reading food labels may be your best tool when it comes to managing your blood sugar! Checking food labels for added sugars looking for anything that ends in “ose” can be a great way to weed out foods that contain added sweeteners. Get in the habit of reading the back of each label before you buy a packaged food. The more you do this, the better you will be at detecting added sugars!
3. Choose Complex Carbs versus Refined Carbs. Choose complex carbohydrates like rolled oats, quinoa, and brown rice instead of white pasta, white rice, bread, and pastries. Complex carbohydrates will be absorbed more slowly and are less likely to cause a blood sugar spike. Also, complex carbohydrates like quinoa or brown rice in their natural, whole grain state will not contain added sugar like bread and pastries.
4. Avoid high fructose corn syrup. High-fructose corn syrup is found in soft drinks, crackers, candy, and even bread. It is one of the main causes of obesity and can lead to type 2 diabetes. It is essential to stay away from high fructose corn syrup at all costs. Instead, choose foods that contain natural sweeteners like…
- Fruit,
- pure Maple Syrup,
- raw honey, gold
- stevia
However, keep in mind that foods like dried fruit and honey can cause blood sugar imbalances when consumed in excess, and these foods should only be eaten once in a while.
5. Stay away from trans and hydrogenated fats. Trans and hydrogenated fats are commonly found in fried and processed foods. Fast food items are known to be full of these harmful fats that can help cause…
- obesity,
- heart disease, and can
- trigger inflammation.
These fats can also increase your cholesterol level. Stay away from these fats and choose healthier options like…
- extra virgin olive oil,
- lawyers,
- walnuts,
- chia
- flax seeds.
Take your health into your own hands and make a difference in your health and in your life. Start by making one change a week until you’ve done all five. In just a short period of time, you could be in better control of your type 2 diabetes and living a healthier life!
