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Why is blood sugar management important?
Blood sugar levels are an important part of our overall health. High blood sugar increases your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Knowing the foods you should remove and add to your diet may help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
High blood sugar is a significant risk factor for diabetes — a health condition that affects how your body converts food into energy. There are two types of diabetes:
- Type 1 diabetes — which is a genetic condition that prevents your body from making insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels
- Type 2 diabetes — in which your body doesn’t use insulin effectively enough to keep blood sugar at normal levels
Between 90 and 95 percent of the population with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. This health condition results from consistently high blood sugar levels over a long period.
Many risk factors can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes. These include being overweight, inactivity, family history, blood cholesterol levels, age, and prediabetes.
Prediabetes is a condition that precedes type 2 diabetes, where your blood sugar is higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. If left untreated, prediabetes can progress to type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes and high blood sugar are also significant risk factors for many chronic conditions, including:
- High blood pressure
- Kidney disease
- Dementia
- Nerve damage
- Eye damage
Learning how to reduce your sugar intake can help lower your risk of these coexisting conditions.
Foods and drinks that can reduce your sugar intake
Changing what you eat can have a significant impact on lowering your blood sugar levels. Most of the foods and drinks that can help lower your blood sugar are from natural sources. These include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and animal products.
Some examples of foods and drinks that can lower blood sugar are:
- Whole grain bread and pasta
- Leafy green vegetables
- Fresh, frozen, or canned fruits
- Low-fat milk or dairy
- Lean proteins such as chicken and fish
- Olive, soybean, or sunflower oil
- Sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners
These foods all share a low glycemic index — which identifies foods that can reduce your sugar intake. It's important that you implement these foods into your diets more often than those that have a high glycemic index. Implementing all of these choices in your diet will be effective in lowering your blood sugar levels in the long run.
Foods and drinks you should avoid
To reduce your blood sugar, you must focus on which and how much carbs you eat every day. Some examples of foods and drinks you may want to avoid are:
- Refined grains
- High processed carbohydrates
- Sugary drinks
- Red and processed meats
- Alcohol
Other dietary choices to make are to reduce your sugar intake, avoid adding excess salt while cooking, and limit your caffeine consumption. These choices can help to lower your blood pressure, and in turn, help lower your blood sugar.
Some foods that may increase your risk of high blood sugar may be safe in small portions. There's even consistent evidence that moderate alcohol consumption may actually reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Consult with your doctor to see what dietary restrictions may work the best for you.
Lifestyle choices
Simple lifestyle changes can effectively lower your blood sugar as well. The first change you can make is taking some time for exercise every day. Some good ways to get moving include walking, biking, swimming, and dancing. Try to aim for at least 30 minutes of activity every day.
Another effective lifestyle change that can help lower your blood sugar is reducing portion sizes. There are several ways to achieve this change easily.
Try to drink a large glass of water with every meal and share a dessert with a family member or friend. You may also find it beneficial to eat more slowly.
Below is an example of how your plate could look for a full, healthy meal:
- Proteins, one-fourth part
- Grains, one-fourth part
- Vegetables and fruits, half part
- Dairy (low-fat), a moderate amount
This lifestyle change can help you reduce your sugar intake and increase your satiety — or feeling of fullness.
Try to implement these lifestyle changes slowly, progressing every week until you reach your goal. Before you start, make sure to consult with your doctor so that you can maintain a healthy lifestyle.