12 Powerfoods to Beat Diabetes

Can controlling your blood sugar and preventing diabetes complications
be as simple as eating the right foods? Yes. Certain foods are packed
with nutrients that stabilize blood sugar levels, protect your heart,
and even save your vision from the damaging effects of diabetes. These
12 foods can give you an extra edge against diabetes and its
complications.




1. Apples

In a Finnish study, men who ate the most apples and other foods high in
quercetin had 20 percent less diabetes and heart disease deaths. Other
good sources of quercetin are onions, tomatoes, leafy green vegetables,
and berries.




2. Cinnamon

A study at the Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland,
found that if you use � teaspoon of cinnamon daily, it can make cells
more sensitive to insulin. Therefore, the study says, the cells convert
blood sugar to energy.


After 40 days of taking various amount of cinnamon extract, diabetics
experienced not only lower blood sugar spikes after eating, but major
improvements in signs of heart health. And you can sprinkle cinnamon on
just about anything.






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3. Citrus Fruit
Studies show that people with
diabetes tend to have lower levels of vitamin C in their bodies, so
antioxidant-packed citrus fruit is a great snack choice. It may seem
quicker to get your C from a pill, but since fruit is low in fat, high
in fiber, and delivers lots of other healthy nutrients, it's a better
choice.



4. Cold-Water Fish

Heart disease strikes people with diabetes twice as often as it does
people without the illness, according to the American Diabetes
Association. Diets high in omega-3 fatty acids—the "good fat" in
cold-water fish such as wild Alaskan salmon, sardines, and Atlantic
mackerel—can help lower artery-clogging LDL cholesterol and
triglycerides while raising levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.




5. Fiber-Rich Foods
A study at the University of
Texas Southwestern Medical Center found that people who increased their
fiber intake from 24 to 50 g daily had dramatic improvements in blood
sugar levels. In fact, the high-fiber diet was as effective as some
diabetes medications.


Rather than try to figure out exactly how much fiber is in different
foods, focus on trying to get a total of 13 daily servings of a mixture
of fruits, vegetables, beans, brown rice, and whole grain pastas,
cereals, and breads.




6. Legumes
Legumes of all sorts—chickpeas,
cannelloni beans, kidney beans, and lentils—are a great addition to
soups, salads, and a variety of ethnic dishes. And this low-fat,
low-calorie, high-fiber, high-protein food helps to reduce risk of
diabetes and heart disease. The fiber slows the release of glucose into
your bloodstream, which prevents the blood sugar spikes that worsen
diabetes blood sugar control and make you feel hungry.




7. Green Tea
Studies show that chronic
inflammation—caused by high-fat foods, lack of exercise, and eating too
few fruits, vegetables, and good fats—can increase risk of hearts
attacks and thwart the body's ability to absorb blood sugar. A simple
solution: Drink green tea and orange or cranberry juice. They're all
packed with flavonoids—powerful inflammation-fighters. Swap one in for
one cup of coffee a day.




8. Nuts
Studies show that people who eat nuts
regularly have lower rates of heart disease than people who don't eat
them. (People with diabetes are at increased risk of heart disease.)
Even among the healthiest eaters, the ones who also eat nuts boast the
best health record. Exactly why isn't known yet, but one reason could
be compounds called tocotrienols.


The key to eating nuts is not to eat too many; they're so high
in calories that you could easily see the aftermath pouring over your
pants. Either measure 2 tablespoons of nuts, count how many it is, and
limit yourself to that number, or keep a jar of chopped nuts on hand.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons a day on cereal, yogurt, veggies, salads, or
wherever the flavor appeals to you.




9. Spinach, Kale, and Collard Greens
All of these
green leafy vegetables are good sources of lutein, a carotenoid that's
good for the eyes. That's especially important because people with
diabetes may develop debilitating eye problems as complications of the
disease. These foods are also great sources of fiber, B vitamins, iron,
calcium, and vitamin C.








10. Chocolate

Researchers at Tufts University discovered that dark chocolate improves
insulin sensitivity, a crucial improvement in preventing or treating
type 2 diabetes. What's more, dark—but not white—chocolate also
produced a significant drop in blood pressure, reduced LDL (bad)
cholesterol, and improved blood vessel function.


Just don't overdo it. Dark chocolate is great for the occasional indulgence, but it still packs a lot of fat and calories.




11. Steak

There's something in steak besides the protein, iron, and B vitamins
that's good for us. It's a compound that's part of beef's fat profile
called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Doctors Michael Murray and
Michael Lyon point out in their book Beat Diabetes Naturally
that experiments have shown that CLA works to correct impaired blood
sugar metabolism and also appears to have significant anti-cancer
properties.


In the most recent research, scientists in Norway supplemented the
diets of 180 people with a few grams of CLA and reported that they lost
9 percent of their body weight in one year. For a 200-pounder, that's
an 18-pound weight loss!


To get CLA from steak, choose meat from range-fed beef. Eating natural
pasturage give these animals far more healthful CLA than the usual
grain-rich diet. And keep portions to 3 or 4 ounces.



12. Vinegar

Two tablespoons of vinegar taken before a meal can help your blood
sugar go down. A study at Arizona State University East tested three
different groups of people to see what the results would be in healthy
people, those with prediabetes (they had signs diabetes was
developing), and confirmed diabetics. Before each of two meals a day,
the subjects were given 2 tablespoons of ordinary vinegar.


The results: An hour after the vinegar treatment, the diabetics had
blood sugar levels that were 25 percent lower than without vinegar. The
prediabetics had an even better result: Their levels were lower by
about half.
Recipes>>






from our friends at Men's Health!

Sherry Fritz866-508-2910www.sherrytakesjuiceplus.comwww.meetup.com/fitness-in-tucson