Keep blood sugar in check and help prevent prediabetes by incorporating these foods into your diet.
(Phipps also has pop in 1 diabetes.)
How Blood Sugar Affects Your Energy
Here’s how that works.
Photography / Greg DuPree, Styling / Ruth BlackBurn / Julia Bayless
Ideally, you want to keep blood sugar from spiking or plunging to maintain steady energy throughout the day.
While blood sugar that’stoo lowknown as hypoglycemiacan be life-threatening for people with diabetes.
Conversely, blood sugar that’stoo highknown as hyperglycemiais more insidious and easier to ignore.
These complications include vision problems, frequent urination, and nerve painneuropathic pain.
But it may spike if you eat something highly refined or really sugary.
Let’s say you sit at your desk and munch on some candy.
Although according to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, exercisecanhelp lower your blood sugar effectively.
Luckily, these eight foods are deliciousand also help keep blood sugar in check.
Fiber is plentiful in non-starchycruciferous vegetableslike broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus, says Phipps.
Photography / Greg DuPree, Styling / Ruth BlackBurn / Julia Bayless
One cupof these delicious berries contains 8 grams of fiber.
This plant-based source of fat is also rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids.
So, go ahead and grab a handful to help keep glucose levels steady.
But they offer a source of complex carbs rich in both fiber and protein.
A half-cup ofblack beanshas more than 7 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber.
Toss some beans on a salad or eat a bowl of chili for lunch to sidestep an afternoon slump.
Sara Haas
Both are associated with a rise in blood glucose.
For a blood-sugar-friendly meal, Phipps recommends incorporating a lean source of protein, like shrimp.
Other options include omega-3-rich fish like salmon and tuna.
That way, you get the energy of carbs, plus the blood-sugar-stabilizingand appetite-tamingeffect of protein and fat.
Time to add a drizzle to your next salad!
The Bottom Line
Exercising and eating healthy foods can help promote a more stable blood sugar.
Photography / Kelsey Hansen, Styling / Greg Luna