12 optimal foods for diabetes type 2

Who under Diabetes or generally suffers from problems related to blood glucose levels, is usually confronted with a number of rules and regulations that significantly limit the choice of foods. Accordingly, it is of particular importance to know which foods are able to stabilize blood sugar levels or largely dampen the occurrence of high insulin peaks. So that you are not completely alone in this context, we have listed 12 foods below that can help you keep your blood sugar under control or prevent the occurrence of type 2 diabetes.   

1 - Almonds

Almonds are not only versatile, but also play a decisive role in the regulation of blood sugar levels. The reason for this is not primarily the low carbohydrate content of only 22 grams per 100 grams, but much more the magnesium contained in them, which is involved in over 300 metabolic processes. Scientific studies suggest that 25-38 percent of type 2 diabetes is linked to low magnesium levels, so consuming almonds, which contain around 20 percent of the necessary daily dose of magnesium per 28 grams, may help you manage the disease.  

2 - Dark chocolate

It sounds too good to be true that chocolate has a positive effect on your health. However, if you apply this assumption to dark chocolate with a cocoa content of more than 85 percent, this is actually true if you consume it in moderation. The cause is the flavonoids contained in the cocoa plant, which are naturally present in high concentrations in chocolate with a high cocoa content. Researchers have been able to prove in numerous studies that these secondary plant substances can have a positive effect on the insulin sensitivity of your body, enabling it to effectively burn the sugar dissolved in the blood.

3 - Coffee

Scientists at the Julius Centre for Health Sciences an Primary Care in Utrecht found in a study that regular consumption of coffee can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 11-40 percent. Due to the countless ingredients of the hot beverage, it has not yet been completely clarified which substance exactly is responsible for the risk reduction, but the focus of interest is generally on the high concentration of polyphenols in addition to the comparatively high magnesium content. As other studies have already shown, these polyphenols in particular have an anti-inflammatory effect, which is why coffee is considered to have health-promoting properties per se.

4 - Green coffee

Green coffee differs from conventional coffee only in that the beans are ground in an unroasted state. However, this small difference plays a very important role in terms of ingredients, as green coffee contains significantly more chlorogenic acid, which is associated with most of the health-promoting properties of coffee. Chlorogenic acid reduces the absorption of sugar into the blood, so that blood sugar levels rise less sharply and strong insulin peaks are avoided. A study also showed that this effect is 6.9 percent more pronounced in green coffee than it is in the case of conventional coffee.

5 - Green tea

Coffee is already good, green coffee is better, but green tea is even more effective in terms of controlling blood sugar levels, because it contains countless antioxidants and micronutrients. As with coffee, the focus of green tea is primarily on polyphenols, although they are contained in significantly higher concentrations. A meta-study consisting of seven studies with a total of 286,701 participants proves that the consumption of green tea can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 18 percent. So if you're a tea drinker anyway or can't do anything with coffee, you should give green tea a chance.  

6 - Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar was already known to the ancient peoples as a remedy for countless ailments - so why shouldn't you also take advantage of the health-promoting properties of apple cider vinegar? The fact that the ingredients of apple cider vinegar have a positive effect on insulin sensitivity and thus on the stabilization of blood sugar levels has been proven by numerous studies conducted on both animals and humans. In practice, the best way to capitalize on this is to use apple cider vinegar to prepare salad dressings, for example.

7 - Resistant starch

Starchy foods make up a large part of the human diet, but especially for people who suffer from diabetes, this can become a serious problem. As a result, you should focus on foods that are predominantly composed of resistant starch, such as seeds, oatmeal and potatoes. Meanwhile, scientific studies confirm that consuming resistant starch can significantly lower blood sugar levels by improving your body's cells' ability to absorb insulin. According to study results, daily intake of 15-30 grams per day leads to a 33-50 percent increase in insulin sensitivity within four weeks.

8 - Yacon syrup

Little known in this country, yacon syrup, which is extracted from the South American yacon plant, has been used for medicinal purposes in large parts of South America for centuries. Yacon syrup is particularly rich in resistant food starch, which can significantly improve insulin absorption. In addition, the syrup contains antioxidants and phytochemicals, which according to study results not only reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but can also reduce the likelihood of cardiovascular disease.

9 - Fenugreek seeds

In Arab countries and in India, the seeds of fenugreek have been used for some time in traditional medicine, where they are mainly used to improve the male libido. However, fenugreek seeds also contain a special protein called 4-hydroxyisoleucine. According to studies, this protein limits the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream and also provides better insulin sensitivity. In order to benefit from the health advantages, the daily consumption of 2-5 grams of fenugreek seeds is goal-oriented.  

10 - Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a versatile spice that is popular in both desserts and savory dishes. However, recent scientific studies also suggest that cinnamon can also have a positive effect on your health. This is due to the fact that, in addition to digestive enzymes that slow the absorption of sugar, cinnamon contains the polymer MHCP, which is thought to significantly improve insulin sensitivity. However, to achieve a measurable effect, it is necessary to ingest 1-6 grams of cinnamon per day, which should ideally be done as part of carbohydrate-rich meals.

11 - Stevia

Among the numerous sweeteners currently available on the market, stevia is probably the one that is rightly enjoying a steady rise in popularity, because the sweetener extracted from the South American stevia plant has a much stronger effect on reducing blood sugar levels than other sweeteners such as aspartame. So if you have problems with diabetes or with your blood sugar level in general, stevia is the means of choice to substitute unnecessary sugar.

12 - honey

Of course, honey also contains a large amount of sugar, but this does not mean that this natural product is unhealthy per se, because the sugar contained in honey affects blood sugar levels much less than pure glucose. So if you don't want to use sweeteners, you should at least replace conventional sugar with honey. Apart from this fact, scientific studies conducted with people suffering from diabetes have proven that the consumption of honey has an anti-inflammatory effect and lowers the LDL cholesterol level.