10 Best Foods That Can Reduce the Risk of Diabetes

11/21/2023

You can reduce your risk of developing diabetes by following a balanced diet. Today, we will look through some highly beneficial foods to reduce your risk of diabetes.

 Fatty fish: 

• Fatty fish comes as a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. 

• Incorporating fatty fish minimizes your risk of developing serious health conditions like heart disease in people with diabetes. 

• Consuming fatty fish at least two times a week reduces your chances of encountering diabetes by 22%. 

• Salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, etc, are the best sources of fatty fish. 

Also Read: Benefits of Taking Fish Oil Supplements for Heart and Overall Health

  Leafy greens: 

• Including leafy vegetables in your day-to-day diet reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes significantly. 

• Leafy vegetables don't only reduce your diabetes risk but also promote healthy well-being overall. 

• Vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, and antioxidants are good sources of leafy vegetables. 

• You must know the fact that leafy vegetables are low In carbs and calories, which results in controlled blood sugar post-meal. 

• The high antioxidant properties of green vegetables make them the best cancer-preventing foods.

Avocados: 

• Avocados helps prevent the sudden increase of blood sugar level in the body following a meal. 

• They do so because they have properties like high fiber and healthy fats. 

• Avocado is also a good source of magnesium, which helps regulate blood sugar.

Nuts: 

• Intake of a few nuts daily offers thousands of benefits to your health. 

• The core benefit of nuts is that they diminish the risk of coming across heart disease and type 2 diabetes. 

• Nuts have fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which function to control blood sugar and also suppress appetite. 

 Garlic: 

• Garlic comes out as an easily accessible vegetable at a very reasonable price across the globe. 

• Garlic compounds are highly effective in decreasing the sugar level in people with type 2 diabetes. 

• Garlic reduces the risk of diabetes by maintaining high blood pressure and cholesterol. 

Extra virgin olive oil: 

• Including olive oil in your diet can significantly decline your risk of encountering type 2 diabetes and improve glucose metabolism. 

• Studies unveil that an olive oil-enriched diet offers multiple benefits to your overall health and reduces the risk of chronic diseases. 

 Greek Yogurt: 

• Incorporating Greek yogurt into your diet helps in keeping the gut healthy as it is rich in probiotic bacteria. 

• Probiotics work to improve insulin resistance by minimizing inflammation and oxidative stress in people living with diabetes.

• Researchers found that taking Greek yogurt as a part of your daily meal reduces the risk of diabetes in healthy adults. 

• Furthermore, research found that yogurt might regulate the insulin response and reduce blood sugar in non-diabetic individuals whose blood sugar rises after meals. Those who consumed yogurt every day for four weeks saw this effect.

Eggs: 

The regular intake of eggs results in several benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease. There are several studies that reveal that eating eggs can provide multiple benefits, such as:

• Improving HDL (good) cholesterol level

• Boosting insulin sensitivity 

• Reducing inflammation 

• Changing the size of bad cholesterol 

Including 12 eggs a week for four weeks in breakfast can help manage high blood pressure in people with prediabetes.

A 2017 study concluded that consuming 6 to 12 eggs per week reduced the risk of heart disease in people with diabetes.

Beans:

Beans fall under the category of legumes and are known as a good source of vitamin B, minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, etc, and fiber. 

In addition to the above, beans hold the glycemic index in meager amounts, making them a good choice for people with diabetes.  

3,000 people prone to cardiovascular disease participated in a study and found that high consumption of legumes minimized the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 

Including beans in your daily eating habits can reduce the risk of diabetes and deliver essential nutrients. Plus, beans are a cheap source of diabetes management.

Fruits: 

• Irrespective of gender, age, and body type, fruits benefit everyone. Fruits deliver uncountable benefits to your overall health. 

• However, if you are allergic to fruit, you must consult your doctor before adding it to your diet. 

• In an age where diabetes has become more common than ever, you can eliminate your risk of developing it by adding fruits to your diet.

• Fruits, especially apples, raisins, grapes, and blueberries, are highly efficient in shattering the risk of encountering type 2 diabetes. 

• Across the world, such fruits are easily accessible at a very reasonable cost. 

Final words: 

You must be aware of the fact that diabetes has become one of the most common health conditions around the world. However, you can lessen your risk of developing it by following a diet plan, staying active, cutting off bad habits, etc. If you are at high risk of developing diabetes, you should meet your doctor or a dietician to make a diet plan that works along with other possible treatments. Make sure you don’t implement any plan without consulting your healthcare provider. And you must disclose to your doctor if you have any allergy to any food. This will help him to create the best diet plan that is highly effective for you.

Also Read: Lifestyle Changes That Can Lower Blood Sugar Levels

Also Read: Tips to Control High Blood Pressure

FAQs:

Which type of food is best for a person with diabetes at a normal meal?

 If you are someone having diabetes, you must add certain foods to your daily diet. These foods should be high in protein and low in sugar. Opting for such a diet will help you to manage your blood sugar level. You should go for the following foods if you have diabetes: 

• Beans 

• Dark green leafy vegetables 

• Citrus fruits 

• Berries 

• Fish 

• Tomatoes 

• Nuts 

• Whole grains 

• Milk and yogurt 

2. What drinks can lower your blood sugar? 

Diabetes has become more common than ever, affecting millions of people every year worldwide. Managing your blood sugar plays an integral role; otherwise, it may lead to serious outcomes in the long term. To manage your blood sugar level, you can add the following drinks to your daily routine:  

• Unsweetened teas

• Black coffee

• Water 

• Green tea 

• Tomato Juice 

In case you are allergic to any of these drinks, please consult your doctor to find suitable alternatives. 

3. How can you reduce the risk of diabetes?

In the era of a sedentary and lazy lifestyle, we have forgotten to take care of our health, resulting in serious health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, heart attack, etc. In order to reduce your risk of coming across life-threatening diseases like diabetes, add the following to your diet:

• Eat a balanced diet. 

• Hit the gym.

• Avoid unhealthy food. 

• Take care of your mental health. 

• Shred extra pounds. 

• Be physically active more. 

4. What are the three meals for people with diabetes?

If you are living with diabetes, the most important thing is balancing your plate. Eating a balanced meal daily will help you manage your blood sugar level. You need to balance your meal with carb, protein, and fiber. 

• Half of your plate should be having fiber. 

• A quarter of your plate should be having protein. 

• A quarter of your plate should be having carbs.