Fluctuations in blood glucose levels can cause weakness, fatigue, irritability, weight gain and unhealthy snacks. What can we do ourselves to prevent and keep our blood sugar levels fluctuating? The following six tips can help.
Monitor your use of sugar
It is not always easy to know which foods and foods are high in sugar. We may eat a lot of hidden sugars and nutrients that become sugars in our body daily:
- White flour / wheat products are usually nutrient-poor and turn into glucose, or sugar, in our bloodstream, rapidly increasing our blood sugar. Avoid bleached carbohydrates as much as possible, such as white bread, pasta, buns and crackers. Instead, invest in nutritious dark rice, quinoa, oats and buckwheat.
- A good guideline for preparing a portion of food is about a fist-sized amount of carbohydrates, a half-plate of fresh and cooked vegetables and root vegetables, and a palm of meat, fish, chicken, egg or beans. Avoid the potatoes and replace them with sweet potatoes. You can also use root vegetables instead of starchy side dishes like potatoes who wouldn’t love succulent roast beets!
The Use of the Fruits
Fruits are an important part of a healthy diet, but they should be consumed in the right amount with respect to vegetables. A good amount is about two fruits a day so that the amount of fructose in the fruit, known as fructose, remains reasonable. For example, apples, pears, plums and all berries are the least fructose. If you notice problems with your blood sugar, avoid bananas, mangoes and pineapples that have more sugar. Dates are really popular nowadays. but it is worth remembering that they are very high in sugar, so eating all of the whole cake at once may not be the best option for your blood sugar. Combine fruits with nuts and seeds, which will release sugar more slowly into the body. Fruit juices are high in fructose and not at all in the fruit’s own fiber, which quickly raises blood glucose levels.
- All vegetables are good to eat, but for those struggling with blood sugar, pay attention to starchy roots and vegetables like parsnip and pumpkin and enjoy them with plenty of protein and fats.
Added sugar is everywhere. If you want to sweeten a hot drink, try maple syrup, natural stevia or coconut sugar, local honey or Manuka honey. Be sure to check the table of contents for snacks and snack bars, as most of them has been added with glucose syrup, dextrose or high-fructose corn syrup, which will surely raise your blood sugar to the clouds. It’s also a good thing to be aware of when losing weight snack bars marketed as healthy snacks can sometimes even be a barrier to losing weight! Did you know that sugar-free sweeteners have been found to raise blood sugar levels, as the sweet taste alone activates insulin production in the body. (Insulin stores sugar in and out of cells into fat). Also remember that soft drinks and alcohol are high in sugar.
Eat protein and healthy fats at every meal
All meals should contain protein, such as chicken or fish, as well as healthy fats (such as avocado), since these groups of food are degraded more slowly in the stomach and thus release more energy.
