Don’t Fear Your Diabetes, These 25 Friends From Your Kitchen Will Fight For You

When someone is diabetic, it means his/her body fails to maintain a healthy level of glucose in the blood. Glucose is a type of sugar which acts as our body's main source of energy. If glucose level in our blood becomes unregulated, then it causes serious complications for the health - both in the short and long run.

The glucose level in our body is left unregulated when insulin, the essential hormone which converts glucose into energy is not sufficiently produced or not produced at all. This results in over-accumulation of sugar in our blood and it poses a serious threat to the body's overall functioning. Diabetes can even reduce our life-expectancy. Diabetes can be caused by obesity, stress, lack of exercise or can be genetic.

Also Read: Must Foods To Add To Your Diet

If you are diabetic, you need to follow a strict food habit besides doing the necessary physical activities. There are a number of healthy food types that you can pick from your own house kitchen and incorporate in your diabetic diet. They will make it much easier for you to deal with the disease, naturally.

Here are 25 foods available in the kitchen that you can add regularly to your diabetic diet:

1. Beans:

A common kitchen ingredient, beans help in stabilizing the blood sugar and balance out foods that do not help a diabetic patient. Beans can also reduce the amount of insulin hormone needed to make the sugar levels normal.

2. Spinaches:

These green leafy vegetables are a rich source of magnesium, which helps in regulating the blood-sugar levels, besides potassium, iron and vitamins. Kales can be an alternative.

3. Tomatoes:

The nutrients in tomatoes, a super food rich in lycopene, offer sugar-level management benefits to diabetic patients, especially those suffering from the Type 2 disease.

4. Barley, lentils, whole grains:

Antioxidants and soluble and insoluble fibers, these help in fat metabolism. While barley intake keeps cholesterol under check, grains stablise blood sugar levels.

5. Broccoli:

This cruciferous vegetable helps in diabetes since it neither contains high calories nor it's starchy in nature.

6. Apples:

Fruits' sugar content generally make them less preferred to prescribe to diabetics, but apples can certainly be taken by them - thanks to its rich nutrient content. But it is important to have a balanced fruit diet.

7. Oatmeal:

Oatmeals that have been least processed are a perfect diabetic breakfast to have.

8. Asparagus:

This non-starchy vegetable with high vitamin and mineral content is a good agent to deal with diabetes.

9. Grapes:

Along with apples, these fruits also help enriching a diabetic diet. They also help in losing weight, something that helps the diabetics.

10. Oranges:

Consumption of oranges makes up for other sweet foods but yet help the diabetics. Eating citrus fruits reduces the risk of diabetes but drinking their juice does the opposite.

11. Avocados:

They are a source of fiber, minerals and healthy fat and don't affect the blood sugar level.

12. Wild Salmon:

It has Omega-3 fatty acids that reduce risk of heart diseases. Fishes are rich in protein and do not contain carbohydrates and hence doesn't add to the sugar level. Diabetics can store them in kitchen for frequent consumption.

13. Almonds:

They are rich in magnesium and healthy fat and have a low carbohydrate content. Magnesium, as said earlier, helps in regulating blood-sugar levels.

14. Blueberries:

Another diabetic fruit which is rich in antioxidants and fiber. They help the body manage the blood sugar by aiding in processing the blood sugar.

15. Yogurt:

A low-glycemic food which helps in stabilising the blood sugar.

16. Cabbage:

This vegetable helps you in having healthy blood sugar levels.

17. Carrots:

Non-starchy vegetables that are completely diabetic-friendly.

18. Flax Seeds:

A loyal friend which provides fiber and Omega-3 fatty acids. A perfect diabetic food and not difficult to get once you have known about its benefits.

19. Brown rice:

Having high fiber content, brown rice is a perfect alternative for the diabetics who love to eat rice. White rice is not so friendly for diabetics.

20. Cranberries:

Rich in phytochemicals, cranberries maintain healthy glucose levels in the blood and also aid in reducing weight and cholesterol levels.

21. Soy foods:

Their high protein and fiber content but low carbohydrates and calories make these low-glycemic index foods a key part of a diabetic diet.

22. Strawberries:

The low carbohydrate content of these popular berries make them diabetic friendly.

23. Whole-grain bread:

Always a preference over white bread because of its mineral and fiber content.

24. Cucumbers:

The coolest and the healthiest cucumbers supply, besides minerals and vitamins, water to the body. They help in shedding weight, something every diabetic wants. Their high water content also stabilises the blood sugar levels.

25. Walnuts:

Walnuts comprise alpha-linolenic acid which improves the heart's health and reduces cholesterol.