Foods That Lower Blood Sugar

     Why are foods that lower blood sugar so essential to permanent fat loss? This seems to be the biggest secret of losing weight and not gaining it back again. To balance your metabolism, turn your food into glucose and use it for energy, you have to have stabilized blood sugar.

     Here are the top low glycemic foods that lower blood sugar:

• raw nuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, filberts, pecans, peanuts, macadamia nuts, pine nuts and  low glycemic nut butters*
  
• raw seeds, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, flaxseed, flaxseed meal, sesame tahini
• avocado
• fish
• cinnamon
• lemon
• apple cider vinegar
• coconut oil

* No high glycemic additives.

      Notice how many of these are foods that contain what I call the good fats?     And yes, coconut oil is a good fat.   Add these fats and condiments to your low glycemic eating plan, a food plan that is made up of fresh vegetables and fruits, low glycemic grains and only a small amount of  dairy products, grass fed meats, organic chicken and eggs and you will be eating primarily foods that lower your blood sugar.    This is the way  to have permanent weight loss.

      This is because the fat storing mechanisms in human beings involve hormones, primarily insulin and it is insulin that regulates blood sugar. Insulin is triggered when too much glucose floods into the bloodstream.  High glycemic foods trigger insulin spikes.  No more white foods or processed foods!

     Insulin is the transporter of the blood glucose to the muscles where it can be used for energy. Or not. It can also go to fat!    When insulin is elevated by eating too many high glycemic foods, like white breads, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, it stimulates fat storage.

     Signs of high blood sugar include converting excess glucose into fat stores which is why being fat is a clue that you need to pay more attention to the foods that lower blood sugar.

     Many of the foods that lower blood sugar are filling, satisfying and will sustain your energy all day long without food cravings. The nuts, seeds, avocado and fish are the foods that contain omega 3 fatty acids. However, all low glycemic foods will help you to stabilize your blood sugar. 

     Coconut oil is a saturated fat but it is unique in that it is composed of medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) which gives it remarkable nutritional and medicinal properties.  It is easily digested and will raise your metabolism, thus helping you to burn fat. *

Normal Range Blood Sugar Levels 70 – 85 mg/dl in a.m.(milligrams per deciliter) Blood sugar levels vary throughout the day, rising after a meal and returning to normal within 2 hours. Normal levels tend to increase slightly but progressively after the age of 50 especially if the person is sedentary.

     Foods that lower blood sugar can bring the blood sugar level down and stabilize it.

     These are what I call "real foods" because they are foods in their natural state rather than processed foods. They are the low glycemic whole grains, barley, quinoa, and sprouted wheat. They are the low glycemic fresh fruits and vegetables, protein and fat.     NO SUGAR (but there are low glycemic sweeteners.)

     All whole grains will have a lower glycemic index than processed white grains, like white breads, but some, like the sprouted whole grains have a much lower glycemic index. You can eat just enough of these low glycemic foods to fuel your body and you will lose extra fat and keep it off.

     Even proteins can cause insulin levels to rise when, for example, too much meat is eaten at a meal. You need to eat protein with low glycemic carbohydrates (vegetables) and some fat.

     Fats are often blamed for making us fatter but that has been proven to not be true, unless that is, they are combined with high glycemic sugars or other high glycemic foods.  Good fats are essential for life!  They help us to digest and absorb vitamins and minerals and they help to regulate our metabolism and blood sugar.   In fact, fats lower the glycemic response of a food.

     All carbohydrates are NOT created equal. Low glycemic carbohydrates are foods that keep your blood sugar stabilized.

     The answer to always having normal blood sugar levels is to eat plenty of the foods above and the right kind of carbohydrates, the low glycemic carbohydrates. The high protein, low carbohydrate diets focus on the restriction of all carbohydrates. But they miss the point.

You have to differentiate between the fat-stimulating carbohydrates and the non-fat stimulating carbohydrates. Foods that lower blood sugar are the non-fat stimulating carbohydrates, fats and protein.

     The complex carbohydrate foods that lower blood sugar and keep it stabilized are a huge category of what we call the low glycemic carbohydrates and they consist of the high fiber fruits and vegetables and the high fiber whole grains. There are some fruits and vegetables that are nutritious but high glycemic and need to be avoided until you have reached your goal weight.

     Because it's possible to get a glycemic load from eating too many carbohydrate dense foods, be sure to check out our portion control tips. However, in general low glycemic foods can be eaten far more freely than high glycemic ones. In fact, it would probably be impossible to overeat while snacking on raw, whole fruits and vegetables. The idea is you want your body to use the carbohydrates as fuel or energy.    But this is not about starvation or deprivation.

How to Lower Blood Sugar

     Eat the foods that lower blood sugar on the list above every day. Eat salads with your meals or for the meal. Use olive oil and vinegar (or lemon) dressings on your salads to reduce the glycemic response of the meal. Drink a glass of water or a cup of tea that has had a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon added. Cinnamon has been found to significantly lower your blood sugar.

     If you have signs of high blood sugar, like being fat and being plagued with food cravings regularly, you need the low glycemic food plan! If you eat a meal, feel energized and 2 hours later come crashing down and are ravenously hungry, it's time for a change. Switch to the low glycemic eating plan recommended here and you will find sustained, balanced energy throughout your day.

     Stay with it for several weeks and your food cravings will go away!    Let me know how loose your clothes are in 6 months!    Even if you don't have signs of high blood sugar you will be much healthier eating the foods that lower blood sugar.   You will be increasing your insulin sensitivity and helping all your hormones to be in balance.

     Foods that lower blood sugar increase your quality of life a million times over.   Is it hard to make these changes in your eating?    Not really.    The truth is when you get enough of the good fats in your diet and eliminate the high glycemic foods you start craving foods that are good for you and for your waistline.

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* Greenburger, N.J. and Skillman, T.G. Medium-chain triglycerides: physiologic considerations and clinical implications. N Engl J Med 1969;280:1045

Baba, N. Enhanced thermogenesis and diminished deposition of fat in response to overfeeding with a diet containing medium chain triglycerides. Am J of Clin Nutr 1982, 35:678.

Glycemic Index List of Foods

The glycemic index list of foods includes foods that lower blood sugar and help you to lose fat!

Coconut Palm Sugar

The best sugar substitute - low glycemic and perfect for baking.

Controlling Food Cravings

Controlling food cravings means that you need to avoid the high glycemic foods on these lists.

List of Raw Foods

This list of raw foods contains fruits and vegetables that are low glycemic and a powerhouse of nutrients. They will accelerate your fat loss.

Omega 3 Sources in Healthy Salads

Healthy salads, especially when you add omega 3 sources or foods with resistant starch, are a great low glycemic meal.

Low Glycemic Foods: Super Healthy Whole Grains

These are the whole grains that are low glycemic.

High Fiber Foods: Delicious Grains and Legumes

High fiber foods, grains and legumes create a complete protein when served together and they are perfect for your weight loss plan.

Low Carb Pastas and Cereals

Great news for pasta lovers....you don't need low carb pasta because pasta is low glycemic!

Good Fats

You need to look to the good fats in learning how to eat a healthy diet and even to lose body fat!

Calcium Rich Foods

Taking a look at dairy products and just how these calcium rich foods affect the glycemic index chart.

Sugar Free Desserts and the Good Sugars

The secret to good desserts and eating sweets are the low glycemic sweeteners!

Soups, Oriental Cuisine, Protein Foods

This low glycemic index chart shows the soups, the oriental cuisine and the protein foods that do not raise your blood sugar.

Foods That Burn Belly Fat

You will be surprised by this common food that helps you to burn fat.

How to Lose Belly Fat - More Foods That Burn Belly Fat

There's more than one food that will help you in your quest to burn belly fat!

Low Glycemic Breakfast

Keep your blood sugar low all day.

Learning How to Grocery Shop the Low Glycemic Way

This is the answer to a reader's question about the best strategy to shop for low glycemic foods in a super market!

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