Receive helpful health tips, health news, recipes and more right to your inbox. Your blood sugar plays a significant role in your energy levels and how you feel each day. Maintaining well-balanced blood sugar is also a key to long-term health. Lena Beal, MS, RDN, LD, a therapeutic dietitian at Piedmont, shares why healthy blood sugar levels are important and how to stay balanced.

Heart disease is the No. This can lead to stroke, heart attack, blindness, nerve damage and amputations. Low blood sugar can be caused by:. Your lifestyle has a significant impact on your blood sugar.

Avoiding extreme highs and lows will leave you feeling more energized and focused. To maintain healthy blood sugar levels, Beal recommends to:.

Exercise regularly. This also improves the way your body uses insulin [insulin sensitivity]. Maintain a healthy body weight. Reduce your sugar intake.

Dietary sugar spikes blood sugar, which can send you on a rollercoaster of highs and lows. Beal recommends limiting sugary beverages, cakes, cookies, pies, candy and other sweets. Check your food labels since sugar can show up in sneaky places, like ketchup, pasta sauce and salad dressing.

Limit refined carbohydrates. Like sugary foods, refined carbohydrates can also spike blood sugar. Determination of postprandial glycemic responses by continuous glucose monitoring in a real-world setting.

Dimidi E, Cox SR, Rossi M, Whelan K. Fermented doods: Definitions and characteristics, impact on the gut microbiota and effects on gastrointestinal health and disease. Published online Aug 5. Effects of diet, lifestyle, chrononutrition and alternative dietary interventions on postprandial glycemia and insulin resistance.

Atkinson F, Cohen M, Lau K, Brand-Miller JC. Glycemic index and insulin index after a standard carbohydrate meal consumed with live kombucha: A randomised, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Front Nutr. Paul AK, Lim CL, Apu MAI, Dolma KG, et al. Are fermented foods effective against inflammatory diseases?

Int J Environ Res Public Health. American Heart Association. Added sugars. How too much added sugar affects your health infographic.

Added sugars drive insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease. Mo Med. Mathur K, Agrawal RK, Nagpure S, Deshpande D. Effect of artificial sweeteners on insulin resistance among type-2 diabetes mellitus patients.

J Family Med Prim Care. Published online Jan Bueno-Hernández N, Esquivel-Velázquez M, Alcántara-Suárez R, Gómez-Arauz A, et al. Chronic sucralose consumption induces elevation of serum insulin in young healthy adults: a randomized, double blind, controlled trial.

Nutr J. World Health Organization. WHO advises not to use non-sugar sweeteners for weight control in newly released guideline. American Diabetes Association. Low Vitamin D May Contribute to Insulin Resistance. Hypervitaminosis D.

Farahmand MA, Daneshzad E, Fung TT, Zahidi F. What is the impact of vitamin D supplementation on glycemic control in people with type-2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trails. BMC Endocr Disord. Pittas AG, Kawahara T, Jorde R, Dawson-Hughes B, et al. Vitamin D and Risk for Type 2 Diabetes in People With Prediabetes : A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Individual Participant Data From 3 Randomized Clinical Trials.

Ann Intern Med. Epub Feb 7. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Good hydration linked with longevity. Janbozorgi N, Allipour R, Djafarian K, Shab-Bidar S, et al. Water intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

Diabetes Metab Syndr. Epub May Johnson EC, Bardis CN, Jansen LT, Adams JD, et al. Reduced water intake deteriorates glucose regulation in patients with type 2 diabetes. Nutr Res. Sedaghat G, Montazerifar F, Keykhaie MI, Karajibani M, et al.

Effect of pre-meal water intake on the serum levels of Copeptin, glycemic control, lipid profile and anthropometric indices in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized, controlled trial.

J Diabetes Metab Disord. eCollection Jun. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising. Create profiles to personalise content.

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List of Partners vendors. Wellness Nutrition. By Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD. Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD. Cynthia Sass is a nutritionist and registered dietitian with master's degrees in both nutrition science and public health.

Frequently seen on national TV, she's Health's contributing nutrition editor and counsels clients one-on-one through her virtual private practice. Cynthia is board certified as a specialist in sports dietetics and has consulted for five professional sports teams, including five seasons with the New York Yankees.

She is currently the nutrition consultant for UCLA's Executive Health program. Sass is also a three-time New York Times best-selling author and Certified Plant Based Professional Cook. Connect with her on Instagram and Facebook, or visit www.

health's editorial guidelines. Medically reviewed by Jamie Johnson, RDN. Jamie Johnson, RDN, is the owner of the nutrition communications practice Ingraining Nutrition. learn more. In This Article View All. In This Article. Eat Carbohydrates Last. Incorporate More Soluble Fiber Into Your Meals.

Try Intermittent Fasting. Choose Whole Grains Over Refined Grains. Go on a Walk After Meals. Practice Strength Training. Incorporate More Pulses Into Your Diet. Eat a Protein-Rich Breakfast. Eat More Avocado. Wear a Continuous Glucose Monitor. Just be sure to keep carb count in mind when incorporating foods with resistant starch into your diet.

Beckerman, MD , a cardiologist with Providence Heart Clinic in Portland, Oregon. Crandall tells patients that exercise is like spring cleaning for the body.

Because exercise can immediately reduce blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes, work with your healthcare team to determine the right amount of activity and timing for you. A study published in found exercising 30 minutes after the start of a meal is usually best for maintaining blood sugar controls.

RELATED: 7 Tips for Staying Motivated to Exercise When Managing Diabetes. Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.

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Kacy Church, MD. Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Banana, and Oatmeal Smoothie Unlike most smoothies, this one is as filling as a meal. contains Soy , Peanuts. SERVES 1. CALORIES PER SERVING AUTHOR Kelly Kennedy, RDN. REVIEWED BY Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES. Print Download Pinterest. PREP TIME 5 min. Ingredients 1½ cups plain, unsweetened soy milk or milk of your choice.

Directions 1 Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Nutrition Facts Amount per serving.

calories total fat 20g. saturated fat 3. protein 22g. carbohydrates 48g. fiber 9. sugar added sugar 0g. sodium mg. Rate recipe. Share recipe Facebook Twitter Pinterest Copy Link. Keep an Eye on Your Carb Intake. Fill Up on Fiber. RELATED: 7 Healthy Meal Tips for People With Type 2 Diabetes 4.

Get More Quality Shut-Eye. Having sleep troubles? Follow these recommendations from the National Sleep Foundation: Sleep in a cool, dark room. Avoid consuming alcohol or caffeine in the hours before bed. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on the weekends. Lose a Little Weight.

Drink More Water. Get a Handle on Stress. Never Skip Eating Breakfast. Add More Resistant Starch to Your Plate.

They have lower GI scores than regular whole wheat bread because the ingredients go through less processing. Processing removes the fibrous outer shells of grains and cereals.

Fiber slows digestion and helps stabilize blood sugar levels. The researchers behind a small trial found that consuming less-processed grains led to an improvement in blood sugar levels for people with T2DM.

A separate small study involving 15 people with T2DM also found that the particle size of the whole grains in bread had an impact on blood sugar levels.

The authors of a review looked at the effect of millets, which have a low GI score. Except for pineapples and melons, fruits generally have low GI scores.

This is because most fresh fruits contain lots of water and fiber to balance out their content of fructose, a naturally occurring sugar. However, as fruits ripen, their GI scores increase. Fruit juices also typically have very high GI scores because juicing removes the fibrous skins and seeds.

So, fresh fruit is preferable. A study that followed about half a million people in China for 7 years found that those who ate fresh fruit daily had lower rates of T2DM. White potatoes have a high GI score. Sweet potatoes and yams have lower scores — although they are still relatively high — and are very nutritious.

Sweet potatoes are a good source of fiber, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A and C. Health experts may recommend sweet potatoes as a suitable substitute for white potatoes in a variety of dishes, from fries to casseroles. In addition to trying to include more sweet potatoes and yams, people may want to limit or avoid white potatoes and products typically made from them, such as french fries and mashed potatoes.

Oats have a low GI score, which means they are less likely to cause spikes and dips in blood sugar levels. The authors of a meta-analysis of trials looked at how beta-glucan affects blood sugar levels after a meal.

They found evidence to suggest that carbohydrate -based meals that contain beta-glucan have a link to lower blood sugar levels than meals that do not contain beta-glucan.

Stone-ground and rolled oats are typically the preferable forms to consume. People may wish to limit other forms, such as processed oats, instant oats, and cereal bars.

Nuts are very rich in dietary fiber and have low GI scores. Nuts also contain high levels of plant protein, unsaturated fatty acids, and other nutrients, including:. The American Diabetes Association notes that nuts can be beneficial for diabetes and are a good source of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.

As with other foods in this article, it is best to eat nuts that are as whole and as unprocessed as possible. Nuts with coatings or flavorings have higher GI scores than plain nuts. Legumes , such as beans, peas, chickpeas, and lentils, have very low GI scores. Even baked beans, which are not as preferable, still have a low GI score.

Legumes are also good sources of nutrients that can help people maintain healthy blood sugar levels, including:.

People with diabetes may wish to avoid legume products that contain added sugars and simple starches, such as legumes packaged in syrups, sauces, or marinades. Garlic is a popular component of traditional remedies for diabetes and a wide variety of other conditions. The compounds in garlic may help lower blood sugar by improving insulin sensitivity and secretion.

The authors of a review found that garlic supplements helped manage blood sugar and cholesterol levels in people with T2DM. Fish and other animal proteins do not typically have GI scores because they do not contain carbohydrates. However, consuming fish that contain the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid may help manage or prevent diabetes better than consuming other types of animal protein.

The researchers behind a study found that people who consumed oily fish developed T2DM at lower rates than those who did not.

Also, in a small study , participants who ate plenty of fatty fish showed better blood sugar regulation after a meal than those who avoided fish. While more research is necessary, some evidence suggests a potential link between mercury and T2DM.

Health experts recommend limiting fish high in mercury, especially for children, pregnant people, and those who are nursing. While more research is necessary, some evidence suggests that yogurt consumption, as part of a healthy dietary pattern, may help reduce the risk of T2DM.

Evidence notes that yogurt can provide many other health benefits. And because eating yogurt can help people feel fuller, it may help with blood sugar management.

It is best to avoid sweetened or flavored yogurts, which often contain more sugar than is desirable for a person who is looking to lower their blood sugar levels. Greek-style yogurt and unsweetened yogurt can be healthy alternatives.

Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is key. Additional strategies to help lower or manage blood sugar levels include:.

People with diabetes may also need to take medications and check their blood sugar levels regularly to reduce the risk of experiencing potentially dangerous symptoms and complications. Choosing healthy proteins and fats and non-starchy vegetables can help manage hyperglycemia.

Carbohydrates that are lower in sugar and contain fiber are less likely to spike blood sugar compared to refined carbs.

Lean proteins like chicken, oily fish, and non-starchy vegetables can also be good choices for hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia occurs due to a lack of insulin or insulin resistance. However, a diet high in processed carbohydrates and sugars can increase the risk of blood sugar spikes.

High-sugar foods and simple, refined carbohydrate products are best to limit when managing hyperglycemia. Things to specifically limit or avoid include:. The fastest way to lower blood sugar is to take fast-acting insulin medication. Leafy greens such as romaine, kale, and spinach, along with non-starchy vegetables for example, peppers, tomatoes, and onions are high in fiber, low in calories, and nutrient-rich.

All nuts are high in protein and healthy fats. Healthy fats slow your digestive system and the rush of sugar from your gut to the bloodstream. Seeds — chia, flax, pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame — are another great option, especially for people with nut allergies. All fruits contain natural sugar, but berries have the lowest amount.

They also contain more fiber than most other fruits, plus lots of healthy nutrients. Food labels list calories, fat, cholesterol, sugars, carbs, and other items. High-starch foods affect blood glucose just as much as sugary foods do.

He recommends the following formula: Take the total carbohydrates and subtract the fiber. That gives you the net carbs.

Subtract the sugar from the net carbs. Then you know your total starches. They have 29 grams of total carbohydrates and 6 grams of fiber per serving. So the net carbs are 23, and this represents sugar plus starch.

But there are only 2 grams of sugar listed on the label. People with diabetes should limit serving sizes of starchy foods. Eating high-starch foods with similar amounts of protein balances the resulting sugars. A balanced diet goes a long way toward controlling blood sugar.

Your blood sugar balance also may improve when you:. Skip to cookie consent Skip to main content Skip to alerts Skip to pause carousel. About Us Newsroom How to Control Blood Sugar With Diet.

More alert details. Nov 29, share on facebook. Use protein to lower blood sugar. Balance blood sugar with these foods. Whole grains and fiber Whole grains such as whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, oats, and quinoa are an excellent source of fiber.