28 Jun Foods to Balance Your Blood Sugars

Keeping our blood sugars in check is not only important for those living with diabetes; we should all strive to keep our blood sugars balanced! Having steady blood sugars prevents the highs and lows associated with blood sugar spikes. Eating foods with a quick energy release can cause feelings of fatigue, hunger, and irritation. Processed foods and foods with refined sugar can cause a spike in your blood sugar as they release glucose rapidly into the bloodstream. As a result, blood sugar spikes, but also quickly crashes back down. High glycemic foods include white bread, rice cakes, most crackers, bagels, cakes, doughnuts, croissants, and most packaged breakfast cereals. Low glycemic foods slowly release glucose into the bloodstream. Examples of low glycemic foods include vegetables, legumes, some fruits (berries, apples, pears, and oranges), whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

Eating the proper combination of fat, protein, and carbohydrates in your meals help maintain physical and emotional balance, curbs food cravings and sustains energy levels. Here are some of the top foods you should consume to balance blood sugar – don’t forget to stay hydrated with water!

Chia seeds: These tiny seeds pack a big nutritional punch and are filled with fibre. Fibre is a carbohydrate that our body is not able to digest. Fibre enhances the efficiency with which your body processes food. In addition to keeping your digestive system in check, fibre slows glucose absorption in the foods you eat. Chia seeds are tasteless and can easily be sprinkled onto foods such as smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt and baked goods. Click here to see my oatmeal and date muffin recipe.

Eggs: A popular breakfast staple, eggs are loaded with great nutrition. One large egg contains 70 calories, 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of fat (1.5 grams of saturated fat). Eggs are naturally free of carbohydrates and sugar and are a great source of iron, vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids. Eggs are inexpensive and an incredibly versatile food – the combination of fat and protein contained in eggs sustain energy levels and keep you feeling satisfied. Aiming for one whole egg a day is a safe recommendation for most people.

Berries: These delicious and colorful fruits have the highest amount of fibre per serving compared to any other fruit! Berries are also high in antioxidants, which protect our cells from free radical damage and inflammation. High fibre and high water content of berries mean that their digestible or net carb content is low which is ideal to keep blood sugar levels in check. Berries can be enjoyed fresh or frozen.

Cauliflower: If you are looking to cut back on carbs to help stabilize your blood sugars than you need to incorporate more cauliflower in your diet! Cauliflower is a great swap for rice and takes the place of starchy potatoes and can even make for an awesome crust for a pizza! Cauliflower is a non-starchy vegetable and as such is very low in calories and carbohydrates. Additionally, cauliflower is super mild in flavour so combines very well with other foods. If you are looking to cut back on carbs and boost fibre for fullness you need to add more cauliflower in your meals. Check out my cauliflower smoothie recipe and spiced cauliflower rice recipe!