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8 Best Foods To Control Diabetes

Whether your diabetes is due to your lifestyle habits or genes, limiting your diet can definitely help to control the blood sugar level. But, that does not mean your meals are now restrictive and boring. There are other foods which you can try to include in your diet if you have not been doing so to increase the effectiveness of controlling your blood sugar.

Here are the 8 following foods recommended for people with diabetes:  

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Whole Grains

Replace your processed grains with whole grains such as brown rice, oatmeals and peas.

These foods have carbohydrates to fuel you with energy without spiking your blood sugar level! It might be hard to make the switch instantaneously, so try to mix both brown rice and white rice together.

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Green Leafy Vegetables

Watching your diet not only means restricting certain food, it also means you have to make sure that you are still taking the nutrients you need.

Green, leafy vegetables such as kale provides you with potassium, calcium and vitamins.

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Chia Seeds

A superfood, chia seeds is known for its high antioxidant and omega-3 nutrition content. They are a source of plant-based protein and provide lots of fiber, excellent for those who are looking to lose weight and help with type 2 diabetes.

Sprinkle some chia seeds in your salad or add a spoonful of them in your cup of drink. 

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Berries

Swap your cups of dessert for a cup of berries or melons! Did you know that a cup of these only contain 15grams of calories? Pop them in plain yogurt to add flavour or make them into popsicles for a cooling treat in Singapore’s humid weather! 

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Beans

Beans are an excellent food option as they are a source of plant-based protein. They may help to control the blood sugar level as they are a complex form of carbohydrate which takes longer for the body to digest. They are high in nutritional value and can also help to regulate one’s blood pressure and cholesterol!

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Fatty Fish

Fish is a good alternative to other types of meat as they do not contain carbohydrate, safe for diabetic patients. Choose fatty fish such as salmon which provide you lots of nutrients and healthy oil such as omega-3 which is good for the brain and the heart

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Sweet Potatoes

They might sound sweet, but they are better than your normal potatoes as they have low GI scores which means they increase your blood sugar level slowly while being nutritious at the same time.

Just put some sweet potatoes in the steamer without adding any seasoning for a sweet snack and healthy snack.

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Nuts

If you are not a fan of fish, nuts are another great alternative to introduce healthy fats into your diet. Walnuts, for example, are high in omega-3 fatty acids. As diabetic patients are at higher risk of heart disease and stroke, it is important to increase omega-3 fatty acids in the body to protect the heart.