photo credit: specialkrb

Since diabetics have a problem with their blood sugar, they have to follow a strict diet. If you have recently been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s only appropriate that you learn what food you should eat and what food you should avoid as well.

For instance, chromium is important in lowering blood sugar. Since this mineral regulates the blood sugar, the need for insulin in the body is lowered and so medication is reduced as well. If your diabetes is only mild, then getting a good dose of chromium through your food would prevent your disease from developing into full blown diabetes. If your glucose tolerance is abnormal chromium will help control it. Aside from that, chromium even normalizes low blood sugar as well.

To get your dose of chromium, you should include brewer’s yeast in your diet. Brewer’s yeast would even help your pancreas increase insulin production as well. Another great source of chromium is broccoli.

Taking Insulin Naturally

If you want to get a dose of insulin naturally, drinking bitter gourd juice would be a good idea. Simply juice 3 to 4 bitter gourds and drink it first thing in the morning while your stomach is still empty. You can also boil chopped bitter gourd in water. If you can’t take drinking bitter gourd juice, you can also powder its seeds and add it in your meal so you will not feel its taste as you are taking it.

The effects would still be the same and you will get additional dose of insulin. In addition to that, you will also get essential nutrients like iron and vitamins A, C, B1 and B2. It would also be effective in preventing any further complications brought about by diabetes like defective metabolism of carbohydrates, neuritis, eye problems and hypertension.

Healthy Foods from India

Consuming generous amounts of Bengal gram is also recommended. Since water extracts of Bengal gram increases the usage of glucose in the body, this generally reduces the insulin requirements in diabetics.

Another recommended food for diabetics is black gram. Germinated black gram is actually taken with Bengal gram juice to treat mild cases of diabetes. A half cup of Bengal gram is taken with germinated black gram for 3 to 4 months but with restricted carbohydrate diet.

Alternatively, you can also grind sprouted black gram too. Both concoctions would be as effective in preventing malnutrition due to diabetes.

More Foods for Diabetics

You do not have to go farther than your kitchen. Garlic is good source of potassium which diabetics need very much. A lot of potassium is lost in urination so by consuming garlic you are replacing this important mineral in your body. It also has zinc and insulin which diabetics need as well.

Curd also promotes insulin production. It does so by introducing certain friendly bacteria into the digestive system. This in turn washes and cleans the pancreas from all the acids and wastes. So again eating curd is good for diabetics.