| Diabetic diets are not complete without four essential | | | | diabetes. The following foods are rich in reducers |
| types of food. By eating foods to help metabolize | | | | (antioxidants) and should make up a large part of |
| sugar, promote insulin sensitivity, reduce oxidative | | | | diabetic diets: |
| stress, and protect from glycation, you could finally | | | | 1. Red beans |
| reach your treatment goals. | | | | 2. Blueberries |
| Food Type #1: Metabolizers | | | | 3. Cranberries |
| Diabetic diets should help to restore proper sugar | | | | 4. Artichokes |
| metabolism. Excess blood sugar initiates a cascade of | | | | 5. Pomegranate |
| dangerous reactions that destroy the body and | | | | 6. Green & black tea |
| ultimately lead to disease. Eating certain foods may | | | | 7. Cocoa (dark chocolate) |
| help to restore normal sugar metabolism. | | | | 8. Tart cherries |
| The following foods and spices are potent sugar | | | | 9. Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli) |
| metabolizers: | | | | Every meal should contain 2-3 servings of reducers |
| 1. Cinnamon | | | | (antioxidants). And if you got to snack, eat only foods |
| 2. Basil | | | | rich in antioxidants. |
| 3. Apples | | | | Food Type #4: Protectors |
| 4. Green beans | | | | It is crucial that diabetics understand the ways in which |
| 5. Broccoli | | | | blood glucose causes damage. The most notorious |
| 6. Whole wheat bread | | | | process is glycation, the same process that causes |
| 7. Sprouted breads | | | | food to brown in an oven. |
| Add 1-2 servings with each major meal. | | | | Glycation (defined as sugar molecules reacting with |
| Food Type #2: Promoters | | | | proteins to produce nonfunctional structures in the |
| The hallmark of type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance. | | | | body) is a key feature of diabetes-related |
| Insulin directs the uptake of blood sugars by the cells | | | | complications because it compromises proteins |
| throughout your body. Promoting insulin sensitivity | | | | throughout the body and is linked to nerve damage, |
| nutritionally may even help medications work better. | | | | heart attack, and blindness. |
| The following foods are strong insulin promoters: | | | | Protectors are foods that can minimize the effects of |
| 1. Collard greens | | | | glycation: |
| 2. Lean red meats (organ meats) | | | | 1. Turkey |
| 3. Brewer's yeast | | | | 2. Liver |
| 4. Cabbage | | | | 3. Tuna |
| A meal consisting of 6-7 ounces of lean red meat with | | | | 4. Chili peppers |
| 2-3 servings of dark greens provide high doses of | | | | 5. Lentils |
| insulin promoters. | | | | 6. Chicken |
| Food Type #3: Reducers | | | | 7. Lean red meat |
| Excess blood sugar creates extreme levels of | | | | Chili peppers added to marinades for chicken and fish |
| oxidative stress, one of the leading theories of aging. If | | | | is a great way to enhance diabetic diets. |
| not properly metabolized, blood sugar quickly | | | | Summary |
| transforms into highly reactive molecules that damage | | | | I firmly believe that you can beat diabetes. If given the |
| your body. Cells and tissues are destroyed faster than | | | | right tools, the human body can heal itself. And healing |
| they can be replaced. | | | | begins with a complete diabetic diet. Start eating |
| Reducers, also known as antioxidants, are foods that | | | | metabolizers, promoters, reducers, and protectors |
| lower oxidative stress by mopping up reactive sugar | | | | today! |
| metabolites. Eating a wide variety of antioxidants from | | | | Learn about the Diabetic Food Pyramid and how it |
| a wide variety of sources is a key step for beating | | | | differs from the traditional food pyramid. |