Mealtime tips keeping blood sugar in control

Mealtime tips keeping blood sugar in control

Controlling blood sugar when you have type 2 diabetes, can sometimes feel like a roller coaster ride. Some days you’re blood sugar (glucose) levels are consistent and in control while others days you’re swinging from being too high to a few hours later, falling too low. Even if you’re on prescribed medications meant to keep blood sugar in a safe and consistent range, some days are simply more difficult than others. 

Likely, you have questioned why there are times when your blood sugar behaves better and other times when it is out of control. Are there are certain dietary habits you may be unconsciously doing negatively affecting your blood sugar?  It’s important to figure out why your blood sugar is out of range, especially if this is becoming more common. Stabilizing your blood sugar can help you avoid serious complications of diabetes due to out of control ranges.

Both high and too low of blood glucose levels can damage various organs of your body. This damage can include vital organs such as your eyes (retinopathy), kidneys (nephropathy), heart (cardiovascular disease), and nerves (neuropathy), throughout the body.

If you suspect that your inconsistent blood glucose levels are being influenced by how and what you’re eating, you are exactly right. Keeping blood glucose in a healthy range can be hard but not impossible.  Remember too, you are not alone. By making some adjustments and taking a closer look at how you eat, you can gain better control of your blood sugar reducing your risk of health complications.  Here are some mealtime tips to get you started:

·      Begin by choosing healthy carbohydrates

It starts with knowing which foods that contain carbohydrates are the very best you should be choosing.  First, all plant based foods contains carbohydrates – fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, and all grains. The only animal-based food containing carbs is milk and then yogurt that is made from milk.  Otherwise, no other animal-based foods (red meat, fish, poultry, cheese, and eggs) contain carbs.

The natural plant based foods, as mentioned above, will be your best choice of carbohydrates to choose from.  Besides carbohydrates, these foods also contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants your body needs to function properly.  

However, there are not-so-healthy foods which also contain carbohydrates – sugary beverages, candy, cookies, cake, pie, sugary breakfast cereals, juice, and other highly refined foods. 

When you choose the healthiest carbs to begin with and keep portions sizes small, you can obtain better blood glucose control than when choosing foods that are too sugary. Portion size is crucial. The bigger the portion sizes of foods containing carbohydrates, the higher your blood sugar will rise.

·      Have a healthy protein and fat source at every meal

Make every meal balanced.  This means besides a healthy carbohydrate, also have a protein and fat, helping to slow down digestion to absorb blood sugar more slowly. Below is an example of a well-balanced meal containing a combination of healthy carbs, protein, and fat:

·      Fill half your plate with a salad made of dark leafy greens such as spinach and other cut up veggies like cherry tomatoes and sliced cucumbers (healthy carbs)

·      Fill a quarter of your plate with a healthy protein source such as a 3 ounce portion of baked fish (healthy protein and fat)

·      Fill the other quarter of your plate with a healthy whole grain such a brown rice (healthy carb)

·      Include fiber-rich foods at every meal

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate found only in plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grain breads and cereals. Unlike other types of carbs, your body can’t digest fiber, so instead of being broken down and absorbed by the bloodstream, it passes through the digestive track. Make sure you have a fiber-rich food at every meal and snack.

There are two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water from your food and what you drink, making a sticky liquid or gel. This gel helps trap certain food particles slowing down digestion. Foods rich in soluble fiber include apples, sweet potatoes, avocadoes, black beans, kidney beans, lima beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and pears.

Insoluble fiber adds bulk to the stool and can help food pass more quickly through the stomach and intestines. Foods rich in insoluble fiber include whole wheat bread, wheat bran, corn, almonds, and brown rice.

Since fiber slows down digestion, this means it also slows down the absorption of your blood sugar helping reduce blood sugar spikes that commonly occur when consuming low-fiber, high sugar foods.

·      Choose healthy snack foods

There is no set number of snacks to have throughout the day.  However, most adults who are either sedentary or mildly active, likely only need one snack a day.  Adults who are moderately to vigorously active (they work at a job where they are walking a lot or they exercise regularly), may require two to three snacks a day. 

Snack choices matter that’s why combining a small portion of a healthy carbohydrate and a protein containing food is best.  Examples of this combo might include a few apple slices with peanut butter; nuts with a handful of grapes; a cheese stick with a few whole wheat crackers; or a hard-boiled egg with cut up raw veggies.

This combo of a small portion of a healthy carb with a food rich in protein for a snack, helps slow digestion helping level out blood glucose.

·      Watch out for “sugar-free” foods

Just because a food is labeled, “sugar-free” or “no added sugar,” does not mean its carbohydrate free.  If the food contains carbohydrates, it can still cause your blood sugar to rise. To know for sure, look at the Nutrition Facts panel on a food package and look at the total number of Total Carbohydrates and also read the ingredient list.  The Total Carbohydrate listed includes the amounts of starch, fiber, sugar, and sugar alcohol giving you a more accurate idea of how a food may actually affect your blood sugar levels.

·      Drink more water

Foods containing carbohydrates make a difference on your blood sugar readings but so does the amount of water you drink throughout the day.  Water contains zero grams of carbohydrates – the American Diabetes Association recommends drinking plain water or other calorie-free and carbohydrate-free beverages (unsweetened tea or coffee) as good options for keeping you hydrated and without raising your blood glucose.

Many of us may not be as well-hydrated as we think.  One way to tell is to look at the color of your urine – it should be a pale yellow color indicating you are well-hydrated. If it’s more concentrated or has a strong odor, you likely are not consuming enough water.

Drinking more water also helps lower high blood glucose by diluting the excess sugar in your bloodstream and by causing you to urinate more, also helping flush out excess sugar.

Dr. David Samadi is the Director of Men’s Health and Urologic Oncology at St. Francis Hospital in Long Island. He’s a renowned and highly successful board certified Urologic Oncologist Expert and Robotic Surgeon in New York City, regarded as one of the leading prostate surgeons in the U.S., with a vast expertise in prostate cancer treatment and Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy.  Visit Dr. Samadi’s websites at robotic oncology and prostate cancer 911.