Type 2 Diabetes: Five Simple Dietary Changes You Can Make to Improve Your Blood Sugar

Making changes to your diet can be difficult and intimidating. You may not know where to start, and all the recommendations you find online can make things very confusing. The good news is that you can improve your type 2 diabetes with just a few simple but very effective dietary changes.

Let us take the confusion out of what foods you should and shouldn’t enjoy by talking about five simple but effective dietary changes you can make to improve your blood sugar levels …

1. Eliminate fruit juice. Fruit juice often contains a lot of added sugar. Combine the added sugar with the sugar found naturally in fruit and you are sure to experience a spike in blood sugar. Avoid fruit juices and choose water, unsweetened sparkling water, or sweeten the water with freshly squeezed fruit juice.

2. Read food labels. Reading food labels can be your best tool when it comes to controlling your blood sugar! Checking food labels for added sugars when looking for anything that ends in “ose” can be a great way to eliminate foods that contain added sweeteners. Get in the habit of reading the back of each label before buying a packaged food. The more you do this, the better it will be at detecting added sugars!

3. Choose complex carbohydrates over refined carbohydrates. Choose complex carbohydrates like rolled oats, quinoa, and brown rice over white pasta, white rice, bread, and cakes. Complex carbohydrates are absorbed more slowly and are less likely to cause a spike in blood sugar. Also, complex carbohydrates like quinoa or brown rice in their whole, natural state do not contain added sugar like bread and cakes.

4. Avoid high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup is found in soda, crackers, candy, and even bread. It is a leading cause of obesity and can lead to type 2 diabetes. It is essential to stay away from high fructose corn syrup at all costs. Instead, choose foods that contain natural sweeteners like …

• Fruit,

• pure maple syrup,

• raw honey, gold

• stevia.

However, keep in mind that foods like nuts and honey can cause blood sugar imbalances when consumed in excess and these foods should only be eaten occasionally.

5. Stay away from trans and hydrogenated fats. Trans and hydrogenated fats are commonly found in fried and processed foods. Fast food items are known to be full of these harmful fats that can help cause …

• obesity,

• heart disease, and can

• trigger inflammation.

These fats can also increase your cholesterol level. Stay away from these fats and choose healthier options like …

• extra virgin olive oil,

• avocados,

• walnuts,

• chia, and

• flax seeds.

Take your health into your own hands and make a difference in your health and your life. Start by making one change a week until you’ve made all five. In no time, you could have better control of your type 2 diabetes and live a healthier life!