WHAT TO EAT FOR Balanced Blood Sugar

Glucose levels, sometimes known as blood sugar, are one of the most popular wellness subjects. There are numerous ways in which our blood sugar levels affect our health. They can affect our mood and energy levels, trigger strong cravings and hunger pains, wake us up in the middle of the night, and help prevent chronic illnesses. We asked nutritionist and functional medicine expert Leona West Fox to elaborate.

Maintaining constant blood glucose (sugar) levels is known as blood sugar balance. It is essential for general health and wellbeing since it supports optimum brain function, emotional modulation, and energy regulation, according to Leona. Additionally, it has a major impact in preventing secondary chronic diseases like dementia, heart disease, and cancer as well as chronic disorders like diabetes.

According to Leona, "important dietary and lifestyle choices can help achieve and maintain blood sugar balance."

“Important dietary and lifestyle decisions can help achieve and maintain blood sugar homeostasis, according to Leona. We're going to concentrate on the "what-to-eat" portion today. Fortunately, the formula is not too complicated.

According to Leona, a meal that balances blood sugar can be made by combining the four items listed below:

1. High fibre

2. Moderate to high protein

3. Beneficial fats

4. Low-glycaemic complex carbs

Additionally, some are more significant than others if you are unable to attend all four. She clarifies, "They are listed in order of priority." "For any meal, we should ideally have at least numbers one and two, followed by numbers three and four in order of importance."

She lists healthy food sources for each of the four areas below.

1. HIGH FIBRE

* Artichokes

* Avocado

* Beans

* Brussels sprouts

* Broccoli

* Chia seeds

* Lentils

* Oats

* Pears

* Quinoa

* Raspberries

* Split peas

2. MODERATE TO HIGH PROTEIN

* Almonds

* Cottage cheese

* Chicken

* Eggs

* Greek yogurt

* Lean beef

* Lentils

* Pumpkin seeds

* Salmon

* Tofu

* Tempeh

* Turkey

3. BENEFICIAL FATS

* Avocado

* Avocado oil

* Chia Seeds

* Coconut

* Coconut Oil

* Flaxseed Oil

* Ghee (Clarified Butter)

* Nuts (e.g., Almonds, Walnuts)

* Olive Oil

* Yogurt

4. LOW GLYCEMIC COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES

* Barley

* Beans and lentils

* Brown rice

* Buckwheat

* Oats

* Quinoa

* Squash

* Sweet potatoes and yams

* Whole wheat pasta

* Sprouted and flourless bread

* Wild rice

She advises keeping a 12- to 14-hour overnight fast and eating dinner early. Eating dinner early "gives your body more time to digest and metabolise the food before bed." Eating too close to bedtime might result in large blood sugar rises after meals, which this can help avoid, according to Leona.

"By allowing insulin levels to drop and improving insulin sensitivity, an early dinner combined with a 12- to 14-hour overnight fast promotes balanced blood sugar levels through an extended period of time without food during late night, sleep, and early morning," she says. As the overnight fast depletes stored glucose, the body is prompted to use stored lipids for energy through fat oxidation, which improves metabolic flexibility and lowers the risk of insulin resistance. This promotes fat burning and glycogen depletion.