10 Incredible Diabetes-Fighting Vegetables

For diabetics, controlling blood sugar levels is often difficult and confusing. But it's something that is essential for managing diabetes. This is because chronic high blood sugar levels may lead to serious health consequences. It increases the likelihood of health issues such as heart disease, kidney failure, and blindness. The most efficient way to lower blood sugar is through a healthy diet. But it may be tricky to know which foods you're allowed to eat, especially when so many healthy vegetables are packed with carbs, which increases blood sugar levels. That's why we're here to help. In this video, we're going to unveil the 10 incredible diabetes fighting vegetables. And on top of controlling your blood sugar, these vegetables also keep your bones strong and fight osteoporosis, help you maintain a healthy weight, contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, have antibacterial properties, stimulate healthy insulin production, boost good cholesterol levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and much more. If you like the sound of that, stick around. And make sure to subscribe to our channel and like this video. Also, we've got something special for you. Make sure you stick around to find out how you can get two free gifts from watching this video. Now it's time to reveal the 10 incredible diabetes fighting vegetables. Number 10. Turmeric. Turmeric is a spice that gives off an amazing yellow color. It's a very popular spice in Indian cuisine. But it's not only used to add fantastic flavor into curries. Turmeric is also used as a medicinal herb. This is because of its amazing properties. The main active ingredient found in turmeric is curcumin. A study in the National Library of Medicine states that this compound may help lower blood sugar levels. This is because it's a strong antioxidant and also has anti-inflammatory properties. Antioxidants are super important for diabetics. They fight against unstable molecules called free radicals. This imbalance of free radicals causes cell damage in your body. Antioxidants also help to reduce spikes in blood sugar levels after eating. But the compound curcumin sometimes struggles to absorb into your bloodstream. To make sure you consume all of turmeric's nutrients, eat it alongside black pepper. Black pepper enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2000%. Number 9. Asparagus. Did you know a study by the British Journal of Nutrition suggests that eating asparagus may help to control diabetes? Asparagus is full of so many amazing nutrients. It's rich in folic acid, potassium, fiber, and vitamin C. Folic acid is a nutrient that helps to stimulate endothelial functioning. For diabetics, endothelial dysfunction can cause heightened blood sugar levels. This makes asparagus a great vegetable to maintain healthy blood sugar. In fact, four spears of asparagus contain 22% of the daily recommended intake of folic acid. Like turmeric, asparagus is also high in antioxidants. It contains antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E. These also help to lower blood sugar levels. Not only that, vitamin E also helps to improve insulin sensitivity. This is because its antioxidant properties decrease the chance of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress happens when there's an imbalance of free radicals in your body. The vitamin E found in asparagus helps to prevent this from occurring. Number 8. Aloe vera. Aloe vera is a succulent plant known as a medicinal vegetable. Aloe vera comes in many forms such as a cream, gel, or ointment, but you can also eat it raw, cooked, or drink it as a juice. According to the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, consuming aloe vera can reduce blood sugar levels. This is because the succulent vegetable stimulates the secretion of insulin. As well as being high in antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E, aloe vera is also rich in folic acid, vitamin A, and vitamin B12. A deficiency in vitamin B12 can cause tiredness, loss of appetite, and chest pain. It may also result in more serious consequences such as an irregular heartbeat or loss of taste or smell. Diabetics are more likely than a healthy person to develop a B12 deficiency. This is because it may be a side effect of the oral tablet metformin, which is a common treatment for type 2 diabetes. Aloe vera also helps to enhance the bioavailability of vitamin B12. In fact, aloe vera is often said to be one of the only known natural vegetation sources of this vitamin. Also, aloe vera can help speed up wound healing, reduce dental plaque, and relieve constipation. In short, aloe vera is an amazing diabetes-fighting vegetable. Daikon is a mild-flavored winter radish that is an excellent source of many nutrients. Daikon is rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, and many more. Calcium is a nutrient that has amazing health benefits for diabetics. In fact, calcium can actually reduce the risk of development of type 2 diabetes. Calcium is very beneficial for diabetics. This is because of their increased risk of something called osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is when your bones become brittle and are more likely to break. This condition most commonly occurs in elderly individuals. The calcium found in daikon helps to strengthen bones, which means you're less likely to develop osteoporosis, and also means you're less likely to have a bone fracture. As well as helping strengthen bones, daikon also helps with your muscle and nerve function. This is because of its high levels of magnesium. Low levels of magnesium may have a negative effect on insulin resistance, which means including magnesium in your diet may also help lower blood sugar levels. Did you know that one cucumber has less than 50 calories? This makes it a perfect snack for anyone who's trying to maintain a healthy weight, which is something that's very important for diabetics. Also, cucumber is rich in fiber. Fiber is key to lowering blood sugar levels. In fact, there are two different types of fiber. These are soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and insoluble fiber does not. Soluble fiber slows down the movement of food through your gut, which helps to control blood sugar levels. Insoluble fiber stays intact as it moves through your body. This speeds up your gut waste removal process. Cucumber contains both soluble and insoluble fiber, meaning it's a fantastic fiber source to lower blood sugar levels. As well as being low calorie, cucumbers are very low carb. In fact, they have less than four grams of carbs per 100 grams. We're just about halfway. But before we continue, don't forget to check out the link in the description below to grab your two free gifts. Our ebook, 10 Incredible Foods That Reduce Blood Sugar and The Scary Truth About Sugar. Our free one hour documentary, which reveals what big food corporations are hiding from you. Okay, let's check out number five. Number five, silverbeet. Silverbeet, or as it's also known as chard, is an amazing vegetable that is categorized as a leafy green. Other leafy greens are kale, spinach, or bok choy. Silverbeet is rich in magnesium, calcium, fiber, vitamin E, vitamin C, and zinc. We've already talked a lot about these vitamins, but how does zinc fight diabetes? Well, according to Diabetology and Metabolic Syndrome Journal, zinc may improve blood sugar levels, which gives you glycemic control. This happens when zinc reduces glucose absorption, while also promoting glucose metabolism and storage. As well as this, zinc helps to lower bad cholesterol levels and helps increase good cholesterol levels. That's right. There's such a thing as good cholesterol. In fact, your body needs cholesterol to function properly. So what does bad and good cholesterol actually mean? Bad cholesterol is called LDL, and good cholesterol is called HDL. While diabetics usually have the same amount of good cholesterol as healthy people, they generally also have more bad cholesterol. This means that silverbeet contains fantastic properties for healthy cholesterol levels. Number four, black beans. Like many other types of beans, black beans are amazing for diabetics. This is because they each have a low glycemic index. These foods contain carbohydrates that take longer to break down into simple sugars when compared to high glycemic index foods. This helps to maintain a stable blood sugar level. Black beans are high in nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, and protein. Protein is an amazing helpful tool for diabetics. Protein helps to prevent post-meal blood sugar spikes and helps to maintain a healthy weight. This is because it slows digestion, which increases the feeling of fullness. Also, black beans have the same cholesterol controlling properties that silverbeet does. Lowering levels of bad cholesterol helps to keep your heart healthy. Did you know that high levels of cholesterol may result in heart disease? When there's too much cholesterol in your bloodstream, it builds up on your artery walls. This blocks blood flow to the heart, which is a process called atherosclerosis. The amazing properties in black beans helps to keep your heart healthy and happy. Number three, cabbage. Cabbage comes under the vegetable family of cruciferous. Other cruciferous vegetables include broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Cabbage is low in calories and high in fiber and also rich in antioxidants. These properties help to control your blood sugar levels. Cabbage is packed with so many amazing nutrients, such as vitamin C, A, and K. Vitamin A is very beneficial for diabetics. It helps special cells in your pancreas called beta cells to function as they should. So, what do these cells have to do with vitamin A? Well, beta cells produce insulin in your body. These cells are full of surface receptors for vitamin A. A study in the Diabetes Management Journal states that vitamin A may have a positive effect on beta cells. This may help with insulin production and manage blood sugar levels. Vitamin K is another nutrient that helps with your blood sugar levels. Vitamin K improves insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. This prevents insulin resistance and reduces the risk of the development of diabetes. Number two, garlic. Garlic is a plant in the allium family, making it related to vegetables like onion and shallots. Garlic has great health benefits for diabetics, whether it's eaten raw or cooked. There are special compounds in garlic that help to raise insulin levels. This prevents the liver's inactivation of insulin, meaning more insulin is available in your body. Some of these compounds are allicin and cysteine sulfoxide. Garlic also has many other incredible properties. This amazing vegetable can lower the effects of different diabetes complications. It helps to lower inflammation, reduces bad cholesterol, and fights against other infections. This is because of the many nutrients packed into this little allium. Garlic is rich in vitamins B and C, manganese, iron, potassium, and copper. In particular, garlic is an excellent source of vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is an amazing antioxidant that helps to reduce common diabetes complications. Having a healthy amount of this vitamin in your body is very beneficial for a diabetic. This is because it reduces the risk of diseases such as liver disorders and high blood pressure and even cancer. Garlic is an incredible superfood, which is easy to incorporate into your daily meals. Try adding crushed garlic into your next meal, and trust us, the health benefits are worth the garlic breath. And finally, it's the moment you've been waiting for. Get ready for our final amazing vegetable. Let's unveil our number one diabetes-fighting food. Number one, swede. That's right, swede, or as it's also known, rutabaga. Swede or rutabaga is a vegetable that belongs to the same family as turnips and cabbages. It's a root vegetable and is fantastic for diabetics. Swede is an amazing substitute for potatoes, which are high in carbs and cause your blood sugar to rise. Not only that, but swedes contain a variety of nutrients. This vegetable has high levels of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and phytonutrients. Unlike potatoes, swedes don't have as many carbs that break down into simple sugars. This makes them a great vegetable for those trying to control blood glucose. Swedes contain special phytonutrients called glucosinolates and phytosterols. These are anti-inflammatories which help to decrease inflammation in your body. This is very important for diabetics. High inflammation may cause damage to your endothelial cells. These cells control your blood pressure and keep your blood from clotting. Anti-inflammatory vegetables like swede help to keep these cells healthy. This helps your heart to stay healthy. Swedes also help to reduce the risk of many other diseases. They may help with weight loss, promote bowel health, and are high in antioxidants. Like many of the other vegetables in this video, swedes are super easy to incorporate into your diet. By consuming more of these vegetables, you'll help to keep your body healthy and fight against diabetes. We hope that you've found this video helpful and have learned something new. If you like this video, we've got another amazing video called the top 10 best vegetables for diabetics which gives you 10 more diabetes-fighting vegetables. If you like the sound of that, click the link in the description box below. Also, don't forget to press the like button below and subscribe to our channel to make sure you don't miss any of our other fantastic videos. We release amazing videos like this one every week. And before you go, don't forget to claim your two free gifts. Our ebook, 10 Incredible Foods That Reduce Blood Sugar, and The Scary Truth About Sugar, our free one-hour documentary which reveals what big food corporations are hiding from you. These two gifts are waiting for you in the description box below. So, what's your favorite vegetable from our list? And if you've already watched our previous video in this series, let us know your number one vegetable from our two different lists. That's right, let's talk! Comment any suggestions you have for us down below, and feel free to ask us any questions you might still have. Until next time, thanks for watching. From us here at Diabetics Talk, we hope you have a fantastic diabetes-fighting day.