5 Healthy Food Swaps to Manage High Blood Sugar

Managing high blood sugar means taking matters into your own hands and taking a good hard look at your diet. The foods you eat on a daily basis play an integral role in blood sugar. If you consume too many processed, refined, and sugar-rich foods, you run the risk of experiencing blood sugar swings. Refined carbohydrates are known to trigger a blood sugar spike and then crash.

Blood sugar imbalance can lead to a number of unwanted symptoms including irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, brain fog, and even fat storage around your midsection.

To help better control high blood sugar, there are certain foods to avoid with diabetes.

five healthy swaps to manage high blood sugar

#1 Use Stevia VS Refined Sugar: Stevia is an all-natural zero carb sweetener that can be used in place of sugar. Stevia makes a much better option than artificial sweeteners, and a little goes a long way. When it comes to using stevia, just be sure to choose a product that is 100% stevia and doesn’t contain added artificial sweeteners.

#2 Make Fruit Infused Water VS Fruit Juice: Skip the sugar-filled fruit juice, and make your own fruit-infused water instead. Fruit juice can significantly impact your blood sugar, especially if it contains added sugar. You can completely avoid this issue by adding some freshly squeezed lemon juice to your glass of water or making an infused water overnight with things like berries or cucumbers.

#3 Eat the Whole Fruit VS Fruit Cups: Many people enjoy fruit cups for the convenience factor. However, fruit cups often contain added ingredients including added sugar and artificial sweeteners. Plus, you miss out on the fiber when you don’t eat the whole fruit. Instead of enjoying a fruit cup, try enjoying the whole fruit instead.

#4 Choose Whole Grain VS Refined Carbs: Refined carbs like white pasta and bread can lead to blood sugar imbalances, so steer clear of these. Instead, choose whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and rolled oats. These whole grains have dietary fiber to help slow the absorption of carbs and help to prevent that blood sugar spike you would get with refined carbohydrates.

#5 Use Lettuce VS Hamburger Buns: If you love a good hamburger, the good news is that you can still enjoy that occasional burger without feeling guilty if you swap the bun with lettuce. You can make a lettuce leaf bun without the added carbs and sugar.

Take control of your blood sugar by making these simple and effective dietary swaps. Swapping out high sugar foods for more whole and nutrient-dense foods can significantly help improve your health and help to keep your blood sugar levels stable so you can feel your best.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca Jacobs N.C is a Certified Holistic Nutrition Consultant, specializing in digestive and women’s health. She doesn’t believe in dieting but rather making lifestyle changes, and believes that healthy eating must be delicious. Rebecca is also a recipe developer and creates healthier alternatives to traditionally unhealthy foods.