Health foods that may help in proper diabetes management

Despite numerous advances and discoveries in the medical realm, it is believed that a proper diet accentuated by a selection of certain health foods is still the best route towards the proper management of diabetes. Diabetes has become a significant health concern in the modern world. It is estimated that as much as 350 million worldwide have the disease.

There are two types of diabetes: Type-I and Type-II. The former is also referred to as “insulin dependent diabetes mellitus” and is characterized by the body’s inability to produce insulin. Meanwhile, the latter refers to a disorder in which the pancreas produces insufficient quantities of insulin needed to reduce levels of blood glucose.

If left to fester, diabetes may come with a host of complications that may include cardiovascular ailments like heart disease, hypertension and stroke; eye problems like blindness; kidney problems; disorders of the nervous system and pregnancy complications.

If the diabetes is managed well and kept under control, the chances of developing the abovementioned complications are dramatically lowered.

Proper diet and nutrition, along with moderate exercise, and disciplined weight control are often cited as the foundations of an exemplary management of diabetes.

There is a great chance that the effectiveness of this diabetes control combo may be further enhanced if certain natural health foods that are quite known to possess certain diabetes-control properties are included in the diet.

Fruits and vegetables are the innate fixtures in a diet that’s aimed to fight diabetes. This is due to the fact that most of these have lots of antioxidants that may help remove toxins in the body that contribute to the havoc wrought by diabetes.

In addition to these fruits and vegetables, including some of the following health foods into the diabetes-control diet may help improve its effectiveness:

a. Bitter Melon – a tropical fruit renowned to help regulate blood sugar levels. Known by its scientific name of momordica charantia, it is among the most bitter of all fruits. This fruit is oblong-shaped and has a curiously unique, craggy and warty appearance. Its flesh surrounds the central seed cavity and has large flat seeds and pith.

b. Sweet Potato – a tropical root crop that may help control the levels of blood sugar. Orange colored varieties of this crop are said to be abundant in the antioxidant beta carotene while the purplish ones are believed to be a haven for the antioxidant anthocyanins.

c. Apple cider vinegar – a sour-tasting liquid made from fermented apple juice that is believed to help temper and control the rise of blood glucose levels shortly after food intake. This golden brown to amber colored liquid also contains a web-like bacterial foam called the “mother”.

d. Almonds – nuts (or seeds) of the almond tree that have also shown to help control the increase of sugar levels in the body right after meals. These are typically eaten raw, toasted, sugared or salted.

While diabetes is an ailment that may stay with an individual for a long time, adopting simple lifestyle changes, choosing appropriate medication, and observing a proper diet may help impede diabetes from causing any long-term damage. And while including certain health foods in the diet may not totally eliminate the need to take anti-diabetic medications on a day-to-day basis, these may definitely keep the blood sugar levels down and thus help mitigate the occurrence of disastrous complications.