For diabetics, controlling blood sugar levels may be tricky…
But the good news is, there’s something you can do to get control of your blood sugar
levels… and that is changing your diet! What you eat each day has huge effects on
blood sugar levels. But it’s often confusing when doctors are
telling you so many different things... And using huge scientific words!
Have you ever worried that what you’re eating might be raising your blood sugar?
Well, you’re not alone! It’s difficult to know what you’re allowed
to eat… And what’s going to cause your blood sugar levels to skyrocket!
So don’t worry… We’re here to simplify it all for you…
In this video, we’re going to expose our top 7 whole grains for blood sugar control!
These foods help to reduce oxidative stress, keep your gut healthy... And help your digestive
system! As well as that... We’re going to tell you
which whole grains help to reduce inflammation... And why this is important for blood sugar
control! Also, stick around to find out how you can
get two free gifts! Before we get started, make sure to ‘like’
this video… And subscribe to our channel! And now, it’s time to reveal these amazing
7 whole grains! Coming up first we’ve got a whole grain
which originated in China… 6000 years ago! Let’s get started…
Number 7: Buckwheat Buckwheat is a very nutritious whole grain.
Buckwheat is a pseudocereal... Meaning it’s a plant that produces fruits or seeds that
we know as grains! Pseudocereals are usually high in protein,
and often gluten-free! Some people call them “ancient grains.”
Buckwheat is in lots of common food products… Such as breakfast foods, flour, and noodles!
In fact, it’s also used by farmers to feed livestock.
Buckwheat is full of some amazing nutrients. It’s a fantastic source of protein, fiber,
and complex carbs! What exactly are complex carbs, you ask?
These are the carbs that have longer chains of sugar molecules than simple carbs.
These sugar molecules convert into glucose… Which your body uses for energy!
Because complex carbs have longer chains... They take longer to break down than simple
carbs. Which means that they give you a longer-lasting
form of energy! Also, it means they don’t raise your blood
sugar levels as quickly as simple carbs do! Simple carbs are found in foods like candy,
fruit juice, and white bread. According to the Journal of Diabetes Research...
Buckwheat may have a positive effect on your insulin and blood sugar!
This is because buckwheat contains a special diabetes-fighting ingredient… Called D-chiro-inositol,
or DCI. This is a chemical compound that helps insulin
work properly... Helping to lower your blood sugar levels!
It does this by reducing oxidative stress levels, and increasing insulin sensitivity!
Try buying buckwheat flour instead of regular flour from your local grocery store!
It’s gluten-free, and will give your cooking a slightly nutty and smoky flavor!
Coming up we’ve got another fantastic whole grain, which is rich in antioxidants and fiber!
Number 6: Brown rice You may think brown and white rice are quite
similar... But their nutritional content is actually very different.
Brown rice contains bran and germ, which gives many essential vitamins and minerals!
Compared to this, white rice is a refined grain… This means it’s gone through a
process to have these parts removed. This makes white rice softer and cooks quicker…
But it also means a lot of the nutrients have been taken out of it.
Brown rice is a great source of fiber, antioxidants, and lots of other vitamins and minerals.
It’s particularly high in antioxidants flavonoids. These are a plant compound, which help to
reduce the risk of oxidative stress! So, what is oxidative stress?
Well, it’s an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in your body.
This can cause damage to your body’s cells and tissue!
Also, high levels of oxidative stress may cause complications for diabetics!
When you have high blood sugar levels, the linings of your blood vessels take in more
sugar than they should. This causes oxidative stress... And may also
cause an excess amount of fat and cholesterol to build up on your artery walls.
This is called atherosclerosis… And it is a very serious health condition!
Luckily, the antioxidants in brown rice are able to fight against oxidative stress!
Also, the flavonoids found in brown rice may help reduce the risk of other chronic illnesses…
Such as: * Heart disease,
* Cancer, * And Alzheimer’s disease.
Choose brown rice over white rice, to help fight against oxidative stress!
Up next we have a whole grain you might not have heard about before… But one you should
definitely add into your diet! Number 5: Millet
Millets are a group of small-seeded grasses. They’re grown around the world as cereal
crops or grains for food! Millets are a low glycemic index food… Meaning
they’re diabetes friendly! Because millets are a low glycemic index food…
Your body takes longer to break down the carbs in them!
This makes your blood sugar levels rise a lot slower than other foods!
This slow carb release gives you a slow and sustained release of energy.
Foods that have a high glycemic index cause a spike in your blood sugar levels.
They do this because they release sugar into your bloodstream at a quicker rate.
High glycemic foods are ones like white rice, and sugary drinks!
According to the Journal of Food and Nutritional Disorders... Adding millets into your diet
will help to lower your blood sugar levels! The study also found that they’re able to
reduce both fasting and post-meal blood sugar levels!
This is because they have slowly digestible starch in their grains.
Starches are long chains of glucose that are often in grains, potatoes, and other foods.
Starch is difficult for your body to digest. In fact, some parts of starch can't be digested
at all! High-starch foods may cause side effects,
such as constipation. So, what does starch mean for diabetics?
Well, starch gets broken down by enzymes to produce glucose.
This means that high starch foods may cause higher levels of blood sugar!
Millet is a fantastic grain to add into your diet.
It’s a low glycemic index food, and has slowly digestible starch!
Our next food is another grass-grown grain… But this one’s commonly used in bread loaves!
Number 4: Rye Rye is a grain that’s a member of the wheat
family. It’s often used in flour, bread, beer, whiskey,
and vodka! When rye is in the form of foods like flour
or bread, it is able to aid blood sugar control! This is because of several different qualities....
Firstly it’s high in soluble fiber, which is one of the two types of fiber.
Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like consistency.
It helps to slow the digestion and absorption of carbs and sugar...
Leading to a slower rise in blood sugar levels! Rye bread also contains special phenolic compounds...
Such as ferulic acid and caffeic acid. These help to slow the release of blood sugar
and insulin into your bloodstream. Ferulic acid also has some other amazing properties.
It helps to enhance the capacity of antioxidants in your body.
It does this by balancing out the levels of free radicals and antioxidants in your body.
An imbalance of free radicals may cause oxidative stress... Which we talked about earlier!
Caffeic acid is also a fantastic compound to fight against diabetes.
It’s also able to enhance the antioxidants in your body...
But more than this, it can enhance insulin secretion... Which keeps your blood sugar
levels under control. Try adding rye into your diet by using rye
flour or rye bread as an alternative to white bread!
Coming up we’ve got a grain that, like rye, is high in fiber... But this next one is packed
with a different type of fiber… Number 3: Bulgur
Did you know that there are two different types of fiber?
These are soluble and insoluble fibers. We’ve already talked about soluble fiber
and its benefits for diabetics... But what about insoluble fiber?
Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stool… This helps food to pass more quickly through
your stomach and intestines. While bulgur contains both soluble and insoluble
fiber... It has around 90% insoluble fiber. But what is bulgur?
Bulgur is an ancient grain that was popular in the ancient Mediterranean region.
It’s now a staple in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean regions... And is rich in many
different nutrients. The insoluble fiber in bulgur helps diabetics
in many ways. It helps with digestion, gut health, and weight
management. This is because eating fiber increases your
feelings of fullness. So, why is weight management important for
diabetics? Being overweight or obese increases the risk
of developing diabetes. This is because being overweight affects the
function of your pancreas... Which is where insulin is made!
Insulin is a hormone which regulates your blood sugar levels…
So it’s essential when it comes to blood sugar control.
Being overweight also contributes to a condition called insulin resistance.
This is a resistance to the hormone insulin… Which causes an increase in blood sugar.
Bulgur is a delicious grain that can be eaten in side dishes, soup, or with bread and olive
oil as a dip! Up next we have another ancient grain, which
is very versatile and can be used in lots of different dishes!
Number 2: Farro Farro is a grain with a nutty taste, and a
chewy texture. It has high protein and high fiber.
½ a cup of cooked farro contains 4 grams of protein.
Protein is great for helping to stabilize blood sugar levels.
This is because it slows the body’s absorption of carbs and sugars.
Protein breaks down into glucose a lot slower than carbs... Meaning it tends to raise your
blood sugar levels a lot slower! Farro is also rich in vitamin E, which is
fantastic for diabetics. Not only is it an antioxidant, but it also
helps to fight against insulin resistance. Vitamin E helps to decrease fasting insulin,
glucose levels, and oxidative stress. Also, it helps to decrease inflammation!
According to Diabetes Care journal... High levels of inflammation may result in increased
blood sugar levels! Farro also contains high levels of vitamin
A... Which is an essential nutrient for your body to produce insulin.
We’ve talked about how your pancreas is responsible for producing insulin... But let’s
delve into this a little bit deeper. The part of the pancreas which creates insulin
is particular cells called beta cells. Beta cells have a high number of cell surface
receptors for vitamin A. But what does this mean for insulin secretion?
Well, a study by Lung University Diabetes Centre states that vitamin A may have a positive
effect on these cells! This means that they may also have a positive
effect on their production of insulin… Meaning farro is a fantastic grain to help
lower and control blood sugar levels! And now, it’s time for our number one whole
grain. Give it up for our top blood sugar-controlling
grain! Number 1: Quinoa
Quinoa is a very nutritious flowering plant in the amaranth family.
It’s packed with fiber, protein, and many vitamins and minerals… Such as magnesium
and folate! The high levels of fiber and protein in quinoa
are fantastic for controlling blood sugar. Quinoa is also rich in manganese... Which
is fantastic for blood sugar levels! Did you know, manganese is heavily concentrated
in your pancreas? We’ve already talked a little bit about
the pancreas… And how that’s where insulin is made!
But how does manganese affect this? Well… It’s involved in the production
of insulin! Manganese helps to make sure insulin is secreted
properly... And it helps to control blood sugar levels!
As well as manganese, quinoa is packed with iron.
In fact, one cup of cooked quinoa has 16% of your daily recommended iron intake!
A deficiency in iron can cause lots of symptoms… Like:
* Fatigue, * Weakness,
* Headache, * And dizziness.
Not only that, but an iron deficiency can also have negative effects on your blood sugar
control! It can damage the balance of insulin in your
bloodstream! This means that for diabetics, it's super
important to have decent levels of iron! There are three different types of quinoa…
White, red, and black! But no matter which one you choose, you want
to make sure you rinse it before you cook it.
Also, you can buy quinoa in the form of flakes or flour!
You can use quinoa as a side for a meal, like you would use rice…
Or you can eat it in porridges, salads, or even smoothies!
Like our other 6 whole grains, quinoa is a fantastic food to add into your diet... And
it has incredible effects for blood sugar control!
So… We hope you learned something from this video… And we hope you’ve found it helpful!
Before you go, make sure to ‘like’ this video… And subscribe to our channel so you
don’t miss any of our other awesome videos! But wait… We didn’t forget!
We’d love to offer you two free gifts! Step up your kitchen game with ‘10 Incredible
Foods That Reduce Blood Sugar.’ Also… Find out what the big food companies
are hiding from you, with ‘The Scary Truth About Sugar.’
To get your hands on these free gifts, click the link in the description box below!
So… What’s YOUR favorite whole grain that helps control blood sugar?
Let’s TALK! If you have any questions left or any suggestions for us, let us know in
the comments below! Until next time… Thanks for watching!
From all of us here at Diabetics Talk, we hope you have a happy and diabetes-fighting
day!