Hello, I am Ty Mason of thediabetescouncil.com, researcher, writer and I have type 2 diabetes.
Today I will present to you my Top 10 SuperFoods for Diabetes.
After you watch the video today, I invite you check out the description box for my new
ebook.
This is one of the most comprehensive diabetes meal planning book you can find.
It contains diabetes friendly meals/recipes, recipes for different goals such as 800-1800
calories per day meal plan, diabetes meal planning tips and tricks.
There are also tons of diabetes friendly recipes for everyone!
I can remember back in the 1980’s as a high school student staying up to watch Late Night
with David Letterman.
One of my favorite nightly segments was his “Top 10” List.
Little did I know that years later I would be asked to do a top 10 list myself.
Many so called “experts” have their list of top 10 superfoods for diabetes.
I am not saying any of them are wrong, or that mine is right.
I just want to give you my top 10 AND tell you why.
That is more important than just giving you a list.
We will look at each food I have chosen from a nutritional aspect, but also how it will
affect your blood sugar through looking at the glycemic index, but more importantly,
the glycemic load.
Remember, the glycemic index just tells you how rapidly a food is digested and releases
glucose into your blood stream.
But the glycemic load is a better indicator of how the carbs in that food will truly affect
your blood sugar postprandial.
So, are you ready to see my top 10 superfoods for diabetes?
In no particular order we will start with: Walnuts -- One of the most important aspects
of having diabetes is monitoring our meals to help keep our blood sugar level.
But we also must think about eating foods that may help us prevent future complications
that come with having diabetes.
One of the major threats many people with diabetes face is heart disease.
So we must look for foods that may help us ward off future problems.
One food I suggest you add to your diet is walnuts.
Walnuts are super rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which promote heart health.
A study in San Diego asked men to add a handful of walnuts to their diet each day for a year.
Another group ate their normal diet.
At the end of the study, the walnut eaters saw a significant drop in their LDL or “bad”
cholesterol.
The only change in the diet was adding a handful of walnuts each day.
In another study of 2,500 people, Dr Michael Falk said, "Our study results further support
the growing body of research that walnuts can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases."
Walnuts have a GI and GL of zero meaning that they have no significant effect on raising
blood sugar, they are extremely heart healthy and they also contain copper, manganese, vitamin
B1 and vitamin B6.
I will warn you to be careful in the fact that walnuts are high in calories, so don’t
go eating a whole trees worth.
Eat them raw, toss them on a salad, crush them with bread crumbs to coat chicken or
fish.
Strawberries –A great alternative to those with a sweet tooth is strawberries.
They are sweet, low in calories and make a great snack.
Several human studies have established that people who eat plenty of berries, such as
strawberries and blueberries, have a lower risk of both diabetes, heart attacks and dementia.
Studies have also linked the high vitamin C content of strawberries to a lower risk
of type 2 diabetes.
One cup of fresh strawberries provides 160 percent of your daily need of vitamin C. They're
a delicious addition to salad and you can also blend fresh or frozen strawberries into
your smoothies.
According to a 2014 study in the Journal of Nutrition and Dietary Supplements, "Though
diabetes is not traditionally considered a risk factor for vitamin C deficiency, patients
with diabetes should all receive dietary advice about healthy eating and vitamin C dietary
sources, including fresh fruits and vegetables.”
Strawberries would be an excellent addition for this purpose.
With a GI of just 40 and a low GL at 3.6, strawberries are truly a superfood.
Number 3 on our list is Fish.
Now I am not talking about frozen fish sticks.
I mean real fish, like salmon or tuna.
Fish is a great natural source of omega3 fatty acids and is loaded with good protein.
Fish is very low in the unhealthy saturated fats.
What fats are in fish is unsaturated.
In addition fish contains a special type of fat that helps cool inflammation.
Thousands of studies show that people with the highest blood levels of omega-3 fatty
acids have less body-wide inflammation, the very inflammation that leads to and worsens
diabetes and weight problems.
A fish-rich diet can also reduce your risk of developing health problems, especially
stroke, as a result of your diabetes.
People who ate baked, broiled, or steamed fish reduced their odds for a stroke by 3
percent, as reported in a 2010 Emory University study.
Once again, fish has no GI or GL, so it can be eaten with little guilt in regards to your
blood sugar.
According to my colleague Jennifer Blowers, Kale belongs on the list of a superfood for
diabetes.
She writes, “kale provides many micronutrients and antioxidants.
Rich in fiber, helping with glucose control, as well as essential vitamins such as beta
carotene and vitamins A, C and K, kale is a versatile ingredient.
Kale also contains the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which studies have associated
with preventing eye disorders and improving brain function.
Glucosinolates, found in kale and other cruciferous vegetables, are sulfur-containing antioxidants,
associated with reducing cancer.
Kale is truly a powerhouse, providing flavor, little effect on blood glucose, and many significant
health benefits.
Try it in salads, soups, stir-fry dishes and on sandwiches.”
Kale and many other cruciferous vegetables are truly a great addition to your plate.
Glycemic index of kale is 32 and the Glycemic load is 1.
One of the best fruits you can have with diabetes is tomatoes.
Yes, a tomato is a fruit.
An average size tomato, about the size of a baseball or slightly larger, has 28 calories.
It has no fat, no cholesterol, only 6 carbs and 4 grams of sugar.
Tomatoes are low in Sodium and are a good source of Vitamin E, Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin
B6, Folate, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Copper.
Tomatoes are an excellent source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Potassium
and Manganese.
Tomatoes have a very low GI of 15 which makes their GL ZERO.
The only warning I have is that many people who eat them like to pour on the salt, not
a good choice for the heart, a little salt, no problem.
Eat them on sandwiches, in salads or just by themselves.
Beans are on my list of superfoods because they bring a lot to the table.
Especially in the area of plant protein.
I personally like kidney beans but most beans have the same nutritional values.
A cup of cooked kidney beans contains 39 carbs and 0.6 g of sugars.
Why such high carbs but low sugar?
The carbs in beans are what some call “slow carbs.”
They are actually starch that will eventually break down into sugar, but it is a slow process.
What do you think this means about the GI and GL of kidney beans?
If you said they would be low, you are right.
Slow carbs mean low GI.
The GI of kidney beans is 29 and the GL is only 9.
So a good size serving for kidney beans would actually be good for you.
Plus, the kidney bean is an excellent source for protein and dietary fiber.
I am sure many of you have heard the old rhyme: Beans, beans they’re good for your heart,
the more you eat….
Well, this is actually true.
An August 2009 study showed kidney beans to promote good heart health AND, help regulate
blood sugar.
SO, beans are not only good for the heart, they are also good for, Diabetes!
Greek Yogurt is rich in calcium, high in protein and probiotics.
There are few foods healthier than Greek yogurt.
They do have some carbs, but they aren’t significant.
Greek only has about 4 grams of sugar per 6 ounce serving.
Greek yogurt contains significant amounts of potassium, calcium and magnesium, which
is shown to improve blood pressure.
Calcium, phosphorous and magnesium are important in bone health also.
The GI of Greek yogurt is 11, the GL is zero.
Wanna try a Ty Mason Superfood Trifecta Snack?
Put some strawberries and walnuts in some greek yogurt!
YUMMMY!!!
Eggs is a food often overlooked.
Eggs are relatively inexpensive and really are a great food for one with diabetes.
Eggs are a great source of protein, and they may help you lose weight.
Research shows that people who eat eggs at breakfast tend to take in fewer calories the
rest of the day.
The American Heart Association says healthy adults can eat one egg a day.
One reason is that they have little saturated fat.
Eggs are a good source of Riboflavin, Vitamin B12 and Phosphorus, and a very good source
of Protein and Selenium.
The GI and GL of eggs are both ZERO.
Hard-boil eggs while you prepare dinner.
Then store them in the refrigerator so they're ready for a quick breakfast or snack.
Dates are loaded with anti-oxidants and are fat free and cholesterol free, which is good
for any health-conscious individual, not just for those with diabetes.
Several necessary minerals are also found in dates, such as calcium, potassium, manganese
and magnesium.
A 1 cup of serving of dates contains about 415 calories and nearly 95 g sugar, as well
as 110 g carbohydrates.
Dates have a low GI.
Depending on the type their GI ranges from 35-50 with an average of 42.
The average glycemic load of dates is 18.
This is not a bad GL, it does fall within the mid-range.
Dates contain 3 types of sugar (Fructose, glucose and sucrose) that are capable of giving
an extra burst of energy on those lethargic days.
Dates are also cholesterol and fat free and contain a good amount of dietary fiber.
A 2010 study at King Saud University in Riyadh concluded that, “The hypoglycemic effect
of date seed extract combined with insulin, decreases the blood glucose level significantly
toward normal when compared to the effect of insulin administered as a single drug for
treatment of diabetes.”
This study shows the date can be valuable in lowering blood sugars in conjunction with
diabetes meds.
You can eat dates straight from the bag, add them to salads or smoothies, or chop them
up and add them to Greek yogurt or oatmeal.
Don’t judge a food by its name.
Sweet potatoes are actually lower in carbs and sugar than a russet potato.
Sweet potatoes are higher in fiber, which helps negate the sugars or carbohydrates.
In 2014, PubMed studied the effects on sweet potatoes on those with Type 2 diabetes.
The study was small, only 140 participants who took 4 grams of sweet potatoes in capsule
form each day with no difference in their normal menu.
The result of the study was that after the study, the A1C of the group was lowered by
0.3%.
The study concluded that there was insufficient evidence to show that the sweet potato was
able to help control blood sugar in Type 2 diabetics.
In choices of vegetables for your diabetic diet the sweet potato is an excellent choice.
They are high in fiber and low in sugar.
They are an excellent source Vitamin A and C. They are also a great source for magnesium,
potassium, vitamins B1 and B2 as well as niacin.
The GI of a sweet potato is 54, and the GL is 12.
Both acceptable given the amount of nutrients involved.
That’s my Top 10 SuperFoods for Diabetes.
Let me know what you think?
Don’t forget to get my new ebook and please, subscribe to our channel for many more videos
like this one in the future.
Thanks for watching.
I am Ty Mason.