26 Superfoods for Diabetes (My Top List!)

In this article I am going to give you 26 superfoods for diabetes and even going to explain how and why they help you.

For people working round the clock, being healthy is very important. And being healthy majorly means keeping your ‘blood pressure’ and ‘blood sugar’ levels down for the start.

I have a genetic disease of diabetes in my family with first my grandpa and then my uncle being diabetic. So, I am used to having a lot of whole foods at my place all the time.

Whole foods keep blood sugar levels down and are healthy to eat. They contain fibers and low-carb qualities which help lower the insulin levels.

To my surprise, the whole foods at my place have never really given me a hard time because of their taste. They are filling, delicious and flavorful at the same time.

These foods are also easily digestible and high on energy. So, despite diabetes, my uncle has remained more fit and energetic than ever. In fact, my whole family has been able to maintain good health with all this nutrient-rich food.

You get the taste, the health and the energy – altogether in one food. What more could you want?

Get all 26 Superfoods List as a PDF!

It is often easier and more convenient to simply save a list on your smartphone or tablet. So you always have it ready and of course you can also print it out. Grab it before you go:

Here is my list of 26 superfoods that you can choose from to regulate diabetes and for better health:

Whole-Wheat Bread:

An alternative to carbs for diabetics? Complex carbs!

Whole-wheat bread is one such source of complex carbohydrates. Yes, you still can consume carbohydrates in a controlled manner and as per the levels prescribed by your doctor.

Along with being tasty and wholesome, 100% whole wheat bread is also rich in vitamins, nutrients, and minerals to support the control of sugar levels in your body.

Plus, whole wheat bread is the perfect replacement of the bread made from refined wheat flour.

Wheat bread is also easy to digest and is a better option to switch for people who are at the brisk of getting diabetes and also who are perfectly healthy.

Red Onions:

This might not be your first, second, or even third preferable choice when it comes to choosing diabetic superfoods, but trust me, red onions are full of nutrients that control diabetes in a great way.

I prefer using red onions in a lot of my meals every day, including salads, tacos and what not! They are delicious to have an easy to cook.

Red onions are also beneficial for people dealing with heart-related issues. They contain rich nutrients like potassium and other fibers which reduce the risk of aggravated diabetes and heart problems.

Walnuts:

Walnuts might not look like an attractive and edible thing to you but are very digestible, flavorful and a protein-rich option to have if you have diabetes. Hence, this puts walnuts on the top of my favorite foods list.

Walnuts serve as a great alternative to carbohydrates like potato chips and help people reduce weight and bad cholesterol.

Diabetes is much riskier when a person suffers from obesity. Walnuts help reduce obesity and thus, lessen the risk of heart diseases and severe diabetic conditions.

I like adding crushed walnuts to my cereal in the day and salad in the night. They are easily available in any supermarkets near you or online.

Avocado:

All you need is a high-fiber avocado to cure diabetes.

Half an avocado contains 6-7 grams of fiber, which lowers the risk of diabetes and related diseases to a great level.

The fruit also contains around 20 types of vitamins and minerals, like Vitamin E, C, K, and potassium. Vitamin E helps to maintain glucose levels in the body thereby – regulating blood sugar levels.

It also has a rich amount of healthy fat which keeps the intake full and does not let blood sugar levels rise.

Since my family has to eat healthy all the time and fortunately, like avocados, and they prefer adding the avocado paste in their chicken salad. Also, the avocado smoothie is our favorite!

You can try doing this too or simply eat avocado on a toast if you do not desire anything too filling.

Apple Cider Vinegar:

Apple Cider Vinegar is people’s first choice when planning to eat healthy diabetes regulating foods.

Apple cider vinegar can be added to your meals with regular foods. Many people take it as a medicine, approximately 25-30 minutes before meals to lose weight naturally.

It helps regulate sugar levels in the blood. It is also a very useful ingredient for diabetic patients as it helps control their cravings for carbs!

All those Berries:

Berries, particularly raspberries and strawberries, are proven as a great source of decreasing sugar levels in the blood. Plus, they taste like heaven.

Despite their sweetness, all kinds of berries, like blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries have low sugar and high-fiber qualities. Raspberries are also great for heart patients.

Berries also help regulate the number of fat cells in the body. This means you can fill your sweet cravings without gaining weight.

I do not think I even need to tell you how to eat berries. Take a handful during regular intervals, add them in your cereals in the morning, or start with a berry smoothie in your breakfast to make your day.

Nuts:

Type 2 diabetics should consume nuts daily to regulate the levels of insulin in their bodies.

All types of nuts, especially raw almonds, are great sources of nutrients like magnesium, which help control insulin levels.

Plus, you can use nuts to garnish or as a main ingredient in your meals.

I like nuts with nothing with them, roasted, garnished on my berry smoothie, or added into my salad. Cashews and almonds can be your favorites due to their taste and filling capacity.

Green Tea:

Green Tea promotes hydration and prevents over-eating. Plus it helps neutralize the effects of any unhealthy food or carbs.

And so, the non-fatty neutralizing benefits of green tea help normalize the blood sugar levels as well as maintain body weight. Our metabolism is increased, we feel full and hence we do not feel the need to eat unnecessarily other than our routine meals.

Green tea is also believed to boost energy levels. I have green tea once a day and feel more active than ever for the next few hours.

Oats:

Probably not a diabetics’ favorite food, but oats are a great source of beta-glucan fiber, which helps stabilize blood sugar levels.

Steel-cut oats with protein powder can be a healthy plus delicious combination of a diabetes control superfood.

My mother has this amazing routine of preparing this sweet oatmeal recipe, which helps in maintaining weight and sugar levels, without hurting the taste buds.

You can also prepare regular oat dishes for meals with a lot of added insulin-regulating ingredients like nuts and chia seeds.

Greek Yogurt:

Greek yogurt is rich in taste and health. It contains calcium, magnesium and Vitamin C and other probiotics that help prevent health risks associated with type 2 diabetes.

Greek yogurt also tastes the best with flavored protein powder, you might find its original taste bland, unlike normal yogurt.

Greek yogurt is a good source of protein that keeps you full and sustains your hunger for long hours.

Oils:

Two of the most recommended oils for diabetics are coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil. They have huge health benefits and a rich source of fats, nutrients, and antioxidants which help regulate blood sugar.

Extra virgin olive oil contains fats that reduce bad cholesterol and hence the chances of heart-related diseases. Cooking foods in virgin oil and coconut oil can boost your chances of dealing with diabetes the healthy way.

Using some extra oil does not harm anymore!

Peanut Butter:

Now that I have mentioned benefits about oils, peanut butter is not far from the list.

And let’s agree, it is delicious, filling, and easy to eat with or without anything.

Peanut butter contains saturated fat and is a healthy way to cut down rising blood sugar levels. I have a full jar of my favorite peanut butter in the refrigerator, and I like it on my toast in the morning.

Since peanut butter has the quality to go with any filling ingredient, you can add it into milk, or your berry-cereal bowl, or with the steel cut oats to make them flavorful.

Spinach:

My mom always cooks the spinach leaves in a frying pan and adds them to anything possible. This gives my meals and the spinach a hit of flavors and is a treat to our taste buds.

Spinach is a rich source of potassium and other nutrients which reduce sugar levels in the blood. Spinach, kale, and other green leafy vegetables contain nutrients such as vision strengthening nutrient called lutein.

So next time, you can ditch the normal lettuce leaf with a fresh spinach leaf for your sandwich. You can also have a delicious spinach mushroom cream soup for a healthy treat.

Celery:

Just like spinach, celery is a calorie-free snack which makes it one of the many ideal choices to control blood sugar level spikes.

You can also enjoy it in a sandwich, salad, or in a bowl of almond and peanut butter paste.

Celery is also rich in antioxidants and nutrients such as lutein which strengthen the body functions of a diabetic.

Fish:

Tuna fish is rich in fats and proteins and is also a great ingredient to combine with bread and crackers. Salmon fish is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Both the fishes regulate blood pressure and sugar levels to a high extent.

Add tuna in your regular salad, or prepare a tuna sub or a tuna sandwich with all those healthy veggies and get going for the start of the day with a delicious breakfast!

Ginger:

Ginger is one such superfood, which reduces the risk of diabetes because of its anti-inflammatory qualities.

It contains high levels of antioxidants and contains capacities to regulate type 2 diabetic conditions.

There have been researches supporting the favorable relations between ginger and lowering levels of insulin in humans.

Ginger is an easy to use ingredients. You can prepare ginger tea as a refreshment or add a handful of dried ginger in your salad as a dressing. Home-made gingerbreads are my personal favorite, though.

Garlic:

The most flavorful superfood of all, garlic should be everybody’s personal favorite.

Garlic can be an amazing replacement of sugar and salt and can lower bad cholesterol levels in the body. It contains high levels of antioxidants which prevents contact with diseases like diabetes and even cancer and heart problems.

Since diabetic patients have a high risk of heart strokes, consuming garlic in any form is one of the best options to keep them fit and fine.

Black Coffee:

Black coffee burns fat in the body and contains antioxidants for diabetic people.

Coffee must be taken black or with a low-fat, coconut or cashew milk. If you are suffering from diabetes, you must avoid adding sugar and cream in the coffee.

You can also add cinnamon into your coffee for flavor. Both cinnamon and coffee serve as a great combination to cure high sugar levels.

Cinnamon:

A combination of coffee and cinnamon brings us to cinnamon as the next superfood for diabetes. You can also add cinnamon to your ginger tea, oatmeal, cereal, and sugar-free desserts.

Cinnamon also takes care of your hunger pangs by storing fats in your body. Insulin levels decrease and sugar levels in the blood decline faster than usual as soon as you add cinnamon to your diet.

Dark Chocolate:

Chocolate lovers, this is for you!

See? You do not need to entirely give up on chocolate if you suffer from this unfortunate disease. Dark chocolate is your escape.

The cocoa present in dark chocolate prevent the rise of insulin and glucose and improve insulin regulation in the body.

Dark chocolate is filling and so, the hunger pangs are no longer a part of the routine. It is recommended to consume at least 90% of cocoa daily for better results.

Carrots:

Carrots are known to have qualities promoting improved eyesight and vision as they contain Vitamin A.

Carrots are easily available in the markets and can be consumed as regular munches in the evenings along with hummus, additions into salads and sandwiches and what not!

Plus, they are delicious and are loaded with antioxidants which makes them a healthy choice.

Hummus:

Chick-pea is a very healthy and fiber-rich ingredient for your body. So it is hummus!

Hummus contains everything healthy yet filling, such as the chick-pea, extra virgin olive oil, and a lot of other flavors, which help maintain blood sugar levels.

It can turn into a filling appetizer when paired with crackers or a pita bread/whole wheat bread. Its health benefits are unlimited.

Tomatoes:

Tomatoes are rich in taste and contain low calories, which makes them an ideal choice for a diabetic. They are light, anti-inflammatory, and so you can add them in your salad.

A warming cup of delicious tomato and garlic soup is also a great option for diabetes patients. They are also rich in fiber and many other nutrients.

Pumpkin:

As long as we are talking about vegetables and fruits, pumpkin is another superfood for diabetics.

Using pumpkin with other dishes can be a tricky part, but I usually prepare a pumpkin puree and enjoy it with a toast.

The beta-carotene component in pumpkin boost your vision and regulate blood sugar. You can also add pumpkin into a salad, make a pumpkin smoothie, or add it into yogurt.

Seltzer:

A glass of sweet seltzer is a great alternative to canned and sealed beverages and sodas that contain higher than high levels of sugar.

Seltzer, on the other hand, is calorie and sugar-free but can be made flavorful with the addition of lemon in the drink.

It is the most ideal choice for summers and can save you from any risks associated with rising blood sugar levels.

Wild Rice:

Just like chocolate, rice is not something you have to quit if you are a diabetic.

Wild rice is a healthy and fiber-rich alternative to regular rice. Manganese, iron, and zinc make it one of the healthiest superfoods in the list.

A while ago, I did not even know wild rice is a grass. The nutrients, vitamins, and minerals are some of the qualities of wild rice.

Get all 26 Superfoods List as a PDF!

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So, this was the list of some of the best superfood options for diabetes. If you are a diabetic, you ought to try all these superfoods at least once in prescribed quantities.

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