Diabetes is a disease in which the body’s blood sugar levels are higher than required. The main hormone that plays a part in this disease is insulin, which is a hormone that helps the glucose to be used by our cells to give us energy. When our body does not make enough insulin, it is known as type 1 diabetes, and when the body is unable to use the insulin well enough leading to a spike or drop in sugar levels, it is known as type 2 diabetes.

While this disease can get serious and lead to fatal complications, it is also manageable by following a strict lifestyle that is supported by a balanced diet. Here are some foods that are essential parts of diabetic diets and help keep your sugar levels in check:

1. Cinnamon
Many people replace their sugar intake with this ingredient, as cinnamon is known to lower blood sugar levels in the body. According to a study, type 2 diabetes patients who took cinnamon for 90 days had reduced levels of blood sugar. This is thus an ingredient that is helpful to a type 2 diabetic diet. You can consume this by adding it to your lemon water and drinking it in the morning.

2. Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is known to have many health benefits in general, but the one that helps patients with diabetes is its ability to improve insulin sensitivity. ACV is made from apples, but because it is a fermented drink, the sugar in the fruit has been turned into acetic acid, which has low levels of carbs, ensuring that there is no spike in your sugar level. You can consume this by adding 2tbsp of ACV in one glass of water every day. This is also known to be good for weight loss.

3. Fatty fish
Patients of diabetes are known to be at risk of getting heart disease and stroke, making it is important to maintain good heart health. Fatty fish are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids called DHA and EPA which are known to keep your heart healthy and functioning well. These protect the cells that line your blood vessels, reduce inflammation, and keep your arteries functioning healthily. Salmon, sardines, anchovies, mackerel, and herring are great examples of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

4. Green vegetables
Veggies are an undoubtedly great source of nutrition for the body. In fact, there are very few vegetables that you can go wrong with! Leafy vegetables have very low digestible carbs which is what increases the sugar level in the body, so be rest assured that your greens are only doing you good. Some vegetables to include in your diet would be spinach, kale, broccoli, collard greens, cabbage.

Make sure that you are not allergic to any of the natural foods that you are including in your diabetic diet and consult your doctor if there are any changes in your health levels. Apart from a diet, having a healthy exercise regime will help you control the level of glucose, which will make this disease manageable.