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110 Foods That are Unlikely to Spike Your Blood Sugar

110 Foods That are Unlikely to Spike Your Blood Sugar

What is Blood Sugar?

Blood sugar is the carbohydrate present in the blood and is obtained from the food consumed. It is the main source of energy for the body’s cells. Fluctuations in blood sugar levels of blood can strike issues to health(1 Trusted Source
Blood Sugar

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, 2 Trusted Source
Blood Glucose Monitoring

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).

Factors that cause blood sugar levels to rise are overeating in one meal, eating foods high in simple carbohydrates, inactive lifestyle, side effects of certain medications such as steroids, stress, dehydration, and in insulin or diabetes medication dosage(3 Trusted Source
Good to Know: Factors Affecting Blood Glucose

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). Choosing the right foods with adequate nutrients will help keep blood sugar levels in check.

Blood Sugar Level

Glycemic Index and Role of Macronutrients

The glycemic index (GI) of foods determines their potential of raising blood sugar levels. Eating foods with a low glycemic index (less than or equal to 55) does not cause spurts in blood sugars. Macronutrients in food also play crucial roles in defining their effects on blood sugar.

Carbohydrates in foods are broken down into simple sugars by the digestive system and released into the bloodstream as glucose. As the glucose levels rise in the blood, the cells are stimulated by insulin to take in the glucose for energy. However, in the case of diabetes, glucose uptake by body cells is modified due to a lack of insulin or an inappropriate response to insulin (insulin resistance), leading to rise in blood sugar levels. Dietary proteins and fats have minimal effect on blood glucose and thereby do not lead to spikes. It is therefore recommended to consume meals that provide a combination of these macros. Protein-rich foods can be combined with medium to low carbohydrate sources and healthy fats to prevent blood sugar rise(4 Trusted Source
Carbohydrates and Blood Sugar

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, 5 Trusted Source
Basturk, B., Koc Ozerson, Z., & Yuksel, A. (2021). Evaluation of the Effect of Macronutrients Combination on Blood Sugar Levels in Healthy Individuals. Iranian journal of public health, 50(2), 280–287.

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).

Eating Food with Low Glycemic

What are the Foods that are Unlikely to Spike Blood Sugar?

Foods that don’t spike blood sugars are generally low in GI and high in protein. Choosing such low GI foods make overall health better and prevent chronic illnesses(6 Trusted Source
What Is the Glycemic Index?

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).

Here are 110 foods classified based on their food group that can be your guide to preventing blood sugar spikes.

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Cereals and Grains

Grains and cereals are primarily made up of carbohydrates. Below are some of them that are unlikely to spike blood sugar.

  1. Red Rice
  2. Oatmeal Porridge
  3. Oat bran
  4. Popcorn
  5. Polenta (Cornmeal Porridge)
  6. Wheat bran porridge
  7. Black rice porridge
  8. Pearl Millet
  9. Buckwheat Pancakes
  10. Whole wheat Noodles
  11. Multigrain Crackers
  12. Finger Millet
  13. Quinoa
  14. All Bran cereals
  15. Pearled barley
  16. Brown rice
  17. Bulgur Wheat
  18. Barnyard Millet
  19. Little Millet
  20. Mung bean noodles(6 Trusted Source
    What Is the Glycemic Index?

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    ), (7 Trusted Source
    Glycemic index and glycemic load for 100+ foods

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    ), (8 Trusted Source
    Yang, Y. X., Wang, H. W., Cui, H. M., Wang, Y., Yu, L. D., Xiang, S. X., & Zhou, S. Y. (2006). Glycemic index of cereals and tubers produced in China. World journal of gastroenterology, 12(21), 3430–3433.

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    )
Protein Rich Foods

Fruits and vegetables are important sources of minerals, vitamins, polyphenols, carotenoids, and flavonoids. Choosing non-starchy vegetables is essential to prevent blood sugar spikes(9 Trusted Source
Asif M. (2014). The prevention and control the type-2 diabetes by changing lifestyle and dietary pattern. Journal of education and health promotion, 3, 1.

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).

Vegetables

  1. Bell Peppers
  2. Broccoli
  3. Tomato
  4. Lettuce
  5. Egg plants
  6. Garlic
  7. Sweet peppers
  8. Cucumber
  9. Cauliflower
  10. Spinach
  11. Green peas
  12. Parsnips
  13. Cooked taro
  14. Lotus root powder
  15. Steamed White yam
  16. Collard
  17. Kale
  18. Raw carrot
  19. Artichoke
  20. Asparagus
  21. Zucchini
  22. Onion(6 Trusted Source
    What Is the Glycemic Index?

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    , 7 Trusted Source
    Glycemic index and glycemic load for 100+ foods

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    )
Fruits and Vegetables to Prevent Blood Sugar Spike

Fruits

  1. Strawberry
  2. Apples
  3. Avocado
  4. Pears
  5. Dried dates
  6. Grapefruit
  7. Orange
  8. Peach
  9. Prunes
  10. Lemons
  11. Limes
  12. Blueberry
  13. Blackberries
  14. Raspberries
  15. Tangerines
  16. Papaya
  17. Dried apricots
  18. Cherries
  19. Plums
  20. Grapes
  21. Kiwifruit
  22. Pomegranate
  23. Cantaloupe(6 Trusted Source
    What Is the Glycemic Index?

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    , 7 Trusted Source
    Glycemic index and glycemic load for 100+ foods

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    , 10 Trusted Source
    Fruit

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    )
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Beans and Legumes

Below listed are some of the beans and legumes that shine minimal effect on blood glucose levels.

  1. Black beans
  2. Navy beans
  3. Kidney beans
  4. Pinto beans
  5. Lentils
  6. Soybeans
  7. Chickpeas
  8. Baked Beans
  9. Dried Beans
  10. Snow peas
  11. Romano beans
  12. Mung beans(6 Trusted Source
    What Is the Glycemic Index?

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    , 7 Trusted Source
    Glycemic index and glycemic load for 100+ foods

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    )

Diary and Non-Dairy Products

Milk and its products have all three macronutrients with a high proportion of fat and protein. Here are some of the dairy and non-dairy products that one can vouch for maintaining optimal blood sugars.

  1. Whole or full-fat milk
  2. Yogurt (Skim and whole)
  3. Greek yogurt
  4. Dark chocolate
  5. Soy milk(6 Trusted Source
    What Is the Glycemic Index?

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    , 7 Trusted Source
    Glycemic index and glycemic load for 100+ foods

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    )
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Baked Products

One need not worry avoiding baked products due to blood sugar concerns. The below listed baked products can be great choices.

  1. Mixed grain bread
  2. Spelt bread
  3. Sourdough bread

Nuts

Nuts are good sources of healthy fats and protein and can be great snacks to munch without worrying about blood sugar spikes.

Nuts are Good Sources of Healthy Fats
  1. Cashews
  2. Peanuts
  3. Almonds
  4. Chestnuts
  5. Hazelnuts
  6. Pecans
  7. Walnuts
  8. Flax seeds
  9. Chia seeds
  10. Pumpkin seeds
  11. Sunflower seeds
  12. Poppy seeds(6 Trusted Source
    What Is the Glycemic Index?

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    , 12 Trusted Source
    Nuts and Seeds: Energy and Nutrient-Dense Foods

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    )

Animal foods and oils contain higher proportion of fats and protein thereby does not reflect on blood sugar concentrations.

Animal Foods

  1. Fishes like salmon, sardine herring, tuna, etc.
  2. Chicken
  3. Turkey
  4. Game meats
  5. Eggs(9 Trusted Source
    Asif M. (2014). The prevention and control the type-2 diabetes by changing lifestyle and dietary pattern. Journal of education and health promotion, 3, 1.

    Go to source
    , 11 Trusted Source
    What superstar foods are good for diabetes?

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    )

Oils and Fats

  1. Olive oil
  2. Canola oil
  3. Sunflower oil
  4. Peanut oil
  5. Peanut butter(9 Trusted Source
    Asif M. (2014). The prevention and control the type-2 diabetes by changing lifestyle and dietary pattern. Journal of education and health promotion, 3, 1.

    Go to source
    )

Sauces

Sauces add taste and moisture to food. Try out these sauces that are unlikely to spike blood sugars.

  1. Cranberry catsup
  2. Hollandaise sauce
  3. Black bean salsa

The above-mentioned foods contain starches which convert into sugar at a slower rate thereby preventing spikes. These foods can be consumed in any meal of the day (like beans and barley, black bean quesadillas for breakfast and dinner, and brown rice with fish for lunch) and some turn out to be great snacks too (like popcorn, eggs). Choosing a combination of these foods can help obtain the essential macro and micronutrients for the body.

There could be 100 and more reasons behind spikes in blood sugar but not when you have these 110 glycemic-friendly foods on your list.


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