If you have diabetes or prediabetes, unfortunately your chances of hyperglycemia are very high. Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, can become extremely serious if left untreated, but fortunately there are many things you can do to help keep your levels in check.
Along with exercise and certain medications, it can also change your diet to help lower your blood sugar level.
While there are no specific foods or drinks that automatically help with blood sugar, “The best thing you can do is choose beverages that don’t raise your blood sugar. in other words, any non-carb beverage,” He says meredithMS, RDN.
We spoke with Dr Seema BonneyMD, founder and medical director of the Philadelphia Anti-Aging and Longevity Center, to learn more about beverages that can help you control your blood sugar. These are the drinks to keep on hand, and for other helpful tips on your blood sugar, check out The best eating habits to reverse prediabetes.
This one may seem a bit boring, but water is the best drink you can consume for your health.
According to Bonney, “water actually helps the kidneys excrete excess sugar in the bloodand a 2017 study published in Nutrition Research showed that a person with little water intake had an increased risk of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar).”
Bonney also suggests that if you get tired of drinking water, you can try flavored carbonated water to change it.
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sugarfree tea is another drink you can drink that will not raise your blood sugar levels.
“TO 2016 study showed that people who drank chamomile tea three times a day for eight weeks in a row had better glycemic control,” says Bonney. “Another interesting study published in the Asia Pacific Clinical Nutrition Society showed that people who drank black tea had lower blood sugar levels than those given a placebo.
Bonney also points out that many types of tea also provide a host of powerful antioxidants that can also help improve your overall health.
Bonney suggests drinking one to two Cups of coffee a day if you want to help prevent blood sugar spikes, but notes that this is most effective without adding cream and sugar.
“TO systematic review 2019 showed that long-term studies (lasting from two to 16 weeks) on coffee and glucose response were favorable due to antioxidants found in the cafethat over a long period of time improved inflammation and oxidative stress,” says Bonney.
RELATED: 8 side effects of drinking coffee, according to dieticians
Lastly, Bonney suggests opting for sugar-free foods vegetable milk such as soybeans, almonds or coconut, because “studies have shown that proteins of animal origin are related to insulin resistance”.
She also notes that you may want to limit most rice milks, as they generally come with much higher levels of added sugar than other plant-based milk alternatives.
