Updated on March 1, 2024.
Eating meals that are healthy for your blood sugar levels doesn't necessarily mean saying goodbye to your favorite foods. Here are three foods that are delicious and easy on your blood sugar.
We're talking about pasta, peanut butter, and fries. Sound too good to be true? Not if you make some healthy tweaks.
Comfort foods can still be blood-sugar friendly
True, a typical plate of pasta probably won't do your blood sugar any favors. Same goes for French fries. But here are a few novel ways of making comfort foods that are better for your blood sugar. Try these healthy and delicious twists on three typically decadent foods.
Pasta
The key to indulging in pasta and keeping blood sugar steady is to choose whole-wheat varieties. They raise your blood sugar much more slowly than refined-grain pastas.
More important, whole-wheat pastas and other whole grains are a good source of magnesium. Research has linked a 100-milligram daily lincrease in magnesium intake to lower diabetes risk. Half a cup of whole-wheat pasta has about 20 milligrams.
Creamy peanut butter
Though nuts are relatively high in calories and fat, the fat they contain is generally healthy. Research has revealed that people who eat roughly 5 tablespoons a week of peanut butter may have a 21 percent lower risk of diabetes. That's thanks to peanut butter's healthy unsaturated fats. These help stabilize blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. And the creamy spread contains magnesium, too.
Fries
Just trade the white potatoes for a more blood-sugar-friendly starch like sweet potatoes. They have a lower glycemic index than white spuds, making them easier on your blood sugar. According to John La Puma, MD, author of ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine, nutrients in sweet potatoes may also help reduce insulin resistance, which is a contributor to diabetes.
