There are many ways to stabilize your blood sugar naturally.

Cinnamon – is an amazing ingredient (it’s actually tree bark).  It is a very powerful antioxidant and it helps stabilize blood sugar levels.  You can add cinnamon to your coffee, yogurt, fruit, etc. to enhance the flavor and make you feel better.  Adding cinnamon to food will lower the Glycemic Index rating of that food.  U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers have found that eating one-quarter to one teaspoon of cinnamon with food can boost your metabolism 20-fold, by making your fat cells more responsive to insulin.

Protein – does not affect blood sugar levels, unlike carbs, so when eating carbs always have them with a protein.  Adding a protein to a carb automatically reduces the Glycemic Index rating on that food. “A protein-based meal will elicit a thermic effect that is close to 30 percent of the total calories itself,” says Jack Groppel, Ph.D., co-founder of LGE Performance Systems in Orlando, Florida.  Your body burns about 10 calories digesting every 100 calories of protein but just 4 calories for the equivalent amount of carbs. In other words, just the process of digesting protein burns a significantly greater amount of calories than does digesting other foods.

Fiber – The higher the fiber content of a given food, the less affect there is on blood sugar.  For example, the Glycemic Index rating of white bread is 70 and yet stone-ground whole wheat bread has a rating of 53.  The Glycemic Index rating for raw grapefruit is 25, but the rating for unsweetened grapefruit juice is 48.  Fiber is slow to digest and it absorbs water so it makes you feel full.

Good Fats – fat is the last thing to be digested in the body so when you add fat to food, it slows down the affect on blood sugar.  It is much better to eat toast with butter than without.  Good fats are found in nuts, seeds, olives, avocados and vegetables.

Drink Lots of Cold Water – If your body is dehydrated, it will not burn fat efficiently and it could lead to sugar cravings and fatigue. The typical recommendation is to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day … but according to some experts you should make sure it’s cold water.  “Drinking eight ounces of cold water can burn off an additional 9.25 calories as compared to room-temperature water,” says J.T. Kearney, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist.

Linda Miner

Registered Nutritional Counselor

RNC, CHN, RSNA, CMTA, BA

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*NOTE:  This opinion expressed here is that of the author based on her research and personal experience.  It is not intended to replace your own personal research or the opinion of your physician.  You should always check with your physician and/or pharmacist before changing your diet, starting an exercise programs or taking any supplements.  Please be aware that some foods and natural supplements may interact with prescription medication