A dietician, who helps people reverse type 2 diabetes, has revealed seven foods people with the condition should eat daily. Charmaine Dominguez took to her TikTok to outline how plant-based powerhouses could benefit those with type 2 diabetes when eaten every single day.
1. Okra
The first food the registered dietician recommended was okra. Packed with minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and fibre, okra could benefit those with the blood sugar condition thanks to its fibre content.
Dominguez said: “If you’ve ever eaten okra, you’ll notice that it has like a secretion that’s slightly viscous or slimy and that’s actually very valuable soluble fibre. Soluble fibre not only can help lower your blood sugar, it can also help lower your cholesterol.”
2. Sweet potatoes
The dietician explained that sweet potatoes are lower in glycaemic index compared to normal potatoes even though their name holds the word sweet. Glycaemic index (GI) describes the rate at which carbohydrates raise your blood glucose levels.
However, Dominguez explained that you can reduce this ranking even further. She said: “What we can do to lower its glycaemic index even more is cook it and then put it in the fridge to refrigerate it and this will increase the resistant starch in the sweet potatoes and lower its glycaemic index even more.”
3. Nutritional yeast
Popular with those following vegan diets, nutritional yeast is “amazing” because just two tablespoons contain eight grams of protein, the expert shared.
She added: “It also has 400 percent of what you need of vitamin B12.
“You can do a lot with this. You can sprinkle it on your food or you can also make a healthy plant-based cheese sauce with cauliflower or sweet potatoes and nutritional yeast.”
4. Cocoa powder
Dominguez explained that the chocolatey powder has been found to help lower your fasting blood sugar and even “bad” cholesterol levels.
5. Broccoli
Rich in many nutrients, including fibre and vitamin C, broccoli could help with blood sugar metabolism.
The dietician said: “I love broccoli because not only does it give you the fibre that you need, it also has protein and it has chromium.
“Chromium can help you with glucose metabolism which is very beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes.”
6. Blueberries
Whether you sprinkle them over your breakfast or enjoy them on their own, blueberries offer more than a tart yet sweet taste.
Dominguez said: “The great thing about blueberries is that they are very blood sugar friendly and can help you maintain a normal blood sugar.
“I usually get wild blueberries because they are even higher in antioxidants.”
7. Turmeric
The last item on the dietician’s list is turmeric as the potent spice could help dampen inflammation. She said: “Turmeric is actually fantastic for people living with type 2 diabetes because a lot of people with type 2 diabetes deal with inflammation.
“So, add turmeric to your soups, to your rice, even to your smoothies. It will help you lower your inflammation.”