5 Foods that absorb sugar in your body

The type of foods we eat always have profound effects on our health, whether positively or negatively. The excessive consumption of sugary foods has been linked to several health conditions including obesity and type 2 diabetes. The consumption of many of these sugary foods and drinks are, many times unavoidable and the best one could do is to regulate their consumption to their barest minimum.

Considering the number of health challenges linked to the consumption of sugar and its potential complications, it won’t be a bad idea to increase your intake of certain foods that are known to absorb the sugar content of the food you eat and slow down the release of sugar into your bloodstream. This would help to drastically reduce the risk of many ailments linked to high sugar intake, especially diabetes.

A few examples of such foods are examined below:

1. Beans and lentils

Beans and lentils are one of the most nutritious foods due to their nutrient profile which contains fibre, magnesium, and protein which are known to possess blood-sugar-lowering effects. Their high soluble fibre and resistant starch content also help to slow down digestion and help improve your body’s sugar response after meals.

2. Kale

Kale is regarded as a superfood due to its rich nutrient profile which includes fibre and flavonoid antioxidants that help to decrease blood sugar levels by absorbing excess sugar in your food. Flavonoid antioxidants found in kale such as quercetin and kaempferol also possess powerful blood-sugar-lowering effects.

3. Berries

The likes of blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry are rich in fibre, minerals, and antioxidant compounds. All these nutrient compositions make berries an ideal food for improving blood sugar control. Their intake is linked to the reduction of post-meal insulin and blood sugar levels, and they also help to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose clearance from the blood.

4. Okra

Okra is a healthy fruit and in addition to its impressive nutrient profile, it is also a rich source of many blood-sugar-lowering compounds such as polysaccharides and flavonoid antioxidants. Rhamnogalacturonan is known to possess anti-diabetic effects, isoquercitrin and quercetin 3-O-gentiobioside also possess anti-diabetic properties that help inhibit certain enzymes that may increase blood sugar.

5. Apples

Apples are one of the most nutrient-dense fruits and they contain nutrients such as soluble fibre and plant compounds such as quercetin, chlorogenic acid, and gallic acid. All these nutrients are linked to the reduction of blood sugar and protection against diabetes and their consumption before meals are linked to a significant reduction of post-meal blood sugar.