Those with high blood sugar levels know well that they should try and stay away from carbs as much as possible.
But at the question ‘Don’t we need carbs?’ there is only one answer: ‘Of course we do.’
That’s why low-carb diets are such a good idea. But many seem to forget or are simply not aware that vegetables are carbs as well.
The best kind of carbs – the healthy variety we all need to eat more of, not less.
Why We Should Stock Up on Veggies
We’ve all heard how healthy vegetables are since we were a toddler and our parents were trying to get us to eat more.
But as an adult, we don’t need to be coaxed, do we? We need to make the wise decision of consuming more veggies on our own.
After all, it’s not like they were lying to us, they ARE brimming with health benefits.
For one thing, even if they are a carb source, they are low on carbs – which means they won’t send our blood sugar levels soaring like regular carbs would, such as pasta, rice, bread, etc. (1)
They are also bursting with all kinds of nutrients necessary for us to function correctly throughout the day. (2)
Those include vitamins, flavonoids, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, all of which aid in warding off diseases and decreasing any diabetes-related complications.
Our body’s organs and cells will also be thanking us. They help lower our cholesterol, A1C, and blood sugar levels naturally, and even promote healthy digestion! (3)
Veggies that feed the beneficial gut bacteria are especially useful here since our gastrointestinal tract hosts as much as 70-80% of our overall immune system! (4)
Which Vegetables Are The Best For Our Blood Sugar Levels?
It should not be surprising that dark green leafy vegetables ‘take the healthy cake’ when it comes to this. (5)
Not only are they ideal for people with high blood sugar levels, but everyone can enjoy the many benefits they offer, including decreasing inflammation.
It only makes sense, as according to many studies they are the most nutrient-dense. (6)
Only some examples of many include spinach, kale, bok choy, lettuce, swiss chard, cabbage, rocket arugula, and beet greens.
We can eat them whenever we like, so we should try including as much as we can in our daily meals, even if only just a serving of them.
But There Are Other Candidates to Consider…
The beauty of vegetables is that there are so many to choose from and one’s taste pallet can never get bored!
Take, for instance, cruciferous veggies. They are also very rich in nutrients and can thus benefit one’s health in many ways.
They belong to the Brassica family. For example, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, watercress, turnip, bok choy, and Chinese cabbage.
They have been connected to the risk reduction of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. (7)
But also, neurodegeneration and a decline in proper functioning due to old age.
Vegetables do deserve the title of ‘superfoods’, don’t they?
Here Are Some Delicious Veggie Recipes
Despite all the benefits they can offer us, we understand that not everyone is a fan of vegetables.
So, we have taken the liberty to present ourselves with a recipe or two that is bound to change our mind on just how super tasty vegetables can be!
Cheesy Vegetable Bake
Ingredients:
- One medium-sized onion;
- Two carrots;
- Two zucchinis;
- Half a broccoli (chopped);
- ¼ of a medium-sized cauliflower (roughly chopped);
- Four diced tomatoes;
- One of dried basil;
- Two of olive oil;
- One cup of cheddar cheese (grated).
Instructions:
1. Start by preheating the oven to 420°F, before placing all the carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, and zucchini in a ceramic dish for baking.
2. Proceed by heating the oil in a pan, adding the onion, and sautéing until it is well browned.
3. Now add the basil and tomatoes and let it simmer for about two to three minutes until it has become nice and soft.
4. Pour this mixture over the vegetables, and use a spatula or spoon to mix in the tomatoes with the other veggies.
5. Be sure that the vegetables are evenly dispersed. Now cover it with a foil sheet and cook it for forty minutes.
6. Remove the dish from the oven, cover the top with cheese, and then place it back in the oven, this time without the foil.
Bake for another ten minutes until it becomes nicely browned.
7. This healthy meal can be eaten either cold or hot and served alongside chicken, fish, beef, or any meat. Enjoy!
Chicken Cashew Veggie Stir Fry
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces of sliced chicken breast;
- One julienne sliced carrot;
- One julienne sliced zucchini;
- One cup of chopped cauliflower;
- One cup of chopped broccoli;
- 4,5 ounces of sliced mushrooms;
- One diced tomato;
- One onion;
- Two of olive oil;
- One tbsp. of tamari;
- Konjac noodles (optional);
- ¼ a cup of cashew nuts.
Instructions:
1. Start by heating one teaspoon of olive oil in a large wok or frying pan.
2. Proceed by adding the chicken and frying it until it is cooked, making sure to add the tamari sauce halfway through the process.
Set it in a bowl and place it aside for now.
3. Add more olive oil to the wok or pan.
4. Now just add the carrot and onion and sauté it until it is starting to become brown.
5. Continue by adding the zucchini, cauliflower, and broccoli and continue stirring for about three minutes, until they have begun to soften.
6. Now once again it is the turn of the tamari sauce. Add it and the diced tomato to the pan, stir, and cook for another three minutes.
The vegetables should ideally be soft but still slightly on the crisp side. Don’t worry if they don’t turn out that way as that was merely an example of how they should look.
Each individual can separately cook veggies.
7. Last but not least, add the cashew nuts to the pan, stir to combine them with the rest of the ingredients, and then heat it nicely before serving this scrumptious dish.
Note: If we’d like to add the konjac noodles to this dish, we should rinse them thoroughly before adding them along with the cashews to the pan.
Once again, give it a good stir.
Of course, we can always try adding our personal touch to this recipe by experimenting a little.
There are plenty of healthy herbs and spices we can add for an even richer taste, see what we like best! Bon appétit!
In the beginning, it might seem rather difficult to replace all the carbs we are using with healthy vegetable carbs, but it will get easier as time goes by, and before we know it, our stomach will crave nothing else!
Not to mention the favor we are doing ourselves, and our health makes this a definite change for the better and well worth the effort to do so.
Source: Diabetes Meal Plans | Everyday Health
