Best Diabetes Superfoods

Many people want to manage their diabetes as much as possible with their diet, cutting down on the need for expensive medications that often come with side effects. There's no doubt that what you eat has a huge impact on everyone's health, and this is even more true for diabetics, who need to watch their blood glucose and insulin.

Incorporating the right foods into your regular meals can increase your insulin resistance, decrease your cholesterol and triglycerides, and lower your risk of complications like heart disease. So put these diabetes superfoods on your shopping list.

Beans

Beans are an amazing combination of protein and fiber, without any accompanying fat content. The protein makes you feel full and keeps your blood sugar low and steady, while the fiber improves your digestion and keeps the good bacteria in your gut healthy.

Watch out for tinned beans with lots of added salt or sugar, like baked beans in tomato sauce. Instead go for kidney, cannellini or black-eyed beans in water, or cook them yourself from dry. They're a great way to make a salad more satisfying or boost the protein content of casserole without fat.

Berries

Most berries are full of antioxidants and vitamins which decrease inflammation and may play a role in fighting cancer, and the high potassium content in strawberries lowers blood pressure. Even though they're sweet they have a low glycaemic index, which means they don't push up blood sugar and are perfect for diabetics.

Berries make a great dessert as part of a fruit salad or eaten with light cream, and they're a good low-fat snack between meals. Try throwing some in a smoothie or making your own parfaits and sorbets.

Dark chocolate

Chocolate with a high cocoa content is full of flavonoids, compounds which increase insulin sensitivity and improve your blood glucose regulation. Flavonoids reduce chronic inflammation, a risk factor in diabetes and many other diseases, and protect the body against free radicals – a real diabetes superfood.

To get the benefits you need to eat chocolate that has at least 75% cocoa solids – the darker the chocolate the more flavonoids are present – and is low in sugar to keep blood sugar steady. Flavonoids are also found in berries, apples, pears and red wine.

Cruciferous vegetables

Brassicas like cauliflower, cabbage, sprouts and broccoli are anti-diabetic superfoods. They contain a compound called sulforaphane which reduces chronic inflammation in the body and steadies the blood sugar. These vegetables also protect the arteries from hardening, a disorder commonly associated with diabetes.

Brussel sprouts and cabbage taste great grilled or roasted, and greens like bok choy are a staple of Asian cuisine. Broccoli is a good addition to cheesy pasta dishes to add a little color and interest, and also works well in a frittata for lunch.

Fish

Fish are full of omega-3 fatty acids, a superfood with multiple health benefits which is perfect for a diabetic diet. They lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, reduce the risk of heart disease, and decrease insulin resistance. Fish is also high in protein and low in carbohydrates, good for your blood sugar and your waistline.

Having anchovies on your pizza doesn't really count – if you want the benefits you need to eat a full serving of fish once a week. Tuna and salmon are two of the most popular, but people who don't really like fish often find trout or cod has a milder taste and is easier to eat.

Yogurt

Some studies have found links between yogurt consumption and lower insulin resistance and blood pressure, two things that are undeniably helpful for diabetics. Real yogurt contains bacteria which are good for your gut and fight chronic inflammation, and the calcium in yogurt is good for your bones.

Some yogurts have lots of added sugar – obviously not good for diabetics! - so check the ingredients before you buy. Greek yogurt is usually low in sugar and carbohydrates, and can be naturally flavored with fruit without adding to the calories. Look for yogurt labelled 'live culture', which has the gut bacteria you need for good health.

Walnuts

The high antioxidant content of walnuts means they fight off free radicals and repair and strengthen the walls of the blood vessels, and lower the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. Diabetics are at higher risk of high cholesterol and hardened arteries, so walnuts are definitely a diabetic superfood. And even though they're calorie-dense they're not associated with weight gain, possibly because they're so filling.

Walnuts make a quick, portable snack that you can easily take to work and will keep you away from the bags of high-salt peanuts. They add texture to salads (they're a key ingredient in the Waldorf salad) and can be used for a bit of variety in your granola.

Quinoa

A brilliant addition to any diet, quinoa is much higher in protein than most grains – 8 grams per cup – and contains all nine essential amino acids. It is a whole grain high in fiber, which means the carbs are released steadily for even blood glucose and you will feel full for longer.

Quinoa makes a good high-protein replacement for rice; just cook it in water until it's soft as you would with normal rice. It can be used to thicken soups and stews and add a bit of protein, or it works well as the base ingredient in vegetarian and vegan burgers.

(And just in case you didn't know, it's usually pronounced 'KEEN-wah' or 'kee-NO-ah'. Yes, we've been saying it wrong too.)

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a better diabetes superfood than their regular counterpart. They're packed with vitamin A and anthocyanins, an antioxidant which is anti-inflammatory, and their glycaemic index is much lower than normal potatoes, so they don't mess with your blood sugar.

You can bake them in the oven and serve them with sour cream and chives like a normal potato, or make mash or fries out of them. They make a great barbecue food, and with a high-protein low-fat meat like lean chicken they're a diabetic's ideal meal.