Type 2 diabetes can trigger symptoms such as needing to pee more than usual, feeling thirsty all the time, feeling very tired, losing weight without trying to and blurred vision. If the condition is left untreated, it can cause chronic complications affecting the eyes, feet, kidneys, nerves, and can lead to heart attack and stroke. A diet high in sugar, fat and salt can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes, so making changes to what you eat can help you manage your blood sugar level. The NHS recommends eating a healthy diet including a wide range of fruit and vegetables and some starchy foods like pasta.
Green leafy vegetables have minimal impact on blood sugar levels, which is good in the prevention of type 2 diabetes
Keeping sugar, fat and salt to a minimum is also key.
But certain foods alone have been found to have blood sugar lowering properties.
Green leafy vegetables are packed full of essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients the body needs, and they have minimal impact on blood sugar levels.
Some researchers say eating green leafy vegetables is helpful for people with diabetes because of their high antioxidant content and starch-digesting enzymes.
Five leafy green vegetables you can include in your diet are:
- Kale
- Spinach
- Cabbage
- Watercress
- Romaine lettuce
As well as eating these leafy greens raw or steamed, they can be enjoyed in juice form.
A small scale study suggested kale juice can help regulate blood sugar levels.
Participants of the study drank 300ml of kale juice per day for six weeks.
The study also found kale juice could improve blood pressure in people with subclinical hypertension.
High blood pressure can lead to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular complications if left untreated.
A popular hot drink among Britons has also been found to help type 2 diabetes.
Another way a person’s blood sugar level can be lowered is to do physical exercise.
Experts recommend people do 2.5 hours of activity a week.
You can be active anywhere as long as what you do gets you out of breath.
This can include fast walking, climbing stairs and doing more strenuous housework or gardening.
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