When it comes to managing diabetes, getting plenty of nutrient-rich, high-fiber vegetables is important. These foods help with both blood sugar management and long-term condition management.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), in creating a diet for type 2 diabetes, we need to include a variety of healthy carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in our diet (1).
Cucumber And Diabetes
Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to complications including cardiovascular diseases, nerve damage, kidney damage, eye damage, foot damage, and hearing impairment (2).
Cucumber is a non-starchy vegetable with a glycemic index (GI) of just 15 – any food with a GI less than 55 is considered low. Low-to-moderate-GI vegetables improve blood glucose control and reduce the risk of weight gain. A high GI food can raise our blood sugar levels (3,4).
This is a high-water vegetable that can actually help keep us hydrated as well as feeling full. According to a study, adding cucumbers to our diet might help reduce and control blood sugar levels (5,6).
Cucumber has high fiber content. Fiber can help control blood glucose levels. It also helps slow down the digestion of carbohydrates and sugar, which can further lower sugar levels. In addition to this, the veggie also exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. (7,8)
In an animal study, results showed that supplementing cucumber peels in induced diabetes in mice can help reverse most of the diabetes-associated changes and cause a decrease in blood sugar (9).
Aside from this, another study showed that cucumbers may possibly help in reducing oxidative stress and preventing diabetes-related complications (10).
Tips For Diabetics
- Keep meals healthful and flavorsome by avoiding too much added salt or relying on prepackaged ingredients that are high in sodium.
- Eat foods from all food groups.
- Plan to stop eating 2–3 hours before bedtime, in most cases, as 12 or more hours of nighttime fasting helps glucose control.
- Remember that eating vegetables is just one part of managing a lifestyle with diabetes.
Other Foods That May Help Control Diabetes
Leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale.
Avocados – contains less than 1 gram of sugar, few carbohydrates, a high fiber content, and healthy fats.
Chia seeds – extremely high in fiber, yet low in digestible carbs.
Broccoli – may help lower insulin levels and protect against cellular damage.
Sources:
- https://www.everydayhealth.com/hs/managing-type-2-ac/best-and-worst-foods/
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20371444
- https://www.timesnownews.com/health/article/cucumber-water-benefits-type-2-diabetes-this-refreshing-summer-detox-drink-can-help-lower-blood-sugar-levels/390866
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29524810/
- https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7763406/best-vegetables-for-diabetes/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8569244/
- https://www.ndtv.com/food/diabetes-eating-cucumber-regularly-may-help-reduce-blood-sugar-levels-1884961
- https://defeatdiabetes.org/resources/healthful-eating/vegetables/cucumber/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20614191/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4916550/
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