Whether you have prediabetes, type 1 or 2 diabetes, or simply want to be mindful about staying as healthy as possible, choosing the right foods can help you keep proper balance with your blood sugar.

When you keep blood sugar levels on an even keel, you'll feel fuller for longer without going into blood sugar crash territory. 

A typical misconception is that you need to avoid sugar to avoid blood sugar issues.

While eating a large amount of sugar is certainly something to avoid, simple carbohydrates are at the forefront of what you should be keeping an eye on when pairing your meals.

These turn into sugar in the blood, and when eaten in abundance without pairing your meals properly, it can send you into a blood sugar spike quickly.  

Pairing healthy fibre rich carbohydrates with proteins and healthy fats will help your body break those carbohydrates down slower, maintaining a balanced blood sugar longer.  

Here are a few food items to add to your mix to keep your blood sugar as balanced and healthy as possible.  

Healthy Fibre-rich Veggies

No surprise here that vegetables are at the top of this list. Have them raw, cooked, or roasted. Choosing healthy fibre-rich low-carb options from the produce section will keep your blood sugar balanced, plus you'll get plenty of other nutrients. Look for Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, eggplant, and mushrooms. 

Gorgeous Greens

Yes, they're vegetables too, but greens deserve their own section because they are incredible for balanced blood sugar and overall wellness. Dark leafy greens, sprouts & herbs, like spinach, kale, Swiss chard, sunflower sprouts, microgreens, cilantro, parsley, etc. are the perfect base for your BIG Green Salad. You can even roast kale in the oven to make healthy chips (they taste amazing), the possibilities are endless. 

Infused Water

It's time to make the shift from sugary juices or sodas to nourishing, hydrating water. Simply ending the sugary soda habit can improve your blood sugar quite quickly. If you haven’t yet graduated to enjoying water in it’s natural state, get a water bottle with an infuser and add lemon or berries or vegetables to it. For example, lemon and cucumber are delightfully delicious ways to boost your flavour and nutrition profile. 

Berries

Craving something sweet? Learn to embrace the joy that juicy berries can bring. Mix berries like raspberry, blackberry or strawberry with plain high-fat grass-fed yogurt (Greek yogurt is often best) for a creamier treat, or enjoy the berries au natural with a sprinkle of ground flaxseed for a nutrient-dense, fibre rich treat that won’t cause havoc with your blood sugar. 

Add Healthy Fats

Healthy fats are an essential component of any diet. Enjoy an avocado or some wild-caught salmon to add healthy fats to your meals. Nuts and seeds also deliver the essential fats that your brain will thrive on.

Power Up with Quality Protein

There are so many ways to get quality proteins into your diet. Choosing pasture-raised eggs, grass-fed meats, grass-fed Greek yogurt & cottage cheese are all good bets.

That said, don't forget to explore your creativity. Choose healthy fresh ingredients and find new ways to combine them for nutritious and healthy meals you'll love to eat each week! 

Well, that's it for today. 

As you navigate the holidays, keep in mind it often only takes a few tweaks to make your holiday meals healthy meals. That's the beauty of healthy balanced diet, it doesn't take much tweaking to transform a standard dish into a healthy meal allowing you to easily maintain your healthy approach and stay on track through the holidays, and keep your body balanced and primed for burning fat.

Remember, a Healthy Happy You Awaits!