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Insulin is a daunting hormone. While the correct levels of this positively impact the body, the whacked levels can impose negative impacts. If you are on the lookout for the foods that don’t spike insulin, you are definitely doing something good with your life.
The heightened levels of insulin do have the potential to induce insulin resistance which is one of the worst conditions for a prediabetic or even a diabetic patient. Opting for foods that won’t raise blood glucose levels is the safest bet.
By the end of this article, you will have a fair idea about the list of foods that do not cause insulin release in an unprecedented way.
Why Are High Insulin Levels Bad For You?
Insulin is a very crucial hormone formed in our body. You won’t necessarily realize this until the moment the levels are hampered vehemently.
It has a number of impacts on our health functions, managing the blood glucose levels in the body being one of them.
The persistently high levels of insulin in the body do have the potential to end up causing issues like insulin resistance.
This condition is predominantly a threat for prediabetics and diabetics alike. When the high levels of insulin persist in the body, it does have the potential to end up making the cells resistant to insulin which is very fatal for one’s health.
In such conditions, even if the body does produce ample insulin, it won’t technically end up utilizing the insulin produced, this causing spiked glucose levels which can negatively impact one’s health for the worse.
Apart from this complication, the heightened levels of insulin have also been found to have connections with obesity, heart disease (R) (R) as well as cancer.
List of Foods that Won’t Spike Insulin Levels
When it comes around to the foods that won’t raise blood glucose, the options are quite extensive. If you are here wondering and fretting about how to plan your diet to avoid random spikes in the insulin and blood glucose levels, you have come to the right place.
Some of the foods that don’t spike insulin include:
1. Raw or Cooked Vegetables
Vegetables are possibly one of the best options and additions when it comes to discussing the list of foods that do not cause insulin release in an unprecedented rate.
It is always best to choose the vegetables that are on the spectrum of low carb because that helps manage your insulin levels in check. If you are wondering which vegetables to opt for under such circumstances, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini etc. pan out to be amazing choices.
Not only are they low carb, they are very nutritious as well. The combination of the essential vitamins and minerals help bring this as a wholesome meal that you possibly can’t even deny.
For the best taste, try and pair it with low carb and good quality dips and dressings to bring out the taste altogether.
Throw in some spice to the mix of roasted veggies and that shall further accentuate the taste even more so.
2. Avocados
Avocados are rich in fats but good and healthy fats which is what makes it an ideal option for you to look into.
If you have consulted a doctor before for your condition, you’d rest assured that the addition of polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids do have amazing impacts on managing the levels of blood glucose in the body.
These two components have been found to have beneficial impacts in improving the insulin sensitivity in the body and even preventing the person from overeating.
Additionally, it has also been found to impact the overall prospects of inflammation and heightened blood pressure levels which do have negative impacts on the body in the long run.
All the more, even studies (R) have found that the consumption of avocados can effectively lower the risks associated with a metabolic syndrome that majority of us complain about.
Avocados also have a low glycemic index which further help manage the symptoms associated with the spikes in blood glucose and insulin.
3. Fish
Yet another one of the amazing impacts that majority of the people have witnessed around is with the consumption of fish. Fishes and other low carb protein sources like chicken or even eggs have been found to have a very healthy impact on the body, especially when it comes to managing the blood insulin levels.
They don’t register with the glycemic index which further helps in boosting the overall health altogether. This ensures to not cause any kind of spikes in the blood glucose levels.
Limit the consumption of the proteins to the lean ones and try and avoid the fatty or even the red meats which have risks of inducing heart diseases and even clog the arteries thus resulting in coronary artery disease that not many even realize altogether.
4. Plant-Derivedoils
Olive oil is yet another one of the effective foods that don’t spike insulin. Not just olive oil for that matter, any kind of plant derived oil has been found to have beneficial impacts in keeping your blood insulin levels in check.
These oils tend to not necessarily have impacts whether they are derived from saturated or unsaturated fats but the same has actually been found to have beneficial impacts altogether that you possibly couldn’t even realize.
The fats that do encounter for thus that majority of the people tend to fret about are healthy fats which are actually good for you and won’t necessarily cause any kind of negative impacts on your body.
5. Green Leafy Vegetables
While salad is a good option for controlling your health, it is not necessarily the very best when it comes to the dressings and the toppings.
If you are looking out into the foods that won’t raise blood glucose, the green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach and even chard pan out to be amazing options that you can look into.
They are not just delicious, full of nutrients, loaded with vitamins and minerals but also amazing for diabetics owing to the low carb.
Not many people prefer consuming leafy greens and it is definitely more of an acquired taste but the same does have amazing benefits on one’s body and overall health that you just can’t pass up on.
6. Garlic
You must be surprised as to how garlic even pans out to be a good enough option, right?
Garlic is an amazing ingredient which enlists under the list of foods that do not cause insulin release uncontrollably.
A number of conducted studies have found the efficacy of garlic in the management and regulation of the blood sugar levels. Some evidences (R) have shown that the consumption of garlic can effectively help in lowering the fasting glucose levels in the body.
The best reason why garlic is often considered one of the best foods that don’t spike insulin is because of the fact that it doesn’t contain any kind of carbohydrates and thus there is no possible reason why it would cause any kind of spikes in the glucose levels.
You can either consume a raw clove of garlic in the morning or even simply stick to adding it into your diet for beneficial impacts on your health.
7. Nuts
Yet another one of the beneficial addition to the diet for managing the insulin levels are nuts. These are not just effective in bringing down the overall unnecessary blood glucose levels; it also helps manage one’s satiety that many often struggle with.
If you are hungry in the odd times during the day, snacking on nuts have been found to have a beneficial impact in managing the glucose and the insulin levels in the body. These are rich in proteins and have also been found beneficial in reducing the cholesterol levels in the body.
Studies (R) have found that the consumption of almonds has been tied with the regulation of the blood glucose levels in the body all the while managing the levels of High-density lipoproteins (HDL) in the body.
Additionally, pistachios have been found to have beneficial impacts in managing the low-density lipoprotein levels in the body.
The only caution to keep in mind is to ensure that you don’t go ham with the consumption of the nuts given the fact that they are rich in calories.
8. Butter
Who would have even thought, right?
Butter is actually a good enough option when it comes to the foods that don’t spike insulin. Nutrition levels does indicate that 1 ounce of butter contains 22 gms of fat but no carbs and protein which itself is an amazing bonus, right?
So, if you are trying to steer clear off of carbs and similar foods, adding butter to your food can not just accentuate the taste of the dish but also help keep the levels of the insulin in check.
Butter and its consumption have been found to have no possible impacts when it comes to the stimulation in the release of insulin in the body that many tend to complain of.
9. Infused Water
Plain water can get boring and monotonous. While drinking soda and high sugar beverages is not an option at all, it is always best to opt for something that not just tastes nice but is also amazing for your health, especially your insulin levels.
If you want to spruce things up a little, go through some of the delectable recipes for infused water and see which one you like the most out of the lot.
These are low carb and don’t cause any kind of alterations to one’s insulin levels which is definitely an added bonus when you come to look at it that way.
10. Sour Cherries
Many people have this notion that fruits are bad for your health, especially if you are prediabetic or diabetic. That is not necessarily the case though.
Not only fruits can cause insulin spikes and some are actually quite low on the glycemic index, thus ensuring the very best of results when it comes to the nutrition level.
Sour cherries are one of the very best options when it comes to the foods that don’t spike insulin. The main reason behind the same is because of the fact that it has a very low glycemic index which has been proven beneficial for one’s overall health.
The rich presence of the anthocyanins is what helps keep everything in check. Even a number of studies (R) have found the beneficial impacts of the anthocyanins in handling the condition associated with diabetes.
Instead of gorging down fruits that can cause alteration to the blood glucose and insulin levels, binge eats some amazing and flavourful cherries which can be amazing for your body.
11. Grapefruit
If you have been fretting around missing that sweetness in your life, grapefruit can definitely change that for good. This tart yet juicy fruit has been found to have amazing impacts in keeping the levels of the insulin in check.
The main reason behind the same is because of the fact that grapefruit has a glycemic load of 3 which is a lot lesser than what you would technically expect. This ensures to keep one’s overall health in check and avoids any kind of issue altogether.
It is always best to ensure that you don’t necessarily start consuming it all of a sudden, especially if you are on diabetic medications. It is always best suggested to consult a doctor before you proceed along with the same.
12. Cream Cheese
When it comes to the foods that won’t raise blood glucose, the cream cheese is actually a good enough option.
Majority of the macronutrient that you derive from the cream cheese is because of the fat which ensures that it is completely devoid of any kind of carbs whatsoever which is exactly what you need.
Around an ounce of cream cheese contains 9 gms of fat and just 1 gm of carbs which is amazing to keep your blood glucose and insulin levels in check. The lower amount of carbs in it ensures to have reduced release of insulin in the body.
13. Whole Grain Foods
Yet another one of the viable foods that don’t spike insulin is the whole grain foods. These don’t contain any kind of refined carbs in them which are not just good to avoid the insulin and glucose spikes in the bloodstream but also viable in getting rid of the problems associated with the digestion one faces.
They are also loaded with fibers which further have beneficial impacts in handling the insulin release and keep it to a bare minimum without any kind of issues whatsoever.
Even whole grain have carbs in them but not in an unprecedented level which will end up affecting the overall levels of the insulin release in the body.
14. Apple Cider Vinegar
It is the acetic acid in the apple cider vinegar which has beneficial impacts on managing the insulin levels in the body.
Experts do suggest that consuming apple cider vinegar after a meal can effectively help in bringing down the levels of the impacts of the carbs that you have eaten. Although there is not much evidence encircling the same, it is believed that the consumption of apple cider vinegar is also related to increasing the insulin sensitivity in the body.
Mix 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water and drink that after a meal for the best of results.
15. Hummus
Hummus is yet another one of the foods that won’t raise blood glucose or even the insulin levels in the body. The only point of concern is to ensure that you are consuming the homemade or the organic hummus which doesn’t have any kind of additional ingredients mixed with it.
If you wish to experience the best kind of results with your health, it is always best suggested to pair the hummus with some amazing and fresh low GI vegetables to get in that nutrition and this is also a very healthy snack as well.
Just ensure that you don’t rely blindly on the store bought version because not all of them are made from the best of ingredients.
16. Popcorn
Who would have even thought, right?
Popcorn is actually one of the best options when it comes to the foods that don’t spike insulin. Popcorn does have a glycemic index of 55 but has a low glycemic load of 7 which is what makes it a good enough option to take a look into.
It is always best to keep in neutral and normal and not go ham with the process because the same does have the potential to end up causing a problem for you.
17. Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are a universal ingredient that does cater to the list of foods that do not cause insulin release. These small seeds are not just high on antioxidants but are loaded with healthy fibers, calcium and even healthy fats and the omega-3 fatty acids.
Even a plethora of studies has shown how amazing chia seeds are for lowering the levels of the LDL and cholesterol in the body. The regulated levels of this have also been found to be quite beneficial for managing the glucose levels in the body, in turn, regulating the insulin levels in the body as well.
The chia seeds have a glycemic index of 1 which itself should be more than self-explanatory why it is actually a good enough option to peek into. Add it to your diet for the best of experience in handling the insulin levels in the body.
18. Cacao
Cacao is yet another one of the amazing foods or ingredients that you definitely need to add to your diet for the best of experience in handling the insulin levels in the body.
These are not just high in antioxidants but also contain epicatechin which further have been found to have amazing impacts in regulating the glucose production in the body without causing any kind of spikes to the insulin levels in the body.
It helps in the secretion of key regulatory proteins which further help in managing and stabilizing the blood sugar levels in the body, especially in the people suffering from diabetes.
19. Coffee
Coffee is yet another one of the food cum beverage that does have amazing impacts in handling the condition of diabetes or even the accessory spikes in the insulin levels in the body.
A conducted study (R) even found that increasing the consumption of coffee every day by 1 cup could very well be a contributing factor to the condition of type-2 diabetes by 10% that more and more people are suffering from.
The only thing to keep in concern is to ensure that you don’t go out with the sugar or the milk. Try and keep it basic for the best of results altogether.
When it comes to discussing the foods that don’t spike insulin, the possibilities are quite extensive. It all comes down to the choices you are making that make the difference in your life. With the constant rise in the count of people being affected with diabetes, it is high time we take this condition seriously.
