Spices for your Blood Sugar

There are a lot of factors that influence your blood sugar levels such as sleep, hydration, stress, caffeine, digestion, lifestyle, and diet. Diabetics are not the only ones that need to pay attention to their blood sugar levels. In fact, everyone should be aware of their blood sugar levels and how they affect you. For example, if you experience high and low periods of energy throughout the day, then you may want to have a think about how to stabilise your blood sugar levels so that you do not experience the afternoon dip in energy. There are numerous ways to regulate your blood sugar levels and thereby balancing your energy levels. 

Keep in mind that based upon what you eat, especially how much carbohydrates you have, your blood sugar levels can rise pretty dramatically. And what goes up must come down. So if you have a sugar spike, your sugar levels can drop just as quickly. Here are my 5 favourites spices to use that help to balance your blood sugar levels naturally. 

1. Cinnamon is known to help lower blood sugar and fight diabetes. Research shows that cinnamon can act like insulin and increases the insulin’s ability to move blood sugar into the cells. Cinnamon is known to help regulate your blood sugar levels by slowing down absorption. 
2. Ginger is commonly used for improving digestion, but the regular use of ginger also helps with long-term blood sugar control. In fact, ginger can be metabolised by the digestive system with little to no use of insulin, which is a major plus for those with type 2 diabetes. Ginger is also extremely low on the glycemic index. 
3. Cayenne pepper can be used in cooking for its anti-inflammatory benefits. Cayenne stimulates glucose absorption in the small intestine. This helps to naturally balance blood sugar levels. 
4. Fenugreek is one of my favourite spices for helping balance blood sugar levels. The reason being is that studies show that Fenugreek helps to slow down the absorption of carbohydrates during the digestive process thereby reducing blood sugar levels. 
5. Turmeric is often known as the yellow spice that is used in curries. But this spice is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and for also being an excellent antioxidant. Turmeric also reduces serum glucose levels. 

There are also many other spices out there that help regulate blood sugar levels. Therefore, when in doubt, use a variety of spices in your cooking and your body will thank you for it. 

Health and happiness,

Varsha