Three Quick and Easy Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar Levels Naturally
Healthline readers like you wanted to know what they could do to lower their blood sugar levels naturally, so we researched the topic and talked to experts to find the best ways. Here’s what we found: three quick and easy ways to lower your blood sugar levels naturally—with diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes.
Eat Glycemic Index (GI) foods
The glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how much a food affects your blood sugar levels. Foods with a high GI rating cause your blood sugar to rise quickly, while foods with a low GI rating have little effect on your blood sugar levels. Foods that are considered low-glycemic include: whole grains, legumes, seeds, fruits, and vegetables.
To lower blood sugar levels naturally, stick to these foods during meals instead of consuming sugary or starchy snacks or drinks. Also, remember to eat more frequently throughout the day as opposed to eating three large meals. Consuming smaller portions every few hours will help keep your blood sugar levels steady throughout the day. In addition, eating protein at each meal can also help control your blood sugar levels by slowing down digestion.
You can also consume supplements such as chromium picolinate, which has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes. Finally, try adding cinnamon to your diet—the spice has been shown to reduce glucose absorption in animals and may work similarly in humans. One study found that participants who consumed 1.5 grams of cinnamon per day had reduced fasting glucose levels compared to those who did not consume any cinnamon.
Eat When You Are Hungry
If you’re hungry, eat! The key here is simply to eat real food. Avoid foods that are processed or refined and empty of nutrients. Focus on eating fresh, whole foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, lean meats (organic whenever possible), or other animal-based proteins. These types of foods provide vitamins (like C) and minerals (like calcium), which support bone health.
You’ll also want to make sure you’re getting enough protein—but be careful not to overdo it as too much protein can sometimes be bad for bone health! Aim for 10–35% of your total calories from protein. Read more about healthy sources of protein here . Remember: Focusing on nutrient-rich foods is a great way to naturally lower blood sugar levels and reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes.
While there’s no substitute for a healthy diet when it comes to lowering blood sugar levels, there are some supplements that may help, including magnesium , cinnamon , fish oil , and chromium . Check with your doctor before adding any supplements into your diet thoughthough! Most importantly, if you have high blood sugar levels, make sure to talk with your doctor about what steps you can take together to manage them.
Managing high blood sugar levels is an important step in preventing complications associated with diabetes. More information on how to prevent type 2 diabetes can be found here . Also see our related post, 3 Tips for Healthy Living , to learn how small changes in your daily routine can lead to big improvements in overall health and wellness.
You might even find that these changes stick around long after you've lost weight! Healthline and our partners may receive a portion of revenues if you make a purchase using a link above. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Have something you think we should know about?
Cut Down on Sugars
In addition to being extra calories, sugary foods give your body a quick, but short-lived energy burst that raises blood sugar levels and then causes them to crash. Not only is consuming lots of added sugars bad for your health in general—excess calories from any source will put you at risk for weight gain—it’s also a common cause of type 2 diabetes, especially when it’s accompanied by high blood pressure or obesity.
To naturally lower your blood sugar levels (and keep them low), monitor how much sugar you eat and try not to consume it in liquid form (juices, sodas). Replace high-sugar foods with healthier options like fruits or vegetables. If you have prediabetes, aim to reduce your daily intake of sugar to 25 grams per day or less. If you have type 2 diabetes, try to cut back on added sugars as much as possible and focus on eating more whole grains instead.
Some research suggests that regularly including cinnamon in your diet may help improve glucose control. And be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day, which can help stabilize insulin levels and boost metabolism. Avoid sweetened beverages such as juices, soda, and iced tea. Sugary drinks are one of the biggest sources of excess calories in many people's diets—up to 450 calories a day for some people! They're also linked to increased risks for obesity and type 2 diabetes. When choosing beverages, opt for unsweetened coffee or tea; fat-free milk; nonfat yogurt; small amounts of 100% fruit juice; and club soda mixed with fresh fruit spritzers made from unsweetened 100% juices.
Exercise
Most adults should aim for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week. Moderate aerobic activity, which is equivalent to a brisk walk, can lower blood sugar levels, reduce body fat and improve overall fitness. Vigorous aerobic activity boosts metabolism by burning extra calories in addition to lowering blood sugar levels.
People with type 2 diabetes may be more likely to benefit from vigorous exercise than those without diabetes. These people should talk with their doctor before exercising. If you have any other health conditions, it’s also important to check with your doctor before starting an exercise program. Even if you don’t have any health issues, however, it’s still wise to speak with your doctor before beginning a new exercise routine.
That way, he or she can recommend safe exercises that are best suited for your specific situation. In general, people who participate in regular physical activity tend to live longer and healthier lives compared to those who are sedentary. Exercise has also been shown to reduce stress levels as well as depression symptoms.
Drink Water
Staying hydrated is an important aspect of preventing blood sugar spikes, but it’s a simple mistake that most people make. Drinking too much can cause you to become bloated and constipated, which is definitely something you want to avoid when trying to lower your blood sugar levels. Dehydration can also impair cognitive function, so keep some water around if you’re looking for ways to lower your blood sugar naturally.
It’s always a good idea to drink 6-8 glasses of water per day. Keep in mind that certain foods like fruit juice, sodas, and alcohol contain high amounts of natural sugars; it’s smart not get dehydrated from consuming these liquids on top of regular water intake! You should also be aware that caffeine tends to cause dehydration, so be sure to monitor how much coffee or tea you consume throughout the day.
If you need help getting started with your new healthy habits, ask your doctor about recommended vitamins or dietary supplements. The information in this section has been reviewed by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. In other words: We know what we're talking about! But don't take our word for it—we encourage you to click on links throughout articles whenever possible (like we did above) to source any claims against other reputable websites as well as scientific studies (which we provide abundant reference links below). Learn more...
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Reducing Stress
If you’re stressed, your body pumps out extra cortisol, which drives up blood sugar. You can bring your stress levels down by using relaxation techniques such as mindfulness meditation or yoga. A few minutes of practice a day will make a big difference. A helpful tool is an app called Calm, which offers short guided meditations that allow you to focus on your breathing and nothing else.
Like anything new, meditating takes some practice before it becomes easy—but once it does, you’ll be able to quickly reduce stress whenever it crops up (and just like that you’ll have more energy for workouts). Here are a few additional tips from Prevention's book Eat Clean Diet Recharged! Use your non-dominant hand when doing daily tasks.
This helps put you in a state of flow, so you don't think about what you're doing while also reducing anxiety. Take deep breaths while walking between meetings at work; do not use elevators or escalators if possible; take advantage of nature by going outside during breaks; walk around instead of sitting all day at work. Also, standing desks may help with reducing diabetes risk factors in those who sit all day at work. Try adding these changes into your routine for several weeks and see how they impact how much time and effort you spend worrying about things throughout each day.
Reduce Foods That Cause Inflammation
Research suggests that your blood sugar levels are often caused by inflammation. This is because many food items we consume on a daily basis can cause an inflammatory response in our bodies, which then results in our blood sugar levels rising as a result. These inflammatory foods include things like refined carbs, artificial sweeteners, fried foods, excess dairy products, etc. To help lower inflammation, focus on including natural anti-inflammatory foods into your diet such as those found in dark green leafy vegetables (like spinach) and berries (like blueberries).
In addition to lowering inflammation, they also offer plenty of other health benefits. Dark chocolate is another great option if you're craving something sweet. It's high in antioxidants and has been shown to improve heart health. Just make sure it's at least 70 percent cocoa for maximum benefit. Also, try to avoid sugary treats or overly processed snacks with ingredients you can't pronounce. You'll be surprised how much better you feel when eating healthier! A healthy diet will go a long way toward improving your energy level and keeping your blood sugar levels under control. By adding these changes to your routine, you should notice an improvement within a few weeks. If not, consider talking to a doctor about possible medications or supplements that could help reduce inflammation and thus lower blood sugar levels naturally.
Change Your Lifestyle Habits
There are many lifestyle habits that have a direct effect on your blood sugar levels. The most obvious is diet—but exercise, sleep, stress management, smoking, and alcohol consumption also play a role. It’s important to keep track of these things if you want to lower your blood sugar. This is especially true for people with diabetes.
In fact, doctors often recommend patientspatients with type 2 diabetes make daily logs about their activity levels in order to better understand how these factors affect their blood sugar over time. On average, most adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of exercise each week. And keep track of when you eat—the number one risk factor for type 2 diabetes is being overweight or obese (about 40 percent of U.S. adults fit into both categories). If you’re concerned about your weight, use our BMI calculator to find out if you need to lose weight.Love it? Pin it!
Eating plenty of fiber-rich foods can also help lower your blood sugar levels naturally. Fiber slows down digestion and helps control hunger pangs so that you can feel full longer. Studies show eating 25 grams of fiber per day reduces hemoglobin A1c levels by an average 0.2 points, which shows improved glucose control even after just two weeks. Most high-fiber foods come from plant sources—like fruits, vegetables, whole grains like oats and barley and beans—and they all provide different types of dietary fiber, so try to incorporate as many as possible into your daily diet plan.
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