Lower Blood Sugar by Eating Low Glycemic Foods

First and foremost, limit carbs.  Keep carbs at around 60 or less for a meal and 15 or less for a snack.  AFTER limiting carbs, then make sure the carbs you do get are the best quality carbs available.  Choose whole grain and low glycemic index (GI) carbs.

The glycemic index is a numerical system of measuring how fast a carbohydrate triggers a rise in circulating blood sugar-the higher the number, the greater the blood sugar response. A low GI food will cause a small rise, while a high GI food will trigger a dramatic spike. Below is just a small list of foods to give you an idea of low, medium and high GI. Stick to low and medium to keep your blood sugar down. 

For the most part, low GI tends to be low carb as well.  However, just because something is whole grain or low GI does not mean you can have more of it -- you still have to limit the total number of carbs first.

Less Than 50

• Artichoke <15
• Asparagus <15
• Avocado < 15
• Broccoli <15
• Cauliflower <15
• Celery <15
• Cucumber <15
• Eggplant <15
• Green beans <15
• Lettuce, all varieties <15
• Low-fat yogurt, artificially sweetened <15
• Peanuts <15
• Peppers, all varieties <15
• Snow peas <15
• Spinach <15

50 to 70

• Canned kidney beans 52
• Kiwifruit 52
• Orange juice, not from concentrate 52
• Banana 53
• Sweet potato 54
• Brown Rice 55
• Linguine 55
• Popcorn 55
• Sweet corn 55
• Muesli 56

Above 70

• Bagel 72
• Corn chips 72
• Watermelon 72
• Honey 73
• Mashed potatoes 73
• Bread stuffing mix 74
• Cheerios 74
• Cream of Wheat, instant 74
• Graham crackers 74
• Doughnuts 75
• French fries 76
• Frozen waffles 76
• Pretzels 81
• Rice cakes 82