Sweet revenge: Six ways to beat your sugar addiction

Free sugars (any sugar added to a food or drink) should make up no more than 5 per cent of your total calorie intake. Photo / Faran Raufi, Unsplash

As shock figures reveal a record £1.5 billion (NZ$3b) was spent by the National Health Service on diabetes drugs last year, it seems we are a nation addicted to sugar. Indeed, it is estimated that the average adult in the UK eats twice the recommended daily amount of free sugars (any sugar added to a food or drink), which should make up no more than 5 per cent of total calories.

Eating ultra-processed foods packed with sugar, like most breakfast cereals, cakes, biscuits and fizzy drinks, as well as refined carbohydrates, will quickly elevate glucose levels in the blood, followed by a steep decline, which over time increases your risk of diabetes.

To clarify, this refers to Type 2 diabetes, when the body develops resistance to insulin (the hormone that regulates glucose levels in the blood), usually as a result of a poor diet and being overweight. This is not to be confused with Type 1 diabetes, an incurable auto-immune disease.

We know that maintaining a healthy weight is the single most effective way to prevent and even reverse the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes. However, some foods can help reduce blood sugar levels. For example, a new study from the US showed a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose levels after four weeks of drinking kombucha daily.

Here are six more diet strategies to help prevent harmful blood sugar spikes.

But first, coffee

To change things up, why not try a coffee smoothie in the morning? Picture / Eleanor Ozich

With more than half of Brits choosing to start their day with a cup of coffee, it’s a happy coincidence that drinking three to four cups of coffee per day is associated with about a 25 per cent lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Further research is needed to establish exactly why, but it’s thought that caffeine helps improve glucose metabolism – the processes by which carbohydrates are broken down into glucose to be used by the body.

To change things up, why not try a coffee smoothie in the morning instead? Combining coffee with healthy fats, protein and fibre provides a balanced intake of nutrients – another important factor when trying to keep blood sugar levels stable.

Place 1 ripe banana (frozen banana works even better), 1 tbsp nut butter, 1 tbsp oats, 1 tbsp natural yogurt, 150ml milk and 1 tsp instant coffee in a high-speed blender and whizz together for 60 seconds until smooth.

Just add nuts

Nuts have a low glycaemic index, so they won’t raise blood sugar levels too much. Photo / 123rf

The glycaemic index (GI) of a food measures the speed at which your body absorbs the carbohydrates it contains. Nuts have a low GI, so they won’t raise blood sugar levels too much. Moreover, studies have shown nuts also help with blood glucose control, particularly after a meal.

A good way to harness this effect is to eat nuts alongside those foods you enjoy that have a higher GI, like bread and pasta. One study found that adding almonds to bread and eating nuts with pasta slowed the rate of carbohydrate absorption, flattening that all-important blood sugar curve.

If you enjoy a slice of toast, adding nut butter will help offset potential blood sugar hikes. And if you choose sourdough, the fermentation process produces changes in the bread that helps control blood sugar better than conventional yeasted breads.

Have a green starter

A green starter can be anything made from vegetables or legumes, but one of the best options is broccoli.

French biochemist and self-styled “Glucose Goddess” Jessie Inchauspé says one of her favourite glucose hacks is to add a “green starter” to every meal for “steady glucose, no glucose crash, and no cravings”.

A green starter can be anything made from vegetables or legumes, but one of the best options is broccoli. This and other cruciferous vegetables contain a chemical called sulforaphane that has been shown to reduce blood glucose levels and improve insulin resistance. Adding a little protein and fat to your starter will also help prevent glucose spikes.

Try this simple green starter recipe that combines yogurt, broccoli and pine nuts to delicious effect. Blanch broccoli florets in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, drain and refresh with cold water. Mix 3 tbsp Greek yogurt with a squeeze of lemon juice, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Spread the mixture over a serving plate, pile the broccoli on top and sprinkle over pan-toasted pine nuts, or any other chopped nut. Drizzle with a little olive oil.

Eat more legumes

Legumes are a rich source of fibre and plant protein, and evidence suggests they have a positive effect on glycaemic control. Photo / 123RF

It’s oft-quoted advice to include more legumes in our diet, but what exactly are they? Legume is an umbrella term for plants with pods with edible seeds, such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, garden peas and, more surprisingly, peanuts. Legumes are a rich source of fibre and plant protein, and evidence suggests they have a positive effect on glycaemic control.

Try butter bean mash as a low-GI alternative to mashed potato; it’s rich and creamy with no resulting blood sugar rush. Gently heat 2 tbsp olive oil and 3 cloves of crushed garlic in a medium saucepan. Cook for a minute or so until the garlic has softened. Add a can of drained butter beans and 2 tbsp water and mash lightly with a fork. Bring to a simmer for 3-4 minutes until the water has reduced to almost nothing and take off the heat. Mix 2 tbsp plain yogurt, a squeeze of lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest in a bowl and season well. Stir the yogurt mixture through the beans and serve.

Vinegar every day

A really simple way to get those blood sugar levels down is a daily shot of vinegar. Photo / Eleanor Ozich

A really simple way to get those blood sugar levels down is a daily shot of vinegar. One study showed that daily vinegar intake of 2-6 tablespoons improved the glycaemic response to carbohydrate-rich meals. If you choose a ‘live’ apple cider vinegar, you’ll also be getting gut health benefits from the good bacteria it contains.

But let’s face it, downing neat vinegar isn’t very appealing and can be harmful to tooth enamel and the oesophageal lining if drunk in large quantities, so limit your intake to 2 tbsp a day. Of course, you can use it in a homemade, tangy salad dressing, or for something more adventurous, try making switchel, a delicious drink combining apple cider vinegar, lemon and ginger.

Heat 500ml water, 6cm finely grated ginger, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, a little honey to taste and 1 tbsp lemon juice in a pan and simmer for 2 minutes. Strain and drink immediately. Alternatively, chill in the fridge and serve over ice. Makes 2 servings.

Change your snack strategy

Snacks such as carrot sticks and hummus won't spike your blood sugar levels.

One sure way to spike blood sugar levels is to grab a sugary, processed snack on the hoof, something we are all prone to do when energy levels are low. Many convenience foods contain an abundance of simple carbohydrates (sugars) without enough of the blood-sugar-moderating influences of protein, fat or fibre. Here are some snacks that won’t cause a glucose surge:

• Carrot sticks and hummus
• A small handful of nuts and a square of dark chocolate
• A slice of cheese, ham or avocado on wholegrain crackers
• Apple slices topped with nut butter
• Vegetable sticks with guacamole
• Oatcakes with cream cheese and cucumber
• A Ryvita cracker with cottage cheese and black pepper
• A couple of tablespoons of Greek yogurt, berries and a few seeds