The best natural and home-made way to control diabetes and regulate blood sugar levels is weight loss, as this makes the body less fatty, which improves the functioning of the liver and pancreas, as well as improves insulin sensitivity, making your job easier. To be able to lose weight it is very important to eat a balanced diet, as well as to exercise regularly.
However, along with weight loss, there are also some plants that can be used to potentiate the effect of insulin and help control blood sugar levels, especially in people with pre-diabetes. These plants should only be used after consulting the doctor who is guiding the treatment, as some plants can interfere with the effect of some medicines used for diabetes and can cause serious complications, such as hypoglycemia.
Any of the plants presented below can also be consumed in the form of a food supplement, sold in health food stores as capsules. In these cases, its use must be made according to the manufacturer or according to the guidance of a nutritionist or herbalist.
Some of the plants that have scientific evidence to regulate blood glucose include:
1. Fenugreek
Fenugreek, known scientifically as Trigonella foenum-graecum is a very versatile medicinal plant, which can be used to treat various health problems, but having a strong effect on the control of blood sugar levels.
This is because this plant has, in its seeds, an active substance, known as 4-hydroxylenucine, which, according to several studies, seems to increase the production of insulin in the pancreas, decreasing the high glucose levels, common in diabetes.
In addition, fenugreek also appears to delay emptying of the stomach, decrease the absorption of carbohydrates and promote the use of glucose by the body, lowering blood glucose.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of water; 2 teaspoons of fenugreek seeds.
How to use
Place the water and leaves in a pan and boil for 1 minute, then turn off the heat and let it stand for another 5 minutes. Finally, remove the seeds and drink the tea after warm. This tea can be used after meals to help regulate glucose levels, however, it should not be used if medicines for diabetes are used, as it can cause hypoglycemia, especially if there is no knowledge of the doctor.
The use of fenugreek can have some side effects in children, pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding and, therefore, should be avoided in these cases.
2. Asian ginseng
Asian ginseng, also known as Panax ginseng , is a medicinal root widely used throughout the world for the most diverse purposes, especially to improve cerebral blood circulation and improve performance. However, this root also helps to increase the production of insulin by the pancreas, in addition to improving sensitivity to that insulin.
Thus, ginseng can be a great option for people with type 2 diabetes, helping to better regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of water; 1 tablespoon of ginseng root.
How to use
Put the water and ginseng to a boil for 5 minutes and then stand for another 5 minutes. Finally, strain, allow to warm and drink 2-3 times a day.
Regular consumption of this tea can cause side effects in some people, the most common of which include feeling nervous, headache or insomnia, for example. In addition, pregnant women should not use this tea without supervision by the obstetrician.
3. Dandelion
Dandelion is another plant that appears to have a strong effect on diabetes, as both its leaves and roots are able to regulate blood sugar levels. In fact, the dandelion root even has a substance, known as inulin, that can increase the production of insulin, since it is a type of sugar that is not metabolized, that is, that does not lead to an increase in the level of blood sugar.
Dandelion can thus be used as a good natural option for pre-diabetic people.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of water; 1 tablespoon of dandelion root.
How to use
Leave the water and roots to boil in a pan for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and let stand for another 5 minutes. Strain and drink after warm. This tea can be drunk up to 3 times a day.
4. Chamomile
Chamomile is another plant widely used in folk medicine, as it is known as a natural tranquilizer, however, this plant also has an effect on the blood sugar level, helping to keep it controlled. In addition, it also appears to protect against disease complications, such as damage to blood vessels.
Some of the components that appear to be responsible for these effects include substances such as umbeliferone, esculin, luteolin and quercetin.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of chamomile; 1 cup of boiling water.
How to use
Add the chamomile to the boiling water and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Then strain, let it warm and drink 2 to 3 times a day.
There are some studies that indicate that chamomile should not be ingested during pregnancy, for this reason, pregnant women should consult the obstetrician before using this tea.
5. Cinnamon
Cinnamon, in addition to being an excellent aromatic spice, also helps to control blood sugar levels as it contains a component, known as hydroxy-methyl-chalcone, which appears to mimic the effect of insulin on the body, which helps in the metabolism of glucose.
For this, cinnamon can be added to food or eaten in the form of cinnamon water, for example.
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 cinnamon sticks; 1 liter of water.
How to use
Add the cinnamon sticks to the water and let it rest in the refrigerator overnight. Then remove the cinnamon sticks and drink throughout the day.
There are some studies that indicate that cinnamon should not be ingested during pregnancy, so it is recommended that pregnant women consult the obstetrician before using this tea.
Watch this video to find out what you can do to control diabetes more easily:
