In , the US Food and Drug Administration FDA changed the way foods have to be labeled in the US. Foods now have to display the amount of added sugars they contain in grams and as a percentage of the recommended daily maximum intake. An alternative option to giving up sugar entirely is to replace it with sugar substitutes.

Sugar is effectively empty calories. It causes an immediate blood sugar spike and high intake is associated with insulin resistance. At present, two out of three adults in the US are considered to be overweight or obese Being overweight or obese can make it more difficult for your body to use insulin and control blood sugar levels.

This can lead to blood sugar spikes and a corresponding higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Weight loss , on the other hand, has been shown to improve blood sugar control. In one study, 35 obese people lost an average of Being overweight makes it difficult for your body to control blood sugar levels.

Even losing a little weight can improve your blood sugar control. Exercise helps control blood sugar spikes by increasing the sensitivity of your cells to the hormone insulin. Exercise also causes muscle cells to absorb sugar from the blood, helping to lower blood sugar levels Both high-intensity and moderate-intensity exercise have been found to reduce blood sugar spikes.

One study found similar improvements in blood sugar control in 27 adults who carried out either medium- or high-intensity exercise One study found exercise performed before breakfast controlled blood sugar more effectively than exercise done after breakfast Increasing exercise also has the added benefit of helping with weight loss, a double whammy to combat blood sugar spikes.

It dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance that helps slow the absorption of carbs in the gut. This results in a steady rise and fall in blood sugar, rather than a spike 24 , Fiber can also make you feel full, reducing your appetite and food intake Fiber can slow the absorption of carbs and the release of sugar into the blood.

It can also reduce appetite and food intake. When you are dehydrated, your body produces a hormone called vasopressin. This encourages your kidneys to retain fluid and stop the body from flushing out excess sugar in your urine.

It also prompts your liver to release more sugar into the blood 27 , 28 , A long-term study on 4, people in Sweden found that, over How much water you should drink is often up for discussion.

Essentially, it depends on the individual. Stick to water rather than sugary juice or sodas, since the sugar content will lead to blood sugar spikes. Dehydration negatively affects blood sugar control. Over time, it can lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Vinegar, particularly apple cider vinegar , has been found to have many health benefits.

It has been linked to weight loss, cholesterol reduction, antibacterial properties and blood sugar control 31 , 32 , Several studies show that consuming vinegar can increase insulin response and reduce blood sugar spikes 31 , 34 , 35 , 36 , One study found vinegar significantly reduced blood sugar in participants who had just consumed a meal containing 50 grams of carbs.

The study also found that the stronger the vinegar, the lower the blood sugar Another study looked into the effect of vinegar on blood sugar after participants consumed carbs.

The addition of vinegar can also lower the glycemic index of a food, which can help reduce blood sugar spikes. A study in Japan found that adding pickled foods to rice decreased the glycemic index of the meal significantly Vinegar has been shown to increase insulin response and help control blood sugar when taken with carbs.

It is thought to enhance the action of insulin. This could help control blood sugar spikes by encouraging the cells to absorb sugar from the blood. In one small study, 13 healthy men were given 75 grams of white bread with or without chromium added. Recommended dietary intakes for chromium can be found here.

Rich food sources include broccoli, egg yolks, shellfish, tomatoes and Brazil nuts. Magnesium is another mineral that has been linked to blood sugar control. In one study of 48 people, half were given a mg magnesium supplement along with lifestyle advice, while the other half were just given lifestyle advice.

Insulin sensitivity increased in the group given magnesium supplements Another study investigated the combined effects of supplementing with chromium and magnesium on blood sugar. They found that a combination of the two increased insulin sensitivity more than either supplement alone Recommended dietary intakes for magnesium can be found here.

Rich food sources include spinach, almonds, avocados, cashews and peanuts. Chromium and magnesium may help increase insulin sensitivity. Evidence shows they may be more effective together.

Cinnamon and fenugreek have been used in alternative medicine for thousands of years. They have both been linked to blood sugar control.

The scientific evidence for the use of cinnamon in blood sugar control is mixed. In healthy people, cinnamon has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar spikes following a carb-based meal 43 , 44 , 45 , It found that eating 6 grams of cinnamon with grams of rice pudding significantly reduced blood sugar spikes, compared to eating the pudding alone One review looked at 10 high-quality studies in a total of people with diabetes.

The review found no significant difference in blood sugar spikes after participants had taken cinnamon The European Food Safety Authority EFSA has set the tolerable daily intake of coumarin at 0. This is around half a teaspoon 1 gram of Cassia cinnamon for a pound kg person One of the properties of fenugreek is that the seeds are high in soluble fiber.

An analysis of 10 studies found that fenugreek significantly reduced blood sugar two hours after eating Fenugreek may help reduce blood sugar spikes. It can be added to food, but it does have quite a strong taste, so some people prefer to take it as a supplement.

Both cinnamon and fenugreek are relatively safe. They may have beneficial effects on your blood sugar if you take them with a meal that contains carbs. Berberine is a chemical that can be extracted from several different plants It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years.

Some of its uses include cholesterol reduction, weight loss and blood sugar control 52 , Berberine reduces the amount of sugar produced by the liver and increases insulin sensitivity. It has even been found to be as effective as some drugs used for type 2 diabetes 54 , 55 , 56 , One study looked at people with type 2 diabetes who either received berberine or a placebo for three months.

However, another study found berberine caused side effects in some people, such as diarrhea, constipation and gas Although berberine appears to be fairly safe, speak to your doctor before taking it if you have any medical conditions or are taking any medication.

If you really want to reduce your blood sugar spikes, you should also consider these lifestyle factors that can affect blood sugar. Stress can negatively affect your health in a number of ways, causing headaches, increased blood pressure and anxiety. It has also been shown to affect blood sugar.

As stress levels go up, your body releases certain hormones. The effect is to release stored energy in the form of sugar into your bloodstream for the fight-or-flight response One study of Italian workers found an increase in work-related stress was directly linked to an increase in blood sugar levels Actively addressing stress has also been found to benefit your blood sugar.

In a study of nursing students, yoga exercises were found to reduce stress and blood sugar spikes following a meal For most people, there's no single healthy way to eat, though there are healthy foods and eating patterns.

Yet for people with prediabetes, a low-carb diet could quickly bring elevated A1C levels back to a healthier range, a trial published in JAMA Network Open suggests.

But while this research revealed several benefits of low-carb eating to blood sugar control, Dr. Giulio Romeo, associate medical director of the Adult Diabetes Section at Harvard-affiliated Joslin Diabetes Center, wonders whether its rigorous approach is realistic in everyday life.

Prediabetes affects an estimated 96 million American adults. This condition is characterized by higher-than-normal-range blood sugar levels, and puts people at higher risk for developing full-blown diabetes.

This randomized clinical trial — considered the gold standard in scientific research — enrolled older adults with untreated prediabetes or less severe diabetes. Over the course of six months, half were randomly assigned to a low-carb diet and frequent dietary counseling, while the other half continued eating their usual diet.

During the first three months, low-carb participants needed to keep carbohydrate levels below 40 grams a day — that's roughly the amount of carbs in an English muffin and an apple.

During months four through six, their carb limit was below 60 grams a day. The researchers recommended that participants veer toward proteins and healthy fats by eating non-starchy vegetables, fish, poultry, lean meat, eggs, olive oil, avocados , nuts and seeds, Greek yogurt, low-carb milk, and small amounts of cheese.

They were advised to limit or avoid other dairy, fruits, legumes, beans, and grains. The low-carb participants were provided various foods throughout the study, including olive oil, green beans, tomatoes, tuna, non-sugar sweetener, nuts, and low-carb bars and shakes.

All participants underwent blood testing three and six months into the trial.