Add Blueberries to Cereal for Extra Blood Sugar Benefits

Adding one special ingredient to a morning bowl of cereal just might help you sidestep high blood sugar problems. We're talking about blueberries.

Research suggests that a regular dose of phenolic compounds found in the dark blue fruit may help enhance insulin sensitivity -- the body's ability to draw sugar from the blood and put it to use as energy.

Blue Benefits

In a study of obese people who had exhibited insulin resistance but not full-blown diabetes, researchers tested the blueberry theory. They had participants drink a daily smoothie that contained dried blueberry extract. After 6 weeks, the study group demonstrated significantly improved insulin sensitivity compared with a placebo group -- even though neither group lost any weight in the study. And neither group changed their exercise levels or diets, either, helping researchers conclude that it was something in the berries that produced the benefit.

Broccoli, Vinegar, Cinnamon, Coffee, Lentils, Eggplant are other foods that may help take the bite out of high blood sugar.

Blue Synergy

The recent blueberry study is especially good news if you are overweight or obese or have other health-related factors that can boost your risk of insulin resistance, high blood sugar, and type 2 diabetes. Blueberries alone won't prevent or lower high blood sugar. You have to adopt other healthful lifestyle habits to do that. But the abundant antioxidant compounds in blueberries may work synergistically to enhance insulin activity and help reduce the risk of diabetes, too. More research using whole blueberries is needed to see if they elicit the same enhanced-insulin response as dried extract, but early animal research with whole berries looks promising.
Get more blue beauties in your on-the-go morning meal by using blueberries in this recipe.

Thermos-Ready Smoothie

1 serving
Active Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup frozen mixed berries
1/2 banana
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup silken tofu

Preparation

Combine berries, banana, apple juice and tofu in a blender; blend until smooth.

Nutrition

Per serving: 288 calories; 3 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 62 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 6 g protein; 7 g fiber; 33 mg sodium; 539 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Protein, fiber, potassium, calcium, vitamin C, antioxidants.
3 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 4 fruit, 1/2 medium-fat meat

WHAT’S FOR DINNER TONIGHT

Sichuan-Style Chicken with Peanuts

· Prep Time:

0 mins

· Total Time:

25 mins

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

Directions

1. Combine chicken, rice wine (or sherry), soy sauce, cornstarch and garlic in a medium bowl; mix thoroughly.

2. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or large skillet over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact.

Swirl oil into the pan, add ginger and stir-fry for 10 seconds.

Carefully add the chicken mixture, spreading it out.

Cook until the chicken begins to brown, about 1 minute.

Using a spatula, stir-fry for 30 seconds.

Spread the chicken out again and cook for 30 seconds.

Continue stir-frying until the chicken is lightly browned on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add sugar snap peas and stir-fry for 1 minute.

Stir the Sichuan Sauce, swirl it into the pan and stir-fry until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened and glossy, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Transfer to a platter (discard the ginger) and sprinkle with peanuts and scallions. Serve immediately.

Note: Shao Hsing (or Shaoxing) is a seasoned rice wine. It is available in most Asian specialty markets and some larger supermarkets in the Asian section. If unavailable, dry sherry is an acceptable substitute.

about this recipe

When stir-frying chicken, always spread the pieces in the wok and let them cook undisturbed for 1 minute before stir-frying. This allows the chicken to sear and prevents sticking. To smash the ginger, use the side of a cleaver or chef's knife.