The Holiday Treat That Lowers Blood Sugar

I’ll admit it… one of my favorite things about Thanksgiving is homemade pumpkin pie.

It’s a guilty pleasure this time of year.

So, my advice is to go ahead and indulge. But limit it to a slice, and then do your blood sugar a favor by loading up on plain old pumpkin instead.

Here’s why…

Even though pumpkins are associated with sugary treats like pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice lattes, and pumpkin bread, plain pumpkin contains nutrients that help your body manage blood sugar.

For starters, pumpkins are loaded with fiber. This means they’ll help keep you fuller, longer, while also helping manage blood sugar levels.

They also contain trigonelline and nicotinic acid, two potent nutrients which help lower blood sugar.

One mouse study found that pumpkin compounds improve insulin resistance by naturally increasing insulin production.

Another revealed that eating pumpkin combined with puerarin (from another plant) can help improve blood sugar management and insulin sensitivity.

But there are plenty of other reasons to love pumpkins…

• They contain potassium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure.
• They’re loaded with beta carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A— essential for eye, skin, and immune system health.
• They’re loaded with carotenoids like beta carotene that are linked to a reduced risk of cancers, including pancreatic, stomach, and breast cancer.
• And pumpkin seeds are exceptionally high in zinc and vitamin E, which helps boost your immune system.

Of course, the BEST way to reap the rewards of eating pumpkins isn’t through sugary treats.

Instead, enjoy pumpkin’s health benefits AND rich flavor by eating it plain or roasted. Or mix some pumpkin puree into soups, sauces, overnight oats, or chia pudding for a blood-sugar-friendly treat.

Sprinkle in some cinnamon, and you’ll get all the flavor and health benefits of pumpkin pie—without the added sugar.

P.S. Top four DRUG-FREE blood sugar regulators.

SOURCE:

Yoshinari O, Sato H, Igarashi K. Anti-diabetic effects of pumpkin and its components, trigonelline and nicotinic acid, on Goto-Kakizaki rats. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2009 May;73(5):1033-41. doi: 10.1271/bbb.80805. Epub 2009 May 7. PMID: 19420712