Diabetes and high blood pressure usually go together. They may have different symptoms but one is usually caused by the other and vice versa. While drinking juice is known to be harmful to those with diabetes, it can help those with high blood pressure too.
While others denounce juicing altogether for those with hypertension and diabetes, I strongly disagree with them. Juicing can be very effective in controlling the condition.
If you’re one of those who have these 2 conditions, then let me tell you first-hand that juicing is very effective in relieving the symptoms.
There’s a way to make ends meet and make juicing for diabetics and high blood pressure beneficial. The secret is with the type of ingredients used.
As you continue to read this article, you’ll learn to distinguish between the myth and facts of juicing. You’ll also find out about the best ingredients you can use, as well as 2 great recipes that you can easily make.
Juicing for Diabetics and High Blood Pressure
There are 2 practical reasons why juicing is a staple practice for most health-conscious individuals. It’s effective and it’s so easy to make.
Creating your juice is still the best and safest way to reaping its benefits.
You can never be sure about the ingredients of ready-made juices. Most of them taste so good because of the invisible additives like sugar.
If you have your juicer at home, you can just get your fresh ingredients from your nearest grocery (preferably organic), wash and cut them, then pop them on your juicer. It’s that simple and fun. Most of all, you’ll be able to pick which particular fruit or veggie you’ll be using.
This is especially true if you have conditions such as diabetes or hypertension.
The secret behind why juicing is very effective is that it’s easily absorbed by the body. Besides, it’s a lot better to drink a veggie juice than munching on them all raw.
If you can regularly eat that many veggies in one sitting then you’re one of the rare breeds. However, the nutrients your body absorb will still be a lot less than with a juice.
Juicing can help effectively lower your cholesterol levels, boost your immune system, and even help you lose weight. You don’t need to have a medical condition to drink a healthy juice, but if you do have one, picking the right ingredients can help in curing it.
Fruit juices can elevate blood sugar levels dramatically, which may lead to life-threatening situations for those with diabetes. Vegetable juices, on the other hand, are great for both conditions.
Here are are some ingredients that would benefit both conditions:
- Berries
- Kale
- Spinach
- Apple
- Beets
Juicing for Diabetics
An unhealthy diet is one of the major causes of diabetes. Even if yours is hereditary, the nutrients you get from juicing can accomplish the same thing. That is to regulate your blood sugar levels.
A lot of dietician and health experts would discourage you from juicing if you have diabetes. Their primary reason is that juices have high sugar content. However, this is only true if you’re going to drink fruit juices.
A vegetable juice won’t spike your glucose levels at all.
Barring fruits with high sugar content, here are some of the best ingredients you can use for your juice.
- Manganese helps to reduce insulin resistance. This nutrient is commonly found in vegetables such as broccoli and spinach. Manganese helps your body indirectly deal with blood sugar level fluctuations by allowing your natural insulin to do its work. After all, our body knows best.
- Cinnamon is another herb that’s very beneficial to those with diabetics. Aside from adding a great flavor to your green juice, it’s good in stabilizing your glucose levels if used consistently.
- Blueberries are called as diabetes superfood by the American Diabetes Association according to Healthline. The glycemic index of this type of berry is only 53 which is low. It might not directly influence your blood sugar levels, but it is so rich in antioxidants that it can help to improve your insulin activities.
- Bitter Melon is a vegetable that nature seemed to have created for those with diabetes. It’s what you need to add to your juice if you want it to be very potent. It has lectin, charantin, vicine, and polypeptide-p, which can dramatically lower blood sugar levels.
True to its name though, bitter melon is bitter. The bitterness produced by the combination of compounds is the secret to its effectiveness. Most veggies and herbs that have a bitter taste seem to work well in regulating blood sugar levels.
A word of warning. Bitter melon is very potent that it might lower your blood sugar too quickly. Be sure to discuss this with your health professional before adding it to your juice.
While fruits are considered to be healthy, with all the vitamins and minerals they provide, most of them have high sugar content. When you’re drinking a fruit juice, both nutrients and sugar enter your system very quickly.
Juicing for High Blood Pressure
There are many causes of high blood pressure, but like diabetes, poor diet and lifestyle are usually the culprits.
Whether your hypertension is caused by stress, too much sodium, or as a result of diabetes, juicing can greatly help to improve your condition.
When you include juicing with other lifestyle changes such as regular exercises, a normal sleep schedule, and a healthy diet, you’re sure to see amazing results. You’ll witness how your systolic and diastolic readings start to get lower in less than a month.
If you don’t have diabetes, there’s no immediate risk when you add fruits to your ingredients.
- Bananas are high in potassium. Foods rich in potassium are known to be effective in balancing sodium in your body. It also helps in relieving pressure on your blood vessels. Leafy greens such as kale and spinach are also rich in potassium.
- Nitrate-rich veggies such as beets can help relax and dilate the blood vessels. As a result, it increases the blood flow in your body and improves circulation.
- Berries are an overall great superfood for everybody but are especially helpful for those with hypertension. They may be very small but each of them is very abundant in vitamins and minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants.
- Flavonoid compounds are abundant in blueberries. This compound helps prevent hypertension and can reduce high blood pressure according to recent studies.
- Apple is another great fruit that can help relieve hypertension. They’re not exaggerating when they said that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Apple is rich in nutrients that even Snow White remained healthy in her slumber.
Apple is one of the top 11 foods you should try if you need to lower blood pressure according to Harvard Health. They can lower your LDL or “bad cholesterol” because it is rich in pectin, a type of soluble fiber.
Here’s another myth buster. Juicing only removes insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber remains intact, so adding apple as an ingredient to your juice remains just as effective.
Juice Recipes for Diabetes & Hypertension
Beet the Pressure Juice
Courtesy of HealthAmbition
Ingredients:
- 3 medium beets
- 2 green apples
- 3 carrots
- 2 stalks celery
Beets are rich in phytochemicals which proves to be effective in controlling blood sugar, and because it is abundant in nitrate, it also helps relax and dilate the blood vessels. Apples work well with both conditions and celery can lower blood sugar levels as well as reduce hypertension.
Carrots are optional. We all have different body composition so it’s best to talk to your doctor if this is safe for you to add to your juice.
A Veggie Juice With a Twist
Courtesy of The Alternative Daily
2 stalks organic celery- 1 medium organic red pepper
- ½ bunch organic cilantro
- 1 organic carrot
- ½ organic cucumber
- ½ organic fennel bulb
- 1 cup of organic spinach
- 1 lime (squeeze after juicing)
Red bell peppers are low in calorie but abundant on nutrients that improve blood circulation. They also have soluble fibers that help lower cholesterol levels. Cilantro reduces blood clotting and is equally effective in lowering blood sugar levels.
You can also add a clove of garlic with juice. As with the recipe earlier, you can omit carrot to keep the sugar levels low.
Wrapping It Up
Juicing for diabetics and high blood pressure is a recommended lifestyle change provided you use the right ingredients. It works well with your healthy diet and can give your body the nutritional boosts you need. Stay clear from fruit juices and stick with vegetable-based juices. As always, you need to consult with your doctor first and have him or her help you with how to include this in your diet.