Sugar is in quite a lot of foods these days that we buy which tend to processed foods mostly. The problem with sugar is it tends to act in your body as a storage mechanism, when your liver is full of something called glycogen the excess is stored as fat.

Think of sugar as a way of saying to your body “hey lets store that as fat we don’t need it now as your not exercising”.

This is why when you’re trying to lose weight cutting down on sugar is one of the things that you need to do, as well as the amount of calories that you are eating.

Here are some techniques you can use to cut your blood sugar levels down;

1. At a University in Ohio in the United States , they did a study on various snack bars, to see what effect they would have on blood sugar each of the bars had three different levels of carbohydrates high, medium and low.

During the course of the experiment the participants blood sugar had their blood sugar measured, and compared to when they ate white bread, their blood sugar levels were 71 percent lower. The three snack bars used were, advantage bar, power bar and balance bar.

So if you want a more healthy breakfast avoid having one with high sugar content, the lower the refined carbohydrates the better. Opt for something that has more fibre content as well, fibre helps to slow down the absorption of glucose within the body. So avoid marmalade on white toasted bread for breakfast.

2. Do you like eating salads? Then this will apply to you during a study conducted in 2005. Some Swedish scientists found that if you have vinegar, with the food that you eat it could decrease blood sugar significantly. They ate white bread firstly and later tested with adding vinegar.

It affected their sugar levels by 23 percent, compared to when they ate white bread with vinegar. So the thing to do is have some salad with vinegar with it, when you have a high content carbohydrate meal.

3. Research done in Taiwan , found that by taking a certain mineral namely glucomannan, which contains soluble fibre, this is made from a root of a Japanese plant called konjac root. Participants who ate the root two hours before having some white bread toasted, had their blood sugar measured the results were as follows. They had a 20 percent reduction compared to having none of the fibre.

Another finding was participants who had the supplement before every meal three times a day had lower cholesterol levels as well, if you need more information regarding this particular supplement. You will need to search for nature’s way glucomannan.

4. Do you drink lots of coffee, or anything that contains a lot of caffeine? Research done in Canada , which looked at people that drunk coffee. Found when the participants had one or two cups of coffee before a high carbohydrate meal. Had 16 percent higher blood sugar levels, in comparison to when they had a caffeine free type.

When you have caffeine without any sugar, but with a dough nut or some sweet treat. The caffeine affects how your body burns fat.  So avoid having a high sugar content snack with your drink.

And if you have a drink with your breakfast don’t have white bread with toast and marmalade and a cup of coffee. Instead, have a piece of fruit or some high fibre cereal like porridge or oatmeal. This will work far better.

5. Researchers found that by taking a certain metal mineral, chromium picolinate. Had a profound effect on participants, whom had it with their food. When the men took a small amount of it, 400 micrograms. Before eating a high carbohydrate meal, they had a 23 percent reduction in their blood sugar levels. If you want to try this particular mineral, then you only need a 400 milligrams dosage. For it to be effective

6. Have a good workout session, in the morning researchers found that when you have a good cardio session. The blood sugar lowering effect can last for more than 12 hours after wards and it will result in a 15 percent reduction.

The reason for this being is the exercise draws upon your bodies stored glucose within your muscles, it’s used up when you work out. As levels deplete, your body keeps working on its reserves to make sure there is plenty of glucose so you can keep doing what you need to do.

If you exercise at one level and then exercise for a minute at a more intense level this will have a two fold effect, you will make your body work harder so you become fitter the next time you do a workout, and you will use more glucose up this will lower your levels even further.

So when you’re doing your workout if you’re doing a 20 minute workout every other two to three minutes. Make sure you work at a higher intensity for one minute this will double the impact of your routine.

7. When researchers conducted a study around a natural supplement, they had some good test results come back. When participants ate Phaseolus vulgaris which originates from kidney beans, and had some before a high sugar meal.

Two hours later when their blood sugar was checked they had a 57 percent reduction. In comparison to when they had a placebo supplement, this supplement slows down the rate at which the carbohydrates are absorbed within your body thus dampening the effect of glucose uptake.

8. Eat avocados this fruit has a lot of fats that alter your insulin resistance, and will lower your blood sugar. Not only that avocados also helps to lower your cholesterol levels as well namely LDL cholesterol. So you double the bang for your buck

Source and references

http://www.menshealth.com/