Endocrinologist names 5 best food substitutions to reduce diabetes risk

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Diabetes is highly dependent on diet — what you eat can affect your blood sugar levels. People who regularly drink up to two sugary drinks a day have a 26% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who rarely drink such drinks.

Water is best, with or without sugar. Another way to minimize your risk of high blood sugar is to replace refined grains with whole grains. They have very little removed during processing and contain all three parts of the grain, so they contain a wide range of nutrients.

Whole grains contain the bran, which is the tough outer shell that contains fiber, folate, magnesium, iron, and zinc.

Whole grains also contain endosperm, which consists of carbohydrates and proteins. The nutrient-rich germ contains unsaturated fats, B vitamins, vitamin E, selenium, and phytonutrients.

Whole grains:

• Oats
• Barley
• Brown rice
• Wild rice
• Corn
• Amaranth
• Durum wheat
• Spelt
• Buckwheat

Refined grains

On the other hand, refined grains have had their bran and germ removed during processing, meaning they are less nutritious.

“Refined grain products include white bread, white pasta, white rice, and most packaged cakes, cookies, and pastries.”

Also suggests swapping sweetened flavored yogurts with plain yogurt to minimize the risk of diabetes. Another tip is to replace “sweetened cereals with plain oatmeal or plain unsweetened granola.

The last tip is to eat less takeout and cook more at home.