Eating a healthy diet and exercising can keep blood sugar in check, and monitoring your beverage intake can make a difference too. While there is no magic drink that will lower your blood sugar, certain ones can help stabilize blood sugar and prevent spikes. Research published in Nutrients found that while habitual water drinking after waking up and before bedtime did not flush out blood sugar, it did help protect kidney function1. This means that those with high blood sugar levels should increase their water intake to help offset any negative effects. Aim for eight to 10 cups a day, plus 8 ounces for every 30 minutes of exercise. Coffee is one of these polyphenol-rich beverages. A review published in Diabetes Care found that coffee consumption (both caffeinated and decaffeinated) was inversely related to one’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes2. If you’re concerned about blood sugar, keep your coffee black. Anything you put in your coffee to sweeten it up, such as flavored syrups, sugar, and milks, won’t have the same stabilizing effects as black coffee. RELATED: 7 Metabolism Booster Supplements To Promote Balanced Blood Sugar Levels “The compounds in green tea may also decrease inflammation and stress hormones in the body, which may help fight against insulin resistance,” adds Palinski-Wade. Crouch adds that unsweetened iced teas of any kind can also help you stay hydrated without risking a blood sugar spike. “Adding more fiber-rich foods to your diet can help to stabilize blood sugar levels while curbing appetite to promote weight management,” she says. Drink a half cup straight up, or use prune juice to naturally sweeten smoothies, soups, and sauces. So, when picking a beverage to drink, look at the label to help spot any blood sugar sabotagers. “Drinks high in added sugar with little nutritional value are going to be the worst drinks for blood sugar,” says Palinski-Wade. This includes sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda, which will rapidly spike insulin and blood sugar levels. Energy drinks are also a poor choice because both excessive caffeine intake and added sugar can contribute to a blood sugar spike. (If you need something with some fizz, try seltzer water with a squeeze of fresh lemon instead.) “When blood sugars are poorly regulated after eating a carbohydrate-heavy meal, snack, or sugary beverage, a person may be hit with post-meal fatigue, mood swings, or even more cravings,” says Crouch. “When this happens, it’s because the insulin response overshoots the mark, bringing sugars down a little too far and resulting in intense cravings for sweets to raise blood sugars back up. This becomes a vicious cycle that can lead to lower insulin sensitivity.” RELATED: 9 Best Probiotic Supplements Of 2022, According To A Ph.D. Crouch says that a healthy blood sugar is one that is no higher than 140 mg/dl after meals and drops down to <100 mg/dl approximately two to three hours after eating. You won’t know these numbers if you’re not getting lab or using a glucose monitor, but prolonged high blood sugar has some set symptoms. Blurry vision, excessive thirst, waking up to pee frequently at night, unintended weight loss, moodiness, and brain fog may all be signs that your blood sugar levels are off-kilter.
