If you’re diabetic or pre-diabetic, you’re probably concerned about how to reduce blood sugar levels to reduce the risk of future complications as well as improve your overall health. While the most effective way to reduce blood sugar levels is to limit the number of simple carbohydrates you take in at each meal, the addition of certain foods to your diet can also help to lower blood sugar naturally. Recent studies have shown that adding two ingredients to your diet may help to normalize elevations in blood sugar that occurs after meals.

Cinnamon

Who would have thought this tasty spice that gives desserts such sweet appeal could also reduce blood sugar levels? According to studies, the addition of half a teaspoon of cinnamon to your coffee each morning can help to lower blood sugar naturally. The reason? Cinnamon contains a polyphenol called MHCP which has insulin-like effects, including the ability to lower blood sugar levels. Just be sure to get your cinnamon from lower carbohydrate sources, not from sugary, high calorie cinnamon buns.

Vinegar

A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that the addition of vinegar to a meal containing white bread reduced blood sugar levels and lessened the post-meal insulin spike. It appears that vinegar has the ability to offset some of the blood sugar rise that’s associated with simple carbohydrates such as potatoes, white rice, and white bread. How much do you need to get this benefit? Two tablespoons of vinegar with each high starch meal appears to be effective. It’s also been shown that when apple cider vinegar is given to Type 2 diabetics at bedtime, their blood sugars upon awakening are lower.

How can you use this information to naturally reduce your own blood sugar levels?

Try shaking cinnamon onto your cereal in the morning or stir a small amount into a hot drink in the morning. Sprinkle it on sweet potatoes and other root vegetables for a unique taste. When you eat a salad, use a mixture of apple cider vinegar and olive oil as your dressing instead of more unhealthy bottled ones. Add vinegar to greens and cabbage to give them extra flavor and tanginess. If the taste is too tangy, add a little calorie free sweetener to make it more appealing. Vinegar also has other positive health benefits. There’s evidence that apple cider vinegar promotes weight loss and increases satiety so you may consume fewer overall calories.

Why not use the power of these two foods to reduce your own blood sugar levels?