Normally, the foods you digest are broken down into glucose or simple sugar, which is your body's main source of energy. Sugar builds up in your blood when your body loses its ability to control the amount of sugar in the blood, mainly due to not enough insulin, a hormone produced by your pancreas. Ignoring high blood sugar can be dangerous. In the United States, it is a leading cause of premature death. High blood sugar over years can lead to life-threatening conditions, such as coronary heart disease, kidney failure, nerve damage and leg and feet amputations. The emerging scientific evidence suggests the use of herbal foods to address your blood sugar problems, but you must always consult with your doctor before taking them.
Garlic Extract
Garlic extract, a commercial garlic preparation, is the most consumed herbal foods in the United States and frequently is used to control high blood sugar, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Sulfur containing compounds derived from garlic have been studied scientifically for their antioxidant properties and their ability to lower blood sugar. A number of organosulfur compounds, especially alliin and allicin, have been found to have antioxidant activity in animal research models. The hypoglycemic action of garlic may come from the radical scavenging activity of sulfur compounds found in garlic, notes the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. However, further investigation is needed on this topic.
Fenugreek
Fenugreek, a leguminous Eurasian plant, is one of the most popular herbal foods for reducing high blood sugar. Fenugreek seeds are rich in soluble fiber content, a type of fiber that may possess a possible preventive effect against blood sugar, according to University of Maryland Medical Center. Normally, the soluble fiber increases the length of time it takes for food to be digested and thus for glucose to enter the bloodstream. The other hypoglycemic agents found in fenugreek are trigonelline, nicotinic acid, and fenugreekine.
Korean Ginseng
Although the dried root of Korean ginseng has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries in connection with a number of health benefits, only in recent years have its medicinal properties been studied scientifically. The active constituents of Korean ginseng, called ginsenosides, have been found to normalize the activities of blood glucose in laboratory animals, the Herbal Safety website reports. More research is needed before reaching any conclusive decisions about the efficacy of Korean ginseng.
