Eating fruits and berries is a healthy way to help calm your sweet tooth. This is especially true for diabetics or anyone who needs to have control over his blood sugar. Blackberries can also help reduce your blood sugar. These delicious berries contain manganese and fiber, two dietary nutrients that play a part in sugar regulation.
Manganese
Manganese is an essential mineral that plays an active role in the metabolism of macronutrients. Manganese also contributes to the stabilization of blood sugar by contributing to gluconeogenesis. This is the production of glucose from substances other than carbohydrates. This is important when your blood glucose becomes too low. Gluconeogenesis helps to keep your blood sugar in a healthy range. A manganese deficiency may result in impaired glucose tolerance. This means that your cells are not able to take in glucose, resulting in elevated blood sugar levels.
Recommendations
One cup of blackberries contains 0.930mg of manganese, which is a significant amount of your daily needs. An adult male needs 2.3mg of manganese each day. An adult female should take in 1.8mg of manganese every day.
Fiber
Intake of dietary fiber is important for the regulation of blood sugar. Fiber can help reduce blood sugar in two ways. First, the presence of fiber inside your digestive system slows down the rate of absorption of food. This means that instead of a rapid spike in blood glucose, you experience a slower attenuated rise. In addition, fiber is filling. When you eat filling foods you are less likely to overeat, thus experiencing a reduction in blood glucose.
Recommendations
Berries are a significant source of soluble fiber, the kind of fiber the dissolves in water. One cup of blackberries contains a whopping 7.6g of fiber per cup. Men ages 50 and under should get 38g of fiber each day. Males over 50 need 30g per day. Women 50 and under should take in 25g per day while those over 50 need 21g per day. Eating blackberries is an easy way to increase your daily intake of fiber.
