For those who have a blood sugar level after fasting for 8 hours between 100-125 milligrams / deciliter or a random blood sugar level (not fasting) between 140-199 milligrams / deciliter, they are considered at risk of diabetes. In treating diabetes, in addition to diet control and exercise, the use of modern medicine is also important. But did you know that there are some vegetables that research supports as helping to control blood sugar levels?
4 Vegetables That Help Control Blood Sugar
1. Morning glory is a vine that people like to use in cooking, boiling, steaming, and dipping in chili paste. Information from the Nutrition Division, Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, states the nutritional value of 100 grams of morning glory leaves and young morning glory shoots as providing 39 kilocalories of energy, 90.7 grams of water, 3.3 grams of protein, 0.4 grams of fat, 5.5 grams of carbohydrates, 1.0 grams of dietary fiber, 126 milligrams of calcium, 30 milligrams of phosphorus, 4.6 milligrams of iron, 5,190 micrograms of beta-carotene, 865 micrograms of vitamin A, 0.17 milligrams of thiamine, 0.13 milligrams of riboflavin, 1.2 milligrams of niacin, and 34 milligrams of vitamin C.
From the local properties of both Thailand and abroad that use ivy gourd to treat diabetes. There are studies of pharmacological effects that support the properties of ivy gourd in treating diabetes. The studies were conducted in both normal experimental animals and those induced to have diabetes. Almost all parts of ivy gourd were used in the study, including leaves, fruits, vines, above-ground parts, and roots.
It was found that ivy gourd has an effect on reducing blood sugar as well as or better than modern medicine. Extracts of ivy gourd stems have the effect of stimulating glucose into cells. Increasing insulin levels, resulting in increased glycogen synthesis, and reducing the conversion of glycogen to glucose, resulting in lower blood sugar levels. In addition, extracts from leaves and above-ground parts also have an effect on reducing fat.
2. Bitter melon is a herb that has been used for thousands of years in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Ayurveda uses the fruit to treat diabetes, liver disease, and to relieve gout and arthritis. Thai herbal medicine uses the leaves in a green medicine recipe to reduce fever, and the roots in a recipe to treat blood poisoning and liver disease.
Research on bitter melon has been ongoing since 1962. When Lotlika and Rao discovered charantin in bitter melon fruit, which showed antihyperglycemic activity in experimental animals. In 1965, Sucrow proved the chemical structure of charantin. Which was a mixture of sitosteryl- and 5,25-stigmastadien-3-beta-ol-D-glucosides in a ratio of 1:1. In 1977, Baldwa et al. isolated an insulin-like substance from bitter melon fruit, which showed antihyperglycemic activity.
*In 1981, Khana et al. proved the structure of the insulin-like substance. Which was a polypeptide with a molecular weight of 11,000 Daltons and 166 amino acid residues, and called it polypeptide P, a bitter substance in the cucurbitacin group. Which is a chemotaxonomic character of plants in the Cucurbitaceae family. Cucurbitacins in bitter melon are momordicosides, momordicins, karaviloside K1 and charantoside. These bitter compounds have been reported to have hypoglycemic activity.
Bitter melon contains many substances that are anti-diabetic and has several mechanisms of action to fight diabetes. Including enhancing insulin secretion from the pancreas, reducing sugar production from the liver, enhancing sugar metabolism, increasing insulin sensitivity, and increasing glucose tolerance. It also inhibits glucose secretion in the small intestine and inhibits the enzyme glucosidase.
Bitter melon juice has shown anti-diabetic activity in rabbits and white mice.
A clinical study in non-insulin dependent diabetic patients (8 people) found. That patients had better glucose tolerance, reduced blood sugar levels while full, and reduced urination frequency. Therefore, it is recommended that diabetic patients consume bitter melon as food or in juice form as a dietary supplement to help maintain normal blood pressure levels. And delay the adverse effects of long-standing diabetes. Bitter melon (green) is nutritious because it contains vitamin A (2,924 IU), niacin (190 mg/100 g), and has antioxidant properties.
3. Cha-Plu There are many studies in Thailand and abroad about “Cha-Plu” or “Cha-Plu” that talk about its effect on reducing blood sugar. Research has found that Cha-Plu juice can reduce blood sugar in diabetic rabbits. But it cannot reduce blood sugar in normal rabbits.
However, if eaten as a vegetable or food, it is safe. However, if eaten as medicine to reduce blood sugar, it is recommended to observe blood sugar symptoms, such as dizziness, palpitations, sweaty hands, or feeling faint. Because this indicates that your blood sugar is too low. Therefore, you should not eat Cha-Plu.
However, there are some contraindications for those with kidney disease because Cha-Plu leaves contain calcium oxalate. Eating a large amount of it will accumulate in the kidneys and make them work harder.
4. Chiang Da vegetable or Jin Da vegetable is a local vegetable found in the northern part of Thailand. It is a plant in the APOCYNACEAE family. It is a climbing vine. When young, the stem is dark green. The leaves are single, growing opposite each other. The leaves are broadly lanceolate, with a pointed tip. The base of the leaf is narrowly curved, rounded or slightly concave. The edges of the leaves are smooth and the surface is smooth and shiny.
The flowers grow in clusters from the leaf axils. The small flowers have green sepals. The petals are white, light yellow or orange-yellow. The stamens are tightly clustered. The fruit is green when young and dark brown when ripe. It has 2-3 seeds (1). The young leaves and young shoots of Chiang Da vegetable can be used as food, both as a boiled vegetable with chili paste, stir-fried with eggs or added to curry.
Many of you may have heard the ทางเข้า ufabet news that Japan is very interested in Thai chives. They have registered a patent for products to lower blood sugar and fat from chives, both in the form of beverages and dietary supplements. Because in addition to the word gymnema having its roots in the word “gurmar” in Hindi. Which means sugar killer, chives contain an important substance in the triterpene saponin group called gymnemic acid (2). Which has the effect of inhibiting sugar transport (3-7) and slowing down sugar absorption in the small intestine (8-11).
In addition, gymnemic acid stimulates the creation and repair of beta cells in the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, stimulating the secretion of more insulin. Resulting in lower blood sugar (12-16).
*In animal studies, the saponin fraction, derived from a 75% ethanol extract of Moringa oleifera leaves (17), and triterpenoids from Moringa oleifera (18). Inhibited potassium-induced contractions of the guinea pig ileum, which was mediated by inhibition of glucose uptake into the cells.
In an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), rats given this compound together with a glucose solution at a concentration of 1 g/kg body weight significantly reduced blood sugar levels at 15 and 30 min after the test, respectively (17).
A clinical study in normal volunteers found that drinking chives tea (1.5 g dried chives leaves in 150 ml of hot water) immediately or 15 minutes after a blood sugar test significantly reduced blood sugar levels. The antidiabetic effect was directly proportional to the dose taken (19).
In addition, consuming one cup of chives tea daily immediately. After a meal for 28 days was able to control peak plasma glucose concentration better than the group that did not consume it (19).
However, a study in type 2 diabetic patients by giving them tea prepared from 1.2 g dried chives leaves in 150 ml of hot water three times a day 15 minutes. After a meal for 8 weeks in conjunction with taking prescribed medication did not find any antidiabetic effect of chives tea (20).
It can be seen that there are not many studies on the blood sugar-lowering effect of chives. Especially in diabetic patients. However, chives have a good potential to be used as another alternative for those who want to control their initial blood sugar levels. Moreover, chives are a local vegetable that has been eaten as food for a long time and there have been no reports of toxicity from eating them. However, diabetic patients who take modern medicine and want to eat chives should use them with caution. Because they may enhance the effect of the medicine, causing blood sugar levels to be too low.