If you want to control your blood sugar levels the natural, healthy, and delicious way, you can start on a Mediterranean diet. It’s a popular diet perfect for diabetics. The ingredients are fresh and tasty, and they are also very rich in fiber.

Below are the top three reasons why the Mediterranean diet is perfect for you.

#1 – Promotes Digestive Health

The Mediterranean diet is plant-based, composed of mostly vegetables. These veggies are rich in fiber, which is very important for your digestive health. They add bulk to your stool, helping them move faster through your intestinal tracts and promoting healthy elimination of waste products.

#2 – Anti-Diabetic Effects

Some of the top veggies used in the Mediterranean diet have anti-diabetic effects. These include tomatoes, olives, lettuce, onions, as well as peppers, and they all help normalize blood sugar levels.

Fruits (apricot, cherries, avocados, grapes, strawberries, and pear), nuts (hazelnuts, pine nuts, and pistachios), and legumes (beans and peas) are also found in the Mediterranean diet. These foods contain substances that have anti-diabetic properties.

As for meat, the Mediterranean diet usually includes fatty fish like salmon, halibut, as well as sardines. These types of fish contain healthy fish oil that is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids or MUFA that can help lower the levels of your fasting plasma glucose.

Olive oil (especially extra virgin olive oil) and balsamic vinegar also have anti-diabetic effects, are rich in antioxidants, and help decrease post-meal blood sugar levels.

#3 – Lowers Diabetes Risk

People who are on the Mediterranean diet have lower risks of developing Type 2 diabetes. It helps reduce insulin resistance, increase insulin sensitivity, control blood sugar levels, and help prevent complications associated with diabetes like heart disease.

It has also been found that Mediterranean diet can help lower HbA1c levels in people already diagnosed with diabetes.

So if you want to treat your diabetes the natural and healthy way, going on a Mediterranean diet is a good place to start.