A Tart Solution

A little vinegar can add flavor and may curb the rise in blood sugar. In some trials, about 2 teaspoons of vinegar taken with a meal containing starch reduced the blood sugar response over the next two hours by about 20%! The acidity of vinegar slows the passage of food through the stomach and suppresses the enzymes that break down carbohydrates.  

Apple cider vinegar is the most studied, although plain and wine vinegars have also shown benefits. Dishes that may lend themselves to adding vinegar include pasta, stews, and rice bowls.

Same Plate, Different Order

Saving the carbs for the last part of a meal can go a long way toward lowering post-meal sugar spikes. Protein, vegetable, then carb seems to be the best combination, and is linked to a 40% reduction in peak sugar level compared to eating the carb first. 

Tips for putting this into practice:

• If you choose to partake of the breadbasket, wait until after you’ve had your main course, or at least the salad.
• For a meal such as fish, rice, and asparagus, eat the rice last—and opt for brown rice if possible, since it has a lower glycemic load than white rice. 

Let Your Carbs Chill Out

Your refrigerator and freezer may hold a surprising secret to lower post-meal blood sugar. Cooling cooked starches can partly convert them to “resistant starch,” which slows absorption and can blunt the rise in blood sugar. And reheating your leftovers doesn’t undo the effect.

Researchers found that chilling and then reheating previously cooked pasta was linked to more than a 40% reduction in the amount of sugar released into the bloodstream.  

The same trick works on freezing and thawing bread. One study found this simple step cuts the blood sugar response by more than 25% compared with bread that had never been frozen. And toasting the thawed slice blunted the rise in blood sugar even more.

Make a Short Stroll Your Final Course

Resist the post-meal couch crash—it turns out your grandparents were right all along to take an after-dinner stroll! The science behind their wisdom? A brief walk after a meal stimulates your legs to take up glucose for energy, helping curb the rise in blood sugar.

Even a 10-minute post-meal walk makes a difference. A 30-minute walk may offer greater benefit, with research showing up to a 25% reduction in peak blood sugar compared with no walking. To get the most benefit, aim to get moving within 30 minutes of finishing your meal.

The Next Step is Yours

For better blood sugar control, nothing takes the place of healthy food choices and moderate portions. But now you have a few more tools to put to work. And whatever the effect on your blood sugar, we bet you’ll enjoy that after-dinner walk!