Must Have Nutrients to Balance Blood Sugar!

Do you know which vitamins and minerals you need to prevent diabetes? 
In today's episode, Aimee reveals how vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats play essential roles in maintaining optimal glucose metabolism. What you'll learn goes beyond carbohydrate management into the 'nuts and bolts' of glucose metabolism in an easily digestible way, empowering listeners to gain greater understanding of which foods will help them the most.

Aimee delves deeply into how various B vitamins and minerals we are commonly deficient in influence insulin function, glucose control and cellular communication so you can better balance blood sugar. Beyond just the nutrients needed, you'll know which foods provide these nutrients so you can take the knowledge you gain and immediately apply it to your next meal! 

Takeaways:

• Achieving balanced blood sugar involves managing more than just carbohydrates; essential vitamins and minerals play crucial roles.
• B vitamins are foundational to glucose metabolism, helping in energy production and gene expression.
• Essential minerals like magnesium, chromium, and zinc influence insulin sensitivity and blood sugar regulation.
• Antioxidant activity from vitamins C and E, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids support inflammation control and cellular health.
• Including diverse foods like nuts, seeds, cold-water fish, beans, and citrus fruits helps meet these nutritional needs.

Resources:

Find Research Citations and Transcript at Blasphemous Nutrition on Substack

Work with Aimee

Photography by: Dai Ross Photography

Podcast Cover Art: Lilly Kate Creative

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Transcript

0:00

Hey Rebels, welcome to Blasphemous Nutrition. Consider this podcast your pantry full of clarity, perspective, and the nuance needed to counter the superficial health advice so freely given on the internet. I'm Amy, the unapologetically candid host of Blasphemous Nutrition and a double degreed nutritionist with 20 years experience. I'm here to share a more nuanced take. On living and eating well to sustain and recover your health. If you've found most health advice to be so generic as to be meaningless, We're so extreme that it's unrealistic, and you don't mind the occasional F bomb. You've come to the right place. From dissecting the latest nutrition trends to breaking down published research and sharing my own clinical experiences, I'm on a mission to foster clarity amidst all the confusion and empower you to have the help you need to live a life you love. Now let's get started.

MacBook Air Microphone: 1:00

Welcome back to blaspheme as nutrition. I am your irreverent and candid host Aimee, and I'm here to make salads, seductive crush your cravings and call out the dogma. When I see it today, I'm going to dive into the nuance behind what it takes to balance blood sugar. So if you're still eating frosted flakes, This might get awkward. The conversation around managing blood sugar is typically limited to just adjusting carbohydrate intake. And of course, this is a huge lever in directly controlling blood sugar, but as with everything in the human body, it isn't limited to just one macro nutrient. Glucose metabolism is the process by which the body converts glucose into energy. Whether that glucose comes from the food we eat or is created by the liver. This process relies on multiple nutrients, supporting each step from glucose getting into the cell, to that glucose, breaking down and turning into ATP or the energy that the cell uses. Some nutrients protect our insulin sensitivity by preventing inflammation and thus protecting the cell from damage. Key vitamins involved in glucose metabolism include. Most of the B vitamins, specifically B one through seven, also known as thiamine. I mean riboflavin, niacin pantothenic acid pirate, vaccine, and biotin, as well as B12. or thiamine is essential for converting carbohydrates into energy. Thiamine acts as a coenzyme to break down glucose and coenzymes are essentially helpers for enzymes. They allow an enzyme to perform that function that it is designed to do more effectively. They often carry chemical groups between different enzymes or allow those reactions to proceed quickly when needed. Many of the B vitamins are used as coenzymes to break down glucose and support the process of converting that glucose into energy. Also known as a dentist triphosphate or ATP. B2 B3 and B five are also used in this way. B6 and B seven. Also play a role in allowing glycogen to be converted into glucose and then used for energy. B12 is shown to improve glucose tolerance and near, as we can tell it's in part due to the impact that B12 has on gene expression and the downstream changes that it makes to our fully and biotin levels. Now if you have diabetes, supplementing with B12 has been shown to facilitate improved glucose control, but this does not translate over to those who are looking to prevent diabetes. So don't bother with supplementation there. And if you do have diabetes, you're really better off using food instead of supplementation, whenever possible. B vitamins are found in beans and green peas, animal foods, such as pork, chicken, beef, shellfish. Thin fish and Oregon meets. It's actually pretty easy to meet B vitamin needs through the diet. If you eat a wide variety of foods, although I will say it is not uncommon to see a couple of low dietary intakes on different B vitamins, when I'm doing food logs. The most common ones I see are thiamine being under consumed and pork trout, lentils, peas, and sunflower seeds are the highest in thiamine. Now moving on to minerals, there are several minerals which play very important roles. And they are more commonly deficient in the diet. Magnesium plays a role in breaking down glucose, but it also has a role in insulin signaling and moving glucose from the blood. Into the cells over 65% of the American population does not get enough magnesium in the diet. For those of you in the UK and Australia and Canada. I'm sorry, I don't have data on your nation in this regard. However, if you are eating a diet that is most like a standard American diet chances are you're not getting enough. Magnesium. Magnesium also plays a role in blood pressure management and heart health. So it is definitely not one to skimp out on. Wonderful sources of magnesium can be found in Brazil, nuts. Oh, Bran spinach, pumpkin seeds, almonds and avocados. And for animal-based sources, fish like mackerel and salmon also contain moderate amounts of magnesium as well. Magnesium is found in several leafy greens. So if you eat a lot of different leafy greens or you take a whole huge bag of leafy greens and cook it down, It turns into a more reasonable amount to consume, and that's another great way to get magnesium in the diet. Chromium is a trace mineral that also enhances the action of insulin. So it improves the cell's ability to take in glucose. Now while the exact mechanism by which this occurs is not yet fully understood. Chromium is believed to increase the insulin receptors sensitivity on the cell surface. So I kind of think of the insulin receptor as being the lock. It's docked onto the cell And then the insulin molecule with glucose attached to it comes and docks on that receptor and allows glucose to enter the cell. So chromium. May almost be like a magnet that draws. The insulin towards the receptor more quickly, more effectively increasing the sensitivity and ability for glucose to get into the cell. Chromium has long been known to support better glucose control. And it was actually one of the earlier supplements recommended for blood sugar balance. When the diabetes surge began in the early nineties. Broccoli beef, green beans, and especially oysters and liver are excellent sources of chromium. Now zinc impacts the body's ability to make insulin as well as insulin storage and secretion. It also helps support stable blood sugar levels. Zinc also plays a role in cell signaling pathways related to our glucose metabolism So that cell cell communication. Zinc is very high in oysters and beef as well as crab. Oats and pumpkin seeds are great sources as well. Now we all know about iron and its role for energy. Via hemoglobin and helping to carry oxygen around to cells. But iron is also a major player in ATP generation. Creating that energy within the cells. Iron allows ourselves to convert glucose into usable energy within the mitochondria. And if you think back to high school science class, the mitochondria is that little bean shaped organelle that's in the cell where energy is created. So when our iron levels are low energy production within the cell in the mitochondria slows down, and this is another way that iron deficiency can leave you feeling tired and less able to stay active. Liver and oysters are undeniably the best source of iron. Muscles white beans, lentils, tofu, and other beans are reasonable sources as well. Pairing your iron rich foods with vitamin C, especially vegetarian plant-based source of iron will help that iron get absorbed into the body. Plant-based sources of iron are not absorbed as easily by the body. As animal sources of iron. So it's really important. If you are on a limited animal food diet, if you are reducing your animal food intakes, for whatever reason, to ensure that you are getting enough iron in the diet and that you are enhancing iron absorption, by making sure that your stomach and your digestive system is in good shape and that you are pairing those iron rich foods with vitamin C. Now, when it comes to indirectly supporting our glucose metabolism by reducing inflammation and keeping ourselves un damaged. Vitamin C vitamin D vitamin E selenium and other antioxidants, as well as omega-3 fatty acids have all been shown to play a part. Chronically high glucose levels will lead to oxidative stress this then inhibits insulin from doing its job of getting glucose into the cell via inflammation and cellular damage. If you remember. Going back to the insulin receptor as a lock analogy, oxidative stress can cause that lock to rust and change its shape slightly preventing insulin from efficiently and effectively docking on the receptor and allowing glucose to come in. Our antioxidants help protect ourselves from high levels of oxidative damage. Thus overall supporting insulin function as well as pretty much every other crucial function in the body at the cellular level. Vitamin C is an antioxidant vitamin among other things that helps support ourselves under oxidative stress. So vitamin C offers a protective factor here. Another cool thing that vitamin C does is it helps regenerate or recycle vitamin E and that protects cell membranes from damage so that they can maintain insulin sensitivity. Now, when cells are damaged and inflammation is rampant, it really gums up the works and makes glucose regulation much more difficult. So studies do show that high dietary vitamin C not supplements, but vitamin C from the diet does reduce the risk of developing diabetes. And individuals who have higher blood levels of vitamin C also are shown to have a lower risk of developing diabetes. Supplementation, instead of getting vitamin C from foods did not yield such a risk reduction. However, again, if you already have diabetes supplementing with 1000 milligrams of vitamin C does appear to reduce fasting insulin and glucose levels. Now this may be due to the diabetic population, having lower vitamin C available to combat increased inflammation from oxidative stress. In many disease states, our nutrient needs do increase. So that may be what's going on here. That said, regardless of whether or not you have diabetes getting vitamin C from foods really still remains the best source because you have all of those additional antioxidants and other nutrients that your body needs to thrive. That you're not going to get from a vitamin C supplement. Citrus foods are the most accessible way to get your vitamin C. That said Kiwi is also wonderful. Just one yellow or Sungold Kiwi actually exceeds your vitamin C needs for the day. And that is my consistent go-to to keep my vitamin C levels up is Kiwi fruit. Red bell peppers are also a superb source of vitamin C, especially if you tend to shy away from fruits, depending on the size of that red bell pepper, half of one can supply what you need in a day. Vitamin D is also helpful at reducing inflammation and protecting ourselves and ensuring that we have insulin sensitivity that is optimal. Vitamin D receptors are present in pancreatic beta cells. These are the cells that produce insulin in the body. Low vitamin D levels are associated with increased insulin resistance. And there are multiple observational studies as well as meta analyses that do consistently show vitamin D deficiency is linked to increased insulin resistance in both diabetic and non-diabetic populations. There is still a lot that we do not know about how this works. And some studies show that supplementation with vitamin D can be helpful, but others don't. Vitamin D protects ourselves from oxidative stress and it has been shown to support antioxidant levels in the body. So in this regard, it also contributes to antioxidant activity. In addition to being so crucial for our bones, our immune system, our brain health, as well as our blood pressure. Dietary sources of vitamin D are really limited. And honestly it was not likely ever intended to be our sole source of this nutrient. Even to call it a nutrient or a vitamin is terribly misleading. And at this point, it's really kind of absurd that we still call vitamin D vitamin D. Vitamin D is actually a hormone. It's a hormone that we make from sunlight reacting to the cholesterol that is present in our skin. But the reality is. In the 21st century with a prevalence of sunscreen and indoor housing. Nearly all of us do not make enough. Vitamin D low blood levels of vitamin D are very common, but what is considered to be adequate or optimal vitamin D levels is still very much up for debate. And in some small circles, a very contentious debate at that. In the functional medicine community, it is commonly espoused that vitamin D levels between 50 and a hundred nanograms per deciliter are optimal. That said it's not very often that I see levels above 40 or 42 when someone is being tested. Vitamin D plays so many roles in gene expression that go way beyond supporting insulin levels that I recommend getting blood levels tested twice a year in late summer, as well as late winter to get a sense of where your blood levels lie. Any vitamin D level less than 30 nanograms per deciliter is considered to be low. Whether you're getting that from a standard lab at a standard medical practice or a functional medical practice. If your levels are below 30, that is a big problem. And often times people are hovering at that or below 30 nanograms per deciliter. Dietary sources of vitamin D are our cold water fish as well as egg yolks. So salmon mackerel, sardines, trout. Egg yolks and fortified foods such as milk and milk alternatives. Note that not all dairy products are fortified with vitamin D. So if you like yogurt, but don't drink milk. Your yogurt's not likely to supply you with any extra vitamin D also not all dairy free milk alternatives, fortify, depending on where you live and what product you're using. So be sure to check labels. Omega three fatty acids play an indirect role in facilitating glucose metabolism by reducing inflammation and enhancing our insulin sensitivity. Omega-3 fats are again, most concentrated in cold water fish. So remember that smashed acronym that I talked about in nutrition and mental health month. Salmon mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring, and trout. These fish contain the highest amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. In a form that is most readily absorbed by the body and contributes to greater blood levels of omega-3 fats in your body. That said omega-3 fatty acids are also present in chia seeds, flax seeds and walnuts. But absorbability is far, far less in non-animal foods. The omega-3 fatty acids and nuts and seeds and other plant-based foods. Our only absorbed by the body at about three to 5%. Whereas if those omega-3 fatty acids are coming from fish, we're looking at about a hundred percent absorption. Fatty fish are best consumed three times a week. In order to support adequate levels of vitamin D. Selenium and vitamin E also act as antioxidants in the body, even though they're vitamins, vitamin E supplementation has been shown to improve insulin action and increase the total body glucose disposal in both healthy subjects, as well as those with type two diabetes. Some studies also show that it improves the action of insulin in healthy individuals, as well as those with type two diabetes. And it is believed that vitamin E directly impacts genetic expression that enhances the cells, insulin sensitivity. So as a fat soluble vitamin, vitamin E's antioxidant activity is primarily in preventing the oxidation of fats in the body. Like those in the cell wall. When it comes to antioxidant activity we can think of vitamin E as what we would use to put out a grease fire. Versus of water soluble, antioxidant, like vitamin C being useful to put out a campfire. Vitamin E is found in many nuts and seeds and their oils such as sunflower oil, as well as avocados, peanuts, chard, and broccoli. I was really surprised to note that Kiwi also has a decent amount of vitamin E with one large Kiwi providing nearly 10% of your daily dose. So making sure to get vitamin E rich foods most days of the week is important. Well, there are no adverse effects of consuming vitamin E through foods that have been reported. Supplementation can be a problem with high doses. So it is best to consume vitamin E N food form. Now, if you have been fat phobic since the seventies or eighties today is the day to overcome that. Because vitamin E is present in foods that contain fats. By and large. And fat is needed in order to absorb vitamin E from the foods that we eat. Selenium is a mineral that has fabulous antioxidant activity in the body. It's used to make glutathione peroxidase, which is an enzyme that prevents the damage of cell membranes, proteins, as well as our DNA. Selenium also helps recycle vitamin C and vitamin E so that they can continue their antioxidant activity in the body. Selenium is found in high quantities in Brazil, nuts, seafood, such as oysters, clams, shrimp, halibut, tuna, and it's also found in chicken, pork, and beef. Unprocessed grains also contain some selenium, but selenium concentration here is determined mostly by soil quality. And so the selenium in our whole grains tends to be less and less reliable. Then what we find in animal foods. So while carbohydrates and monitoring our carbohydrates. Is often the primary way we control our glucose levels. The vitamins minerals and fatty acids that I've spoken to today, play critical roles in ensuring that the glucose we have in our body is properly metabolized and used efficiently. Deficiencies in any of these nutrients can impact glucose metabolism. So it's really important to have a very diet. In order to maintain optimal blood sugar levels. So in looking at the kind of very diet that specifically supplies, these nutrients. We want to be consuming healthy fats from cold water, fish, nuts and seeds on a regular basis. Our green veggies, broccoli, chard, spinach peas. These all got a shout out today as being high in nutrients needed for glucose metabolism. These will support many of those vitamins and minerals. I talked about to maintain glucose control without exceeding one's individual carbohydrate tolerance. Relying on beans, more than grains for your starch. And carbohydrate is a way to get energy from carbs in a more nutrient dense package because beans contain iron, the B vitamins and zinc. Additionally, including citrus fruits bell peppers and Kiwi offers a great source of vitamin C to absorb the iron from the foods we eat. Incidentally citrus fruits are also strongly correlated with reduced stroke risk and overall cardiovascular health. In epidemiological studies, big population studies, citrus fruits are often mentioned as one of the foods that people eat regularly that is associated with greater longevity, heart health, and reduced stroke risk. So if that's something that is especially concerning to you. You may want to keep citrus fruits on the counter not just as a beautiful decoration, but to consume them on a regular basis. Nuts greens, beans. Seafood, citrus. These are foods to include regularly to provide the nutrients that you need to manage your blood sugar. If you have diabetes, your tolerance for beans is likely going to be reduced. And so choosing. Lower carbohydrate sources of those nutrients may be needed. But really let your continuous glucose monitor or a traditional glucometer guide you in determining how many beans you can consume while keeping your blood sugar in balance. If you have found this episode informative and helpful, drop me a comment and let me know. If, you know, someone's struggling with prediabetes or diabetes. This information is especially important for them because most nutrition conversations are simply about carb management. So share this episode with them so that they can make more empowered choices to preserve their health. As always, if you have had yet to rate or review this podcast, please do. So. Aside from word of mouth. This is the best way to get information out there. So scroll down on the show page and the apple podcast app to write a review sharing what you think and for those who have already done. So thank you so much. If you're struggling to implement the strategies that I share on blast, miss nutrition know that I do offer coaching and consulting to help people strategize and enhance their meals so they can get the results they're looking for. You can reach out to me by clicking on the link in the show notes, to set up a complimentary call, to discuss your goals and concerns. Until next time my blasphemous buddies stay healthy and question the status quo. When it doesn't serve you.

25:43

Any and all information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not to be misconstrued as offering medical advice. Listening to this podcast does not constitute a provider client relationship. Note, I'm not a doctor nor a nurse, and it is imperative that you utilize your brain and your medical team to make the best decisions for your own health. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked to this podcast are at the user's own risk. No information nor resources provided are intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Be a smart human and do not disregard or postpone obtaining medical advice for any medical condition you may have. Seek the assistance of your healthcare team for any such conditions and always do so before making any changes to your medical, nutrition, or health plan.