Mondays, as always here on the blog, we build your grocery list with one food, focusing on this month’s main topic.
September is all about balancing blood sugars. So where to next?
EGGS.
I’ll give you three reasons why you’ll want to get eggs in your belly…
BECAUSE SELENIUM
Selenium is a mineral our bodies need. There is an interesting study that looked at how this important mineral had the potential of favourably changing the expression of genes that were involved in blood sugar management in the body. (1) What food has a good amount of selenium? EGGS. Egg yolks, to be specific.
So eat the yolks! 2 eggs a day will provide you almost half of the selenium you need for that day. (2)
BECAUSE B VITAMINS
B Vitamins are a family of water soluble vitamins where quite a few are involved in the balancing act of blood sugars in the blood and in your cells. For example, vitamin B1 helps your cells utilize the glucose you are consuming for fuel. (3) There are a host of other benefits that B vitamins confer on to the body, from supporting the pancreas in the making of insulin — that hormone you need to get the sugars in your bloodstream INTO cells and out of your blood — to B vitamins needed to digest and utilize (aka metabolize) the glucose you are consuming from your carbohydrates.
Most of the B vitamins are found in the yolks, again. So when you eat those eggs, make sure you’re consuming the yolks! The runnier the better…
BECAUSE MY FAVE BREAKFAST FOOD
Eggs are an excellent source of protein and fats. These two macronutrients are necessary nutrients that have a big role to play in balancing your blood sugars. When you start your day with a good protein and fat, paired with a carbohydrate (roots? fruits? toast? potato hash?), you are starting in on the work of getting off of that blood sugar roller coaster.
The protein and fat content in that meal will help slowly release those carbohydrates in to your blood stream. This means protein and fat have the potential of metering out the glucose your body uses as fuel. Oh yes, every single cell of the body utilizes glucose as its source of fuel! (Unless your body is in ketosis. Which is another topic for another day.)
Ensuring a solid protein and fat at breakfast for me is one of those essential pieces to setting yourself up for success over the course of the day, especially when it comes to supporting your body in better balancing blood sugars (+ hormones).
Huzzah for eggs!
I am a regular 2-eggs-for-brekky kinda gal. This happy happenstance came about when I was trying to reduce my gluten intake many years ago by ditching the boxed cereal and white bread. (This was before going to Nutrition School…)
The benefits to my mood + energy levels, the reduction in fatigue was one of the biggest and earliest needle movers for me. And while I think reducing my intake of simple carbohyrdates was a part of the solution, so was the addition of nutrient dense eggs. Because you can take some of those foods that offend, sure. But that isn’t the whole picture.
You have to make sure to include those foods that support and nourish deeply, and enhance your body’s ability to do repair, and do the work of Being Human. Oh heck yes, I think #foodismedicine. And eggs are a part of your medicine toolkit.
Aiming to Keep Well? Looking to start working on your blood sugar balancing prowess? Need some help in feeling real good?
Get in touch by clicking here. Let’s meet up to start drawing up your road map to support you in both quantity and quality of life.
*This is not medical advice.