One in ten adults across the world is dealing with elevated blood sugar.
And while you’ve probably heard of common medications like Metformin and even GLP-1s for diabetes, it turns out, there are also plenty of natural remedies that can significantly help manage the condition.
Are you looking to lower your fasting glucose? Tired of those post-meal sugar spikes? Want to improve your insulin sensitivity and reduce your HbA1c by clinically significant amounts?
Then you’re in luck.
These six organic game-changers – healthy herbs – are ready to help you today. Working along complementary pathways, they create a natural “stack” that tackles elevated blood sugar through multiple mechanisms, all at the same time.
Let’s get right down to it…
1. Berberine
Found from the deep roots of plants you’ve probably never heard of, including goldenseal, barberry, and Chinese coptis, berberine is a bright yellow alkaloid. In other words, an organic plant-based compound with many impacts on human health.
And for centuries, it’s been used in Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine for digestive and infectious troubles. Today, researchers even call it “nature’s metformin.” Believe it or not, randomized trial after randomized trial has shown that it can impact fasting blood sugar and post-meal spikes as much as Metformin.
But it gets even wilder. Berberine also comes with the additional benefits of lowering LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol while supporting modest weight loss.
It essentially does this by ‘flipping a switch’ in your body’s metabolism. By doing this, it can quite literally reshape your gut microbiome, influencing healthy bacteria and handling bad bacteria that lead to other illnesses and conditions as well.
Not sure how to get your daily dose of berberine? Most people take 500mg with their two largest meals of the day. This is critical, as food drastically improves the absorption rate of the supplement. With two to four weeks, you should notice steadier energy, improved numbers, and a better overall health & wellness.
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The top brands include Thorne Berberine, Swanson Berberine, and Theralogix Berberine. Together, these three represent the best value for budget concerns, absorption rates, and blood sugar control.
2. Ceylon Cinnamon
There’s cinnamon, and then there’s Ceylon cinnamon. The common cinnamon sold in stores is the “Cassia” variety, which actually contains high levels of something called coumarin, known for putting stress on the liver with long-term use.
There’s also a difference in taste. Ceylon cinnamon is more delicate and sweet, while the common store-bought cinnamon is strong and spicy. Ceylon sticks also look lighter and thinner with soft layers, whereas Cassia sticks are darker, thicker, and harder.
If you’re looking for the true Ceylon cinnamon, it’s probably coming from Sri Lanka. It’s loaded with polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants everybody can benefit from. By consuming this type of cinnamon daily, you can effectively improve your insulin sensitivity and lower your fasting glucose (19–29 mg/dL).
Not sure how to incorporate it? Many people like to stir it in their morning coffee or tea. Or, you can do a little dusting over some Greek yogurt and berries, or even simmer it in some oats. Its aroma alone is very therapeutic.
3. Fenugreek
Found predominantly in India and the Mediterranean, fenugreek seeds are warm and maple-like. They also boast a ton of a special kind of soluble fiber, which is good for slowing digestion, lowering cholesterol, and dropping blood sugar levels. In the end, you’ll be healthier and feel fuller without all the cravings.
Taking fenugreek is pretty easy. You can either eat it or supplement with five to 15 grams of seeds per day. Research shows that fenugreek reduces post-meal glucose by up to 44 mg/dL, while also dropping HbA1c as much as one percent.
If you choose to consume the seeds, there are many ways to get them in your meals. First, soak a tablespoon of seeds overnight and then toss them into curries, soups, or homemade hummus. You can likewise use defatted fenugreek powder in smoothies, although this form is highly processed.
If you love the smell of maple syrup, that’s just a bonus benefit!
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4. Curcumin
Stemming from turmeric root, this bioactive compound has been relished for thousands of years. However, up until just recent times, it’s been largely poorly absorbed, meaning that many of its amazing benefits have not been realized as they should.
Fortunately, thanks to modern advancements, we now know how to get the most out of curcumin. When paired with piperine from black pepper, curcumin becomes way more bioavailable, making it great for treating low-grade inflammation.
And when inflammation is kept in check, a main driver of insulin resistance is being treated.
To get started, aim for 500-2,000 mg of daily curcumin supplementation to lower your fasting glucose. To get a good dose, you can try golden milk with almond milk, some ginger, black pepper, and a high-absorption curcumin capsule.
Fan of curry? You can also just cook a lot of it, which will help your joints, brain, and pancreas all at once.
Some of the topic curcumin supplements come from Luma Nutrition, Organic India, and Asquared Nutrition.
Curcumin will also raise levels of adiponectin, which is a vital hormone for regulating your metabolism, fighting inflammation, and preventing plaque build-up in the arteries. It’s a great way to also address obesity and heart disease, so you’ll definitely be glad you gave it a go.
5. Bitter Melon
Big in Asia, this green bitter melon is basically a ‘food medicine.’
It contains various compounds, many of which act a lot like insulin. This is good because it helps to get glucose into your cells, making your body more efficient at normalizing its levels.
In clinical trials, people taking 2-6 grams of the dried fruit show fasting glucose reduction ranging from 14 to 22 mg/dL. The only problem is, it’s bitter. The taste lives up to the name, but if you can get used to it, or mix it up with spices, such as in a stir-fry, it’s really not that bad.
Capsule forms from Nutricost, Zazzee, and Puritan are also highly rated.
So don’t be shy! If you’ve ever met a South Asian or Caribbean grandmother, they can probably tell you all about bitter melon and its uses!
6. Gymnema Sylvestre
Last but not least, this hard-to-pronounce vine from India literally means “sugar destroyer” in Sanskrit. It’s often ingested by placing the leaves (or an extract) on the tongue. From there, the gymnema blocks your sweet taste receptors. It’s a strange feeling at first, as you’ll find that even delicious chocolate tastes like sand for a few hours.
But there’s a science to the madness. The acids from this woody climbing vine work by reducing your intestines’ absorption of glucose. They also regenerate much-needed beta cells in the pancreas.
What does this mean for you?
Basically, it’s a no-nonsense way to break sugar cravings, especially in people who are seriously addicted to sweets. You’ll also drop your glucose, in some cases up to 26 mg/dL, and your HbA1c by over one percent.
Just take it 30–60 minutes before a meal or dessert, and those sweet cravings are as good as gone. In terms of capsules and extracts, Zazzee, Himalaya, and BIO KRAUTER are the go-to brands.
Of course, the beauty of gymnema sylvestre and the other herbs discussed in this article is not simply what they do, but how they work together. For instance, berberine + Ceylon cinnamon in coffee is a great way to start the morning. You can even throw in some curcumin for added benefit.
And then, for lunch and dinner, you may sprinkle some fenugreek seeds on your meal, take some bitter melon as a small side, and ingest a little gymnema if you were just dying to have some sugar-loaded dessert…
Mix and match, talk to a doctor or naturopath, and discover these amazing natural remedies for blood sugar. While they’re not necessarily a replacement for traditional medications, they can and do come with some pretty remarkable benefits.
And you owe it to yourself to try…
