When diabetics think of foods that can satisfy them, but that also does not trigger their blood sugar and make their diabetes worse, they probably do not think of barbecue sauce. However, contrary to popular belief, there are actually some surprising health reasons to enjoy barbecue sauce in North Carolina.
Lowers Cholesterol
The tomatoes found in bbq sauce have a chemical called lycopene that is clinically proven to reduce bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol in your body. This goes a long way towards keeping your heart healthy and preventing heart attacks and other cardiac episodes.
Antioxidants
Agian on the tomato front is the fact they are also full of antioxidants. These substances called carotenoids are great for fighting off free radicals within your body. By doing this, you are protecting your cells from any damage that might occur. There are other antioxidants present that help to regulate blood sugar which is obviously crucial when you are a diabetic.
Great For Weight Loss
Since tomato-based barbecue sauce in North Carolina can be made without sugar, it is a great food to eat in the quest for weight loss. There is also no fat present in bbq sauce, so you do not need to worry about empty calories in that regard either. These aspects combine with the cholesterol-balancing benefits to ward off obesity, which is a prime factor in causing diabetes and must be strictly avoided if you are already diabetic.