Diabetes has taken on epidemic proportions today, not just in India, but across the world. Our changing lifestyle and bad eating habits have led to a surge in diabetes.
Diabetes is often described as a condition where the body cells are unable to absorb glucose from the blood. This leads to the accumulation and clotting that can make your blood sugar level rise. The best treatment for this symptom is by using the blessings of Mother Nature. Yes, some of you must have guessed it by now. I am talking about sweet potatoes. They are edible roots mostly found in countries with tropical climates. They come in different colors like red, brown, purple and white. The flesh can also be purple, orange, yellow and white. They are available throughout the year. Funnily, sweet potatoes often resemble pancreas and help you in balancing the glycemic index.
Read on to find out how exactly sweet potato for diabetes helps:
Sweet potato is full of starchy flesh that is rich in carbohydrates, dietary fiber, Vitamin C, B and B6. It also contains considerable amounts of calcium, magnesium, manganese and potassium. They are effective for boosting your metabolism and have often been recommended by doctors. Since they are low in calories, you can definitely use them in your regular meals.
The glycemic index is usually responsible for measuring how much the carbohydrates can affect the blood sugar. Being developed by Dr. David Jenkins, (professor at the University of Toronto), this effective system is an attempt to determine what kind of food will help the diabetic patients improve their condition. The index helps in tracking the rates at which carbohydrates have been absorbed after you have digested your meals. Sweet potatoes happen to be one of those tuberous roots, which have scored 44 on the glycemic index. Foods with a glycemic index of below 55 are considered ideal for diabetic patients.
Since sweet potatoes are full of fiber, they are considered great for all diabetic patients. However, it’s best not to peel the skin off. Since there is enough fiber, this can slow down the process of digestion of starches. This in turn will help in lowering the glycemic index and balance your blood sugar levels.
Caiapo is an extract, which is mostly found in Japanese sweet potatoes. They are often sold for treating diabetes. In a study conducted by the University of Vienna in the year 2004, Dr. Berhhard Ludvik had come up with his famous journal named “Diabetes Care”. This showed how patients afflicted with type 2 diabetes managed their blood sugar levels and saw decreases over time. It was concluded that Caiapo is indeed a helpful extract and can help patients with diabetes recover faster.
If you are diabetic, you need to use certain methods while cooking since sweet potato is good for diabetes. For example, do not boil or mash them since they are digested faster. In fact, it will increase your blood sugar level within no time. Sautéing in oil would be the best way to cook it. Ensure not to peel the skin. It will lower the digestion rate and help in maintaining your blood sugar level.
You can also try some healthy sweet potato recipes at home. A baked dish with some healthy Greek yogurt as the dressing will definitely add some taste and help you enjoy the dish.
The word sweet often leads to the assumption that this tuberous vegetable can not be good for people with diabetes. But this article must have made it clear that sweet potato for diabetes is good and should be included in thediet. So, don’t let diabetes keep you away from enjoying this nutritious vegetable! Go on, enjoy your favorite sweet potato dish without any guilt!
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