Instead of giving up your potato cravings altogether, consider exploring the white potato’s more nutritious counterpart: the sweet potato. These orange spuds can help regulate glucose, or blood sugar, while also offering important antioxidants to ward off chronic diseases, among other benefits.
The Top Reasons Sweet Potatoes Are Good in a Diabetes Diet
The sweet potato is gaining increased attention among people with diabetes, thanks in part to its low glycemic index (GI) rating. “Foods that are higher on the glycemic index may cause your blood sugar to increase faster,” says Leah Kaufman, RD, CDE, of Leah Kaufman Nutrition in New York City. Kaufman explains that because sweet potatoes are ranked lower than white potatoes on the GI, they may help people with diabetes better manage their blood sugar levels. Here are a few other reasons why sweet potatoes may be particularly valuable in a diabetes diet:
Sweet potatoes contain a carotenoid called beta-carotene, which gives the root vegetable its notable bright orange color. This is also a source of vitamin A. Kaufman notes that vitamin A can help promote eye health.The spuds are high in vitamin C, which helps your immune system.They are a good source of iron, which helps red blood cells make oxygen and transport nutrients throughout the body.These veggies provide a plant-based source of protein, which can also help keep you fuller longer and promote weight loss, in turn increasing insulin sensitivity.They are a great source of fiber, which can also encourage feelings of fullness.
How Much Sweet Potato Can Someone With Diabetes Eat Safely?
While sweet potatoes can be a good diet choice for people with diabetes, it’s important to remember that these orange veggies still contain carbs. Portion control is key to balancing the positive effects that sweet potatoes can have on a diabetes diet. A typical serving size is ½ cup, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Kaufman recommends half of a medium-size sweet potato for most people with diabetes because this is the equivalent of 15 grams of carbohydrates. But be sure to check with your doctor or dietitian to find out the best portion for you, as recommendations vary from person to person, according to the latest American Diabetes Association recommendations, published in January 2014 in Diabetes Care.
Are Certain Kinds of Sweet Potatoes Better Than Others for Diabetes?
While sweet potatoes are an undeniably good source of various nutrients, not all kinds of sweet potatoes are created equal. Take yams, for example, are higher in starch content when compared with traditional sweet potatoes. (Contrary to popular belief, these two vegetables aren’t the same!) Purple sweet potatoes also differ from orange sweet potatoes as well. One study published in July 2011 in the Chinese Journal of Zhejiang University, which was done on rats with diabetes, found that the purple spuds decreased levels of lipids and blood sugar after consumption. The authors noted a link between these decreases and the flavonoids that are naturally found in purple sweet potatoes. Some of the benefits of sweet potatoes could also extend beyond their roots, though much of the research on this part of the veggie has also been done in animals, which doesn’t necessarily mean the same results would be seen in humans. For instance, a rat study, which was published in July 2014 in Food and Function, analyzed the ways that Japanese sweet potato stems and leaves may help control symptoms of diabetes when eating them. This is thought to be contributed to by polyphenols that help manage blood glucose. As antioxidants, polyphenols may also decrease the long-term risk for cardiovascular disease, which is of particular concern for people with diabetes due to their increased risk for the condition. A study published in May 2011 in the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition noted that polyphenols are helpful in oxidizing low-density lipoproteins, which are better known as LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. According to the study, sweet potato leaves seemed to contain even higher polyphenol levels.
The Best Ways to Prepare Sweet Potatoes for Blood Sugar Control
The way you prepare sweet potatoes can ultimately influence the veggie’s nutritional benefits, which is important to consider regardless of whether you have diabetes. Indeed, a study published in October 2011 in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism found that certain cooking methods actually increase the sweet potato’s ranking on the GI. The authors wrote that baking and roasting were surprisingly the worst cooking methods when considering GI level. Frying was a close second. At the same time, boiled sweet potatoes had the lowest GI value. This could be attributed to the natural softening effect that boiling water has on the starch, which makes it easier to digest. Water leftover during the process can also help this effect. Overall, boiling sweet potatoes is the best cooking method for people with diabetes. You may also want to limit roasting and baking them altogether, suggests the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism. Boiled sweet potatoes can take time to get used to, especially if you’re used to the wedges that are French fries in disguise. Boiled sweet potatoes have a natural sweetness to them, and you can enhance these flavors with cinnamon. If your palate is on the spicier side, try chili powder, black pepper, or paprika. Kaufman also recommends keeping the skin on because of the high fiber content. “When the orange color of the sweet potato is cooked, the antioxidant effects increase,” explains Kaufman, who describes the heating process as enhancing the absorption of beta-carotene in the body.
Other Considerations Before Loading Up on Sweet Potatoes
Making the switch to sweet potatoes is a healthy approach to eating your spuds. But adding this spud to your diet isn’t appropriate for everyone with diabetes. For instance, because of their higher fiber content, sweet potatoes might cause mild digestive ailments when you first eat them, much the same as increasing fiber of any kind in your diet. Symptoms include gas, abdominal pain, and loose stools. When in doubt, get your doctor or dietitian’s advice any time you plan on making any major changes to your diet.
