Vegetables And Diabetes

In general, vegetables are well tolerated by people with type 2 diabetes , as these plants contain a large amount of cellulose, which prevents sharp fluctuations in blood glucose. Thanks to this, diabetics can consume vegetables as a side dish or as a stand-alone dish without worrying about a sudden worsening of the condition. But ... this does not apply to absolutely all vegetable crops.

An important criterion for determining whether a product is suitable for consumption in diabetes or not is its glycemic index (GI) , which is determined in percentages:

• low glycemic index - no more than 55%;
• average glycemic index - 55-70%;
• high glycemic index - over 70%.

In diabetes, products with a minimum GI should be chosen, but there are exceptions.

Vegetables with high and medium GI

This group includes turnips, beets, pumpkin, corn. However, this does not mean that people with diabetes should forget about these cultures. Why? Because glycemia is determined not only by the GI, but also by the glycemic load (the content of carbohydrates in one portion of the product, reported in grams). The lower this value, the less the product affects glycemia. High GI vegetables do not need to be eliminated from the menu completely, but their consumption should be in limited quantities, for example up to 80 grams per day.

A sensible approach involves combining these vegetables with products that are able to lower the overall GI of the dish. These are sources of protein or healthy vegetable fats.

A good example of a salad suitable for people with diabetes is: 80 grams of corn, a little olive oil, low GI vegetables, lean chicken or lean fish.

Consumption of potatoes is not recommended. Boiled and baked tubers are characterized by medium and high glycemic index, respectively. Vegetables are high in carbohydrates and low in cellulose, so it seriously affects postprandial blood glucose levels (postprandial blood sugar).

Vegetables with low GI

The following is a list of vegetables with a low glycemic index that can be used without special restrictions:

• tomatoes;
• zucchini;
• eggplants;
• all kinds of salad leaves;
• spinach;
• broccoli;
• cabbage (usually white);
• onion;
• red sweet peppers;
• turnips;
• legumes (green beans, peas, lentils, soybeans, old beans).

Good to know ...

In addition to having a direct effect on glycemia, vegetables can also have an indirect effect on the health of people with diabetes. Here it is important to understand the biochemical mechanisms that "trigger" one or another product entering the digestive system, for example:

• red sweet peppers normalize blood cholesterol levels, which is not unimportant in diabetes;
• tomatoes - vice versa: destroy the necessary amino acids;
• Cabbage juice is often recommended as an adjunct in the treatment of diabetes because the useful drink helps to reduce blood sugar levels.

Cooking

In addition to choosing the right products, people with high blood sugar need to pay attention to the ways in which they are prepared.

Vegetables added to various dishes should be raw if possible. During cooking, baking and other heat treatment, complex carbohydrates are partially broken down into simple ones, due to which the glycemic index increases, changes from low to medium and even high.

For example, raw carrots have a GI of 30%, while cooked - about 85%. The longer the heat treatment lasts, the higher the glycemic index.

People diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should choose vegetables that do not require much heat treatment. Marinated and canned versions contain a lot of salt, and those suffering from high blood sugar levels often have high blood pressure, an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Salty foods are also contraindicated for them.

In diabetes there are no serious restrictions on the consumption of vegetables, but it is mandatory to pay attention to the preparation of dishes, as well as processed products.

In the following table you can see the GI of some vegetables and legumes in their raw state and after heat treatment.

What fruits can be consumed in type 1 and type 2 diabetes read here.