Sweet potatoes contain many vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals beneficial to overall health. They are rich in vitamin A, important for vision and producing pigment in the retina. Vitamin C can reduce inflammation in obese individuals with diabetes and/or high blood pressure.
Sweet potatoes also contain potassium, fiber, zinc, and magnesium. Fiber promotes satiety, aids digestion, can prevent constipation, and positively impacts gut health. Studies show that healthy gut bacteria are linked to improved cholesterol levels, reduced inflammation, and better insulin sensitivity.
However, sweet potatoes are rich in carbohydrates, which can raise blood sugar levels. Foods with a high glycemic index (GI) cause blood sugar to spike and then drop rapidly. Low-GI foods help stabilize blood sugar because they are digested and absorbed slowly. The GI of sweet potatoes can vary depending on the cooking method, type, and portion size.
Preparation methods:
Sweet potatoes can be baked, microwaved, steamed, boiled, stir-fried, deep-fried, eaten raw in salads, added to soups, made into noodles, or blended into smoothies. Among these options, eating sweet potatoes raw or boiled has the lowest glycemic impact. These methods retain more resistant starch, slowing digestion and reducing the effect on blood sugar.
Baking, steaming, microwaving, and frying sweet potatoes result in a higher GI because these cooking methods break down starch molecules, making them digest faster. Research has also found that purple sweet potatoes have the lowest GI (below 59) when processed into noodles, which contain resistant starch.
Several sweet potato preparation methods are beneficial for people with diabetes. Leaving the skin on helps retain fiber, reducing the GI. Boiling sweet potatoes tends to lower the GI compared to baking. Adding healthy fats like olive oil to carbohydrate-rich foods can slow down the rise in blood sugar.
 |
Sweet potatoes are rich in nutrients but require proper preparation to limit blood sugar spikes. Photo illustration: Bui Thuy |
Sweet potatoes are rich in nutrients but require proper preparation to limit blood sugar spikes. Photo illustration: Bui Thuy
Portion sizes:
The American Diabetes Association recommends that high-carbohydrate foods like sweet potatoes should not exceed 1/4 of the plate per meal.
Types of sweet potatoes:
Some types of sweet potatoes, such as purple sweet potatoes, contain resistant starch. They are only partially broken down in the body, preventing blood sugar spikes.
White sweet potatoes: White sweet potatoes contain 21 g of carbohydrates and 3.5 g of fiber per 99 g serving. Fiber tends to slow down the time it takes for the body to convert carbohydrates into glucose. This amount of fiber can help regulate blood sugar to a small extent.
Purple sweet potatoes: Purple sweet potatoes contain 20 g of carbohydrates and 3.1 g of fiber per 99 g serving. Their purple color comes from anthocyanins, an antioxidant found in other purple, red, or blue fruits and vegetables. Anthocyanins not only have antioxidant properties but may also lower blood sugar and reduce inflammation.
Purple sweet potato varieties have more anthocyanins than orange sweet potatoes. Compared to orange and white sweet potatoes, they also have significantly higher concentrations of phenolic acids. Phenolic acids can positively affect diabetes by helping to increase insulin sensitivity.
Orange sweet potatoes: Orange sweet potatoes contain about 17 g of carbohydrates and 4.4 g of fiber per serving. Orange sweet potatoes are the most common type, containing vitamin C, potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, beta-carotene, and having a moderate GI.
People with diabetes should consult their doctor or a registered dietitian for advice on foods and preparation methods suitable for their health.
Anh Ngoc (According to Verywell Health)
