Olives are good for heart and bone health including preventing risks of developing cancer. But can people with diabetes eat olives? Are olives good for diabetes?
Olives are not only about pizza toppings, pickles, or a staple food to Mediterranean cuisine. Olives prevent cancer, improve bone and heart health. But are olives good for diabetics? How many olives can a diabetic have daily? Are olives healthy? Green Olives Benefits? Let’s get into some unheard facts about olives for diabetes.
Contents:
Olives: Nutritional Profile
100 grams of olives contain the following nutrients:
| Calories: 115 |
| Total Fat: 11 g |
| Saturated Fat 1.4 g |
| Trans Fat: 0 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9 g |
| Monounsaturated Fat 7.9 g |
| Cholesterol: 0 mg |
| Sodium 735mg |
| Potassium: 8 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates: 6.3 g |
| Dietary Fiber: 3.2 g |
| Sugars: 0 g |
| Protein: 0.8 g |
| Vitamin A: 8.1% |
| Vitamin C: 1.5% |
| Calcium: 6.8% |
| Iron: 18% |
Advantages of Olives for Diabetes
- Oleuropein, an antioxidant in olives, flags your pancreas to produce insulin while regulating your metabolism and the level of glucose in your blood.
- Olive oil helps regulate your gut bacteria while facilitating insulin sensitivity. Olive oil also contains oleic acid, a type of fatty acid. It helps with the transport of glucose into the cells of the body.
Ways To Consume Olives For Diabetes
1. Use Olive Oil for Cooking
You can use olive oil for cooking your regular dishes or spray some over your bowl of salad. A drizzle of this oil goes a long way and adds healthy factors to your everyday food.
2. Add Chopped Olives To Your Food
Chopped olives are oh-so-good with salads, sandwiches, and various pasta recipes healthy for people with diabetes.
3. Eat It As A Snack
If you like the savory taste of olives, you may also eat them as a snack between meals. However, make sure not to have these in plenty as this fruit is also a bit high in sodium.
Best Time To Consume Olives For Diabetes
The best thing about olives is you can have them anytime in a day with any of your meals or snacks. However, the recommended portion of olives is around 25 grams (about 6 to 7 olives). You can also have some olives before bed. It promotes sleep and digestion while stabilizing your blood glucose levels.
Risks of Over Consuming Olives For Diabetes
If you eat too many olives, the high-sodium content may affect your kidneys and heart, leading to chronic kidney disease, heart attacks, hypertension (high blood pressure), and stroke.
Other Health Benefits of Eating Olives
- Olives are rich in antioxidants. These fight free radicals in your body that can cause many life-threatening conditions, including cancers, stroke, and heart attacks.
- These help increase the level of good cholesterol in your blood.
- Olives are good for heart and brain health.
- These also come with anti-inflammatory properties.
- Olives are also rich in probiotics, which are healthy for your gut.
Don’t Have Time To Read?
- Olives are low in calories and loaded with vitamins and minerals. They also contain many antioxidants and healthy monounsaturated fats.
- Oleuropein in olives helps your pancreas with insulin production while regulating your blood glucose levels.
- You may include 6 to 7 olives in your diet and divide them into portions.
- You can use olives as olive oil for cooking, salad dressing, add them to your salads and have them as snacks.
- As it effectively manages your cholesterol profile, olive oil also aids in fighting a range of health conditions that people with diabetes often suffer from, including high blood pressure and inflammation.
- Use Phable Care App to consult India’s leading diabetologists, order medicines, book lab tests, integrate Accu-Chek instant and other devices to get real-time remote care from the comfort of your home. Let’s treat diabetes together.
Friendly Asked Questions
YES, olives make a healthy food choice for people who have diabetes as they help with insulin production and increase insulin sensitivity.
Polyphenols and MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids) found in olives and olive oil are likely to increase insulin secretion. This, in turn, helps with diabetes management.
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), pickles made using olives are high in sodium. Therefore, you should have them in moderation.
If you want to manage your blood sugar levels, you may eat around 6 to 7 olives. However, you should not eat them in one go. Split those six to seven olives throughout the day, instead.
Olives are high in their salt content, you should not eat too many of them. It can spike your blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, it is recommended that you eat food cooked using olive oil in moderation.