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10 Must Have Vegetables For Diabetes

10 Must Have Vegetables For Diabetes

Q: What Fruits and Vegetables are Best for Diabetics?

Fruits and vegetables have a low glycemic index, are rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber is best for diabetics such as Citrus fruits, apples, berries, broccoli, cucumber, spinach, and onions.

Q: What Vegetables Should Diabetics Not Eat?

Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and green peas have high GI indexes and carbohydrates. So, it is always best for diabetics to minimize eating these vegetables.

Q: What Fruits and Vegetables Should Diabetics Avoid?

It is best to avoid bananas, mangoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and green peas, as these have a high GI, with a tendency to spike blood sugar levels

Q: Are Potatoes Bad for Diabetics?

Potatoes are high in carbohydrates and sugars. These can raise blood glucose levels. It also has a high GI score, due to which it is always best to eat potatoes in moderation for diabetics.

Vegetables provide us with all the essential nutrients. But what is the best vegetable that helps manage diabetes? Safe quantity of vegetables for diabetics?

Dr. Pakhi Sharma, MBBSGeneral Physician, 6+ Years

Published On : 27-Dec-2021Read Time : 3 minutes

When you are suffering from diabetes, it is important to know how to plan your meals. Vegetables provide us with all the essential nutrients that help the body produce insulin. Thus, insulin provides energy for diabetics. They fill up our stomachs without spiking our blood sugar levels. But what vegetables should diabetics add to their diet? Let’s dive into knowing the 10 best vegetables for diabetes control.

Contents:

Best Diabetes Vegetables: Nutrition Profile
10 Best Vegetables For Diabetes
Risks of Overconsumption of Vegetables
Other Health Benefits of Vegetables For Diabetes
Don’t Have Time To Read?
FAQs

Best Diabetes Vegetables: Nutrition Profile

Vegetable Type	Spinach	Broccoli	Cabbage	Onion	Tomatoes	Green beans	Cucumber	Red Radish	Okra	Carrot
GI score	6	10	10	10	10	15	15	15	20	47
Best advantage	Vitamin K	Potassium	Vitamin K	Manganese	Vitamin C	Vitamin A, C	Vitamin K	Vitamin C, E	Magnesium	Vitamin B4

10 Best Vegetables For Diabetes

1. Broccoli

In a study published in the journal “Diabetes”, researchers found that sulforaphane in broccoli can protect from cell damage and reduces blood sugar levels, which is very common in diabetic patients.

2. Spinach

Some researchers show that vitamin C present in spinach acts as an antioxidant and it also has anti-inflammatory abilities, which help to reduce cellular damage in diabetics.

3. Tomatoes

Tomatoes have a low GI and a good vitamin C value, which makes them an excellent source for diabetics. Several studies suggest tomatoes can reduce blood pressure for individuals with diabetes.

4. Green Beans

Beans are high in dietary fiber, antioxidants, and essential minerals like potassium, magnesium, which play an important role in managing diabetes.

5. Cabbage

Cabbage has a good amount of vitamin C, which is usually low in diabetic patients. Cabbage is a wonderful source of dietary fiber, which helps to digest the food slowly in return controls blood sugar levels in the body.

6. Cucumbers

Cucumber is a vegetable rich in water that keeps your body hydrated. One study published in NIH shows including cucumbers in daily meals has positive results in controlling and reducing diabetes.

7. Carrots

Carrots are non-starchy vegetables with low GI, which makes them the best option for diabetics. It is rich in vitamin B6, vitamin A and dietary fiber, which helps to regulate blood sugar levels.

8. Onions

Onions are rich in antioxidants which have anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory properties which can help prevent diabetes.

9. Okra

Research on okra has shown promising improvement in controlling blood glucose levels of type-1, type-2, and gestational diabetes. Okra has a good amount of dietary fiber, which makes the food digest slowly and releases glucose slowly into the bloodstream.

10. Red Radish

One article published in NCBI shows that consuming radish regularly can reduce spikes in blood sugar levels, which is very helpful for diabetic patients.

Risks of Overconsumption of Vegetables

Overconsumption of vegetables can cause the following:

Heartburn
Stomach pain
Excessive gas
Bloating
Constipation

Other Health Benefits of Vegetables For Diabetes

Vegetables are rich in essential nutrients which act as potent antioxidants. These have many proven health benefits:

Prevents many cancers
Improves heart health
Lowers blood pressure
Improves eyesight
Nourishes skin and hair
Helps in weight loss

Don’t Have Time To Read?

Vegetables are rich in certain essential nutrients, like vitamins and minerals. These nutrients contain antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic properties.
Vegetables have high dietary fiber, low carbohydrate, and low glycemic index. They release glucose slowly into the bloodstream, which helps in managing diabetes.
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