3. Non-Starchy Vegetables
Diabetics should pay particular attention to the types of vegetable carbohydrates they consume as some contain higher levels of carbohydrates than others, which can cause your blood sugar to become out of balance and harder to control according to the University of Maryland Medical Centre.
Vegetables high in carbohydrates include; white potatoes, corn, and winter squash. Often these are referred to as ‘starchy’ vegetables, and are termed as being high on the Glycemic Index (GI) which means they can cause blood sugar to rise quickly.
Types of vegetables low in carbohydrates (or are termed ‘non starchy’ vegetable), includes spinach, kale, broccoli, salad greens and green beans. These are all usually low on the GI scale making them gentler on the blood sugar for all that eat them, especially diabetics.
4. Beans
Beans are often a delicious but overlooked accompaniment or excellent replacement to animal protein in a meal.
Beans are great for diabetics because they are high-quality carbohydrates full of lean protein, and soluble fibre that all help to stabilize your blood sugar levels.
By stabilizing your blood sugar better as a diabetic you are also more likely to lessen the chances of you choosing unhealthy carbohydrates like refined grains and sugary foods to snack on in-between meals or in place of a healthy balanced meal.
Try experimenting with the following beans (just make sure if they are not tinned and that you have cooked them properly); black, white, navy, lima, pinto, garbanzo and kidney – all of which are quite inexpensive.
5. Tomatoes
Another side effect of incorrectly managed diabetes type 2 is having an increased risk of developing cardiovascular problems.
A study published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition discovered that consuming 200 grams of raw tomatoes every day reduced blood pressure which could then help reduce the cardiovascular risk that is associated with type 2 diabetes.
Tomatoes are still very nutritious even in there cooked state, so it is perfectly good to still cook them in a creative way that might enhance the flavor, as you will still get some of the healthful properties found within the humble tomato.
Tomatoes are also a non-starchy vegetable with a low GI of 55, which means that they will be kind to your blood sugar levels.
Choose Veg, Choose Organic For Better Diabetes Management
When making your fresh vegetable choices, it is always better to opt for the organic varieties, as these will be free of toxic chemicals and pesticides that can cause further problems to your health.
Also, by ensuring you get the right amount and type of carbohydrate in each meal should be of huge importance to all diabetics, and this is why it is important to see vegetables as carbohydrates too, as it is not just grains that are classed as carbohydrates.