Sweet potatoes, sometimes confused with yams, belong to the morning glory family. Yams, native to Africa, look similar to sweet potatoes but are related to lilies and grasses. Sweet potatoes contain fiber and nutrients that benefit those with diabetes. But if you have diabetes, eat them in moderation and in combination with other healthy foods.
Nutritional Content
Sweet potatoes are among the top 10 healthiest foods for those with diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. In fact, the association calls the sweet potato a diabetes superfood. Sweet potatoes have a low glycemic index. This means that sweet potatoes will not cause your blood sugar levels to rise significantly. Sweet potatoes are relatively low in calories. An average-size sweet potato has only about 160 calories. They contain potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, beta-carotine, and folic acid. In addition, the high-fiber content of sweet potatoes makes them an excellent choice for people with diabetes.
Fiber Benefits
An average-size baked sweet potato with skin attached contains has 3.8 g of fiber. Fiber can stabilize your blood-sugar levels and keep them within a healthy range. This is because fiber slows your body's absorption of sugars. Eating plenty of fiber-rich foods like sweet potatoes may help you lose weight, because they keep you feeling full on relatively few calories. In addition, fiber may help lower your risk of heart disease by lowering your blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Intake
Sweet potatoes are a type of starchy vegetable and belong to the carbohydrate food group. If you have diabetes, you should limit your intake of all starchy vegetables, including superfoods like sweet potatoes. Other starchy vegetables include green peas, corn, squash and beans. You can eat greater amounts of nonstarchy vegetables, such as spinach, lettuce, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes and mushrooms. The diabetes association says that nonstarchy vegetables should make up 1/2 of your lunch and dinner meals, with the remaining half split evenly between starchy vegetables and lean protein. So no more than 1/4 of your plate should contain sweet potatoes.
Food Ideas
Just like regular potatoes, sweet potatoes can be baked and mashed. Combine your sweet potato with other diabetes superfoods for an extra-diabetes-friendly meal. Try a baked sweet potato topped with fiber-rich broccoli. Have a simple green salad on the side. Try topping a bed of spinach with diced tomatoes, sliced almonds, pecans and fresh raspberries. If you bake sweet potato fries, try drizzling them with fresh lemon and lime juice. This will add flavor and serve as a good replacement for salt. Citrus fruits are also a diabetes superfood.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Superfoods
- American Diabetes Association: Glycemic Index and Diabetes
- American Dietetic Association, Eat Right: Tip Of The Day -- Sweet Potatoes Are At Their Peak, Sept. 19, 2006
- MayoClinic.com: Nutrition and Healthy Eating -- Dietary Fiber: Essential For A Healthy Diet, Nov. 19, 2009
- USDA Agricultural Research Service: Nutrient Data Laboratory
- American Diabetes Association: Create Your Plate
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